### 24289 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 79 / Wednesday, April 24, 2013 / Notices

DOT–OST–2012–204 and DOT–OST– 2012–205 and addressed to U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, (M–30, Room W12–140), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Group Floor, Washington, DC 20590, and should be served upon the parties listed in Attachment A to the order.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Catherine J. O’Toole, Air Carrier Fitness Division (X–56, Room W86–469), U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenues SE., Washington, DC 20590, (202) 366–9998.

Dated: April 15, 2013. Susan L. Kurland, Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2013–09557 Filed 4–23–13; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE M**

**DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION**

**Federal Aviation Administration**

**[Docket No FAA–2013–0316]**

**Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) Airman Testing**  **Standards and Training Working Group (ATSTWG)** 

**AGENCY :**  Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

**ACTION :**  Notice of availability; request for comments

**SUMMARY :**  This notice announces the availability of draft Airman Certification Standards (ACS) documents developed by the ATSTWG for the private pilot certificate and the instrument rating. These documents are available for public review, download, and comment.

**DATES :**  Send comments on or before May 24, 2013.

**ADDRESSES :**  Send comments identified by docket number FAA–2013–0316 using any of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for sending your comments electronically.

• Mail: Send comments to Docket Operations, M–30; U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room W12–140, West Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC
20590–0001.

• Hand Delivery or Courier: Take comments to Docket Operations 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. • Fax: Fax comments to Docket Operations at (202) 493–2251.

Privacy: The FAA will post all comments it receives, without change,
to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information the commenter provides. Using the search function of the docket Web site, anyone can find and read the electronic form of all comments received into any FAA dockets, including the name of the individual sending the comment (or signing the comment for an association, business, labor union, etc.). DOT’s complete Privacy Act Statement can be found in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477–19478), as well as at http://DocketsInfo.dot.gov

.

Docket: Background documents or comments received may be read at http://www.regulations.gov at any time. Follow the online instructions for accessing the docket or go to the Docket Operations 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.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Van L. Kerns, Manager, Regulatory Support Division, FAA Flight Standards Service, AFS 600, FAA Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center P.O. Box 25082 Oklahoma City, OK 73125; telephone (405) 954–4431, email van.l.kerns@faa.gov.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  Background

The FAA has established Docket No. FAA–2013–0316 for the purpose of enabling the public to comment on several draft documents developed by the Airman Testing Standards and Training Working Group. The following documents have been placed in that docket for public review and comment:

(1) Background Information; IndustryLed Changes to FAA Airman Testing Standards and Training

(2) Draft PRIVATE PILOT— AIRPLANE Airman Certification Standards;

(3) Draft Change Tracking Matrix referenced to FAA–S–8081–14B, Private Pilot Practical Test Standards for Airplane (Single Engine Land and Single-Engine Sea Areas of Operation); Section 1: Private Pilot

(4) Draft INSTRUMENT RATING— Airman Certification Standards; and

(5) Draft Change Tracking Matrix referenced to FAA–S–8081–4E, Instrument Rating Practical Test Standards for Airplane, Helicopter, and Powered Lift

On August 30, 2012, the ARAC Executive Committee accepted the FAA’s assignment of a new task arising from recommendations of the Airman Testing Standards and Training Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC). The ARC recommended ways to ensure that the FAA’s airman testing and training materials better support reduction of fatal general aviation accidents. The new task instructed the ARAC to integrate aeronautical knowledge and flight proficiency requirements for the private pilot and flight instructor certificates and the instrument rating into a single ACS document for each type of certificate and rating; to develop a detailed proposal to realign FAA training handbooks with the ACS documents; and to propose knowledge test item bank questions consistent with the integrated ACS documents and the principles set forth in the ARC’s recommendations.

The FAA announced the ARAC’s acceptance of this task through a Federal Register Notice published on September 12, 2012 [77 FR 56251]. This Notice described the task elements and solicited participants for the ATSTWG, which subsequently formed and began its work in November 2012.

Consistent with the initial part of this tasking, the ATSTWG has developed draft ACS documents for the private pilot certificate and the instrument rating. These documents align the aeronautical knowledge testing standards with the flight proficiency standards set out in the existing Practical Test Standards (PTS). In addition to supporting the FAA’s effort to improve the relevance, reliability, validity, and effectiveness of aeronautical testing and training materials, the draft ACS documents support the FAA’s goal of reducing fatal general aviation accidents by incorporating task-specific risk management considerations into each Area of Operation.

The ATSTWG continues the necessary work to develop the authorized instructor ACS document and complete its remaining assignments. These include developing a detailed proposal to realign and, as appropriate, streamline and consolidate existing FAA guidance material (e.g., handbooks) with each integrated ACS document; and to propose methodologies to ensure that knowledge test item bank questions are consistent with both the ACS documents and the test question development principles set forth in the ARC’s recommendations.

The ACS documents are designed as the foundation for transitioning to a more integrated and systematic approach to airman certification testing


### 24290 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 79 / Wednesday, April 24, 2013 / Notices

and training. To accomplish this objective and achieve its overall safety goals, the ACS documents support the safety management system (SMS) framework. SMS methodology provides a systematic approach to achieving acceptable levels of safety risk. The ATSTWG is constructing ACS, associated guidance, and test item bank question components of the airman certification system around the four functional components of SMS:

• Safety Policy that demonstrates FAA senior management commitment to continually improve safety through enhancements to the airman certification testing and training system; specifically, better integration of the aeronautical knowledge, flight proficiency, and risk management components of the airman certification system;

• Safety Risk Management processes that create a structured means of safety risk management decision making to identify, assess, and determine acceptable level of risk associated with regulatory changes, safety recommendations, or other factors requiring modification of airman testing and training materials;

• Safety Assurance processes which allow increased confidence on the part of industry and FAA stakeholders in risk controls through a continual review of FAA products and the systematic, prompt and appropriate incorporation of changes arising from new regulations, data analysis, and safety recommendations; and

• Safety Promotion framework to support a positive safety culture in the form of training and ongoing engagement with both external stakeholders (e.g., the aