11844 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 42 / Thursday, March 3, 2011 / Notices 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

Aviation Rulemaking Advisory 

Committee; Transport Airplane and 

Engine Issue Area—Phase 2 of Low 

Speed Alerting Task 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of new task assignment 

for the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory 

Committee (ARAC). 

SUMMARY: The FAA assigned the 

Aviation Rulemaking Advisory 

Committee (ARAC) a new task to 

identify and develop recommendations 

on additional requirements for low 

speed alerting. Phase 1 of the task 

addresses new standards for transport 

category airplanes. Phase 2 of the task 

addresses possible retrofit standards for 

existing transport category airplanes. 

This notice is to inform the public that 

the ARAC working group has completed 

activity for Phase 1 of the task and will 

begin activity for Phase 2. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe 

Jacobsen, Airplane & Flight Crew 

Interface Branch, ANM–111, Transport 

Airplane Directorate, Federal Aviation 

Administration, 1601 Lind Ave, SW., 

Renton, Washington 98057; telephone 

(425) 227–2011, facsimile (425) 227– 

1149; e-mail joe.jacobsen@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

The FAA established ARAC to 

provide advice and recommendations to 

the FAA Administrator on the FAA’s 

rulemaking activities with respect to 

aviation-related issues. With respect to 

low speed alerting, the FAA previously 

revised regulations in the area of flight 

guidance (autopilot) and performance 

and handling qualities in icing 

conditions to improve transport airplane 

standards for low speed protection (in 

the case of icing, stall warning standards 

were enhanced). However, as a result of 

several recent loss-of-control accidents 

and incidents, the FAA has identified a 

need for additional low speed 

safeguards, in addition to the regulatory 

actions that have already been taken. 

The committee addressed the Phase 1 

task—new part 25 standards under the 

existing Avionics System 

Harmonization Working Group within 

the Transport Airplane and Engine 

Issues Group. (The FAA published a 

notice of Phase 1 task assignment in the 

Federal Register (75 FR 16902) on April 

2, 2010.) The committee will also 

address the Phase 2 task—parts 25/121/ 

129 retrofit standards under the existing 

Avionics Systems Harmonization 

Working Group within the Transport 

Airplane and Engine Issues Group. 

The Task 

ARAC was initially tasked with 

providing information that will be used 

to develop standards and guidance 

material for low speed alerting systems. 

This information may result in 

standards that complement existing stall 

warning requirements. The working 

group provided a report that addressed 

several low speed alerting technical 

questions, relative to new aircraft 

designs (Phase 1 task—new part 25 

standards), and provided the rationale 

for their responses. 

Since the Phase 1 task is complete, 

ARAC is now tasked with providing 

information that will be used to develop 

possible retrofit standards and guidance 

material for low speed alerting systems. 

This information may result in 

standards that complement existing stall 

warning requirements. The working 

group will also be expected to provide 

a report that addresses the following 

low speed alerting technical questions, 

relative to existing aircraft designs 

(Phase 2 task—part 25/121/129 retrofit 

standards), and provide the rationale for 

their responses. If the recommendation 

for retrofit is the same as for new 

designs, the working group should state 

the rationale and not repeat the 

information previously reported. If there 

is disagreement within the working 

group, those items should be 

documented, including the rationale 

from each party and the reasons for the 

disagreement. 

• How timely is the airplane in 

alerting the crew of flight below the 

intended operating speed? 

• How timely relative to stall 

warning? 

• Is alerting instantly recognizable, 

clear, and unambiguous to the 

flightcrew? 

• How are nuisance alerts 

minimized? 

• Does the alerting operate under all 

operating conditions, configurations, 

and phases of flight, including icing 

conditions? 

• Does the alerting operate during 

manual and autoflight? 

• After reviewing airworthiness, 

safety, cost, benefit, and other relevant 

factors, including recent certification 

and fleet experience, are there any 

additional considerations that should be 

taken into account? 

• Is coordination necessary with 

other harmonization working groups 

(e.g., Human Factors, Flight Test)? (If 

yes, coordinate and report on that 

coordination.) 

• If improvements are needed for low 

speed alerting in the existing fleet, 

should the FAA adopt a design approval 

holder (part 26) requirement to mandate 

development of design changes, or 

would an operational rule be sufficient? 

In responding, the working group 

should address the factors set forth in 

‘‘FAA Policy Statement: Safety—A 

Shared Responsibility—New Direction 

for Addressing Airworthiness Issues for 

Transport Airplanes’’ (70 FR 40166, July 

12, 2005). The ARAC working group 

should provide information that could 

lead to standards for low speed alerting 

that can be satisfied with practical 

design approaches. 

Schedule 

The required completion date for 

Phase 2 of the task is 15 months after 

the FAA publishes this notice in the 

Federal Register. 

ARAC Acceptance of Task 

ARAC accepted the task and assigned 

it to the existing Avionics Systems 

Harmonization Working Group in the 

Transport Airplane and Engine Issue 

Area. The working group serves as 

support to ARAC and assists in the 

analysis of assigned tasks. ARAC must 

review and approve the working group’s 

recommendations. If ARAC accepts the 

working group’s recommendations, it 

will forward them to the FAA. 

Working Group Activity 

The Avionics Systems Harmonization 

Working Group must comply with the 

procedures adopted by ARAC. As part 

of the procedures, the working group 

must: 

1. Prepare a work plan on how to 

complete the task, including the 

rationale for this plan. Present the plan 

for consideration to the Transport 

Airplane and Engine Issues Group 

following publication of this notice. 

2. Give a detailed conceptual 

presentation of the proposed 

recommendations prior to proceeding 

with the work stated in item 3 below. 

3. Draft the appropriate documents 

and required analyses and/or any other 

related materials or documents. 

4. Provide a status report at each 

meeting of the ARAC held to consider 

Transport Airplane and Engine Issues. 

Participation in the Working Group 

The Avionics Systems Harmonization 

Working Group is composed of 

technical experts having an interest in 

the assigned task. We recommend the 

existing working group be expanded to 

include individuals involved in current 

fleet operations so there is appropriate 

representation for the Phase 2 task. A 


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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 42 / Thursday, March 3, 2011 / Notices 11845 

working group member need not be a 

representative or a member of the full 

committee. 

If you have expertise in the subject 

matter and wish to become a member of 

the working group, write to the person 

listed under the caption FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT expressing that 

desire. Describe your interest in the task 

and state the expertise you would bring 

to the working group. We must receive 

all requests by March 17, 2011 for the 

meeting scheduled to start from March 

15 to 17, 2011, located at the Cessna 

Conference Center, 6711 West 31st 

Street South, Wichita, Kansas 67215. 

The assistant chair, the assistant 

executive director, and the working 

group co-chairs will review the requests 

and advise you whether or not your 

request is approved. 

If you are chosen for membership on 

the working group, you must represent 

your aviation community segment and 

actively participate in the working 

group by attending all meetings and 

providing written comments when 

requested to do so. You must devote the 

resources necessary to support the 

working group in meeting any assigned 

deadlines. You must keep your 

management chain and those you may 

represent advised of working group 

activities and decisions to ensure that 

the proposed technical solutions do not 

conflict with your sponsoring 

organization’s position when the subject 

being negotiated is presented to ARAC 

for approval. Once the working group 

has begun deliberations, members will 

not be added or substituted without the 

approval of the assistant chair, the 

assistant executive director, and the 

working group co-chairs. 

The Secretary of Transportation 

determined that the formation and use 

of the ARAC is necessary and in the 

public interest in connection with the 

performance of duties imposed on the 

FAA by law. Meetings of the ARAC are 

open to the public. Meetings of the 

Avionics Systems Harmonization 

Working Group will not be open to the 

public, except to the extent individuals 

with an interest and expertise are 

selected to participate. The FAA will 

make no public announcement of 

working group meetings. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on February 28, 

2011. 

Pamela Hamilton-Powell, 

Executive Director, Aviation Rulemaking 

Advisory Committee. 

[FR Doc. 2011–4761 Filed 3–2–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

[Docket No. FAA–2011–0146] 

Notice of Intent To Review Structure of 

the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory 

Committee 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice and request for public 

comment. 

SUMMARY: The FAA is considering 

restructuring the Aviation Rulemaking 

Advisory Committee (ARAC). This 

notice is to inform the public of FAA’s 

intent and invites the public to provide 

any ideas or thoughts it may have on 

this matter. 

DATES: Send your comments on or 

before April 4, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments 

identified by Docket Number FAA– 

2011–0146 using any of the following 

methods: 

• Government-wide rulemaking Web 

site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov 

and follow the instructions for sending 

your comments electronically. 

• Mail: Send comments to the Docket 

Management Facility; U.S. Department 

of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue, SE., West Building Ground 

Floor, Room W12–140, Washington, DC 

20590. 

• Fax: Fax comments to the Docket 

Management Facility at 202–493–2251. 

• Hand Delivery: Bring comments to 

the Docket Management Facility in 

Room W12–140 of the West Building 

Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between 

9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. 

Privacy: We will post all comments 

we receive, without change, to http:// 

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information you provide. 

Using the search function of our docket 

Web site, anyone can find and read the 

comments received into any of our 

dockets, including the name of the 

individual sending the comment (or 

signing the comment for an association, 

business, labor union, etc.). You may 

review DOT’s complete Privacy Act 

Statement in the Federal Register 

published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 

19477–78). 

Docket: To read background 

documents or comments received, go to 

http://www.regulations.gov at any time 

or to the Docket Management Facility in 

Room W12–140 of the West Building 

Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between 

9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

The Aviation Rulemaking Advisory 

Committee (ARAC) was established in 

February 1991 to provide FAA’s 

Administrator with industry and public 

input in the form of information, advice, 

and recommendations to be considered 

in the full range of FAA rulemaking 

activities. These factors are consistent 

with the dictates of the Administrative 

Procedures Act (APA). The exchange of 

ideas that occurs through the ARAC 

process affords the FAA additional 

opportunities to obtain firsthand 

information and insight from those 

parties who are most affected by 

existing and proposed regulations. 

ARAC consists of approximately 55 

member organizations selected by the 

FAA as most representative of the 

various viewpoints of those impacted by 

FAA regulations. The organizations 

provide a membership fairly balanced in 

terms of points of view of those 

represented and the functions to be 

performed by the committee. The 

committee is composed of organizations 

representing air carriers, airports, flight 

attendants, manufacturers, pilots, public 

interest and advocacy groups, repair 

stations, and consumer groups. 

Members serve in a representative 

capacity. In addition, an Executive 

Committee (ExCom) was formed to 

provide overall administrative oversight 

for committee activities. The ExCom 

consists of the ARAC Chair and Vice 

Chair, who serve as chairperson and 

vice chairperson, respectively for 

ExCom; assistant chairpersons 

representing aeronautical technical 

subject areas (presently, air carrier 

operations, maintenance, occupant 

safety, general aviation certification and 

operations, noise, aircraft certification, 

airport certification, transport airplane 

and engine, rotorcraft, and training and 

qualifications) with active projects only 

in transport airplane and engine, and air 

carrier operations. 

The goal of ARAC is to assemble the 

strongest expertise possible to address 

particular issues facing the aviation 

industry and traveling public. The 

committee conducts its business in open 

deliberations in the form of public 

meetings (working groups are 

exempted). As an advisory body, ARAC 

has consistently exercised its 

independence and freedom to provide 

the FAA recommendations that are not 

influenced or predetermined by the 

government. Since 1998, ARAC has 

submitted more than 110 documented 

recommendations or products to the 


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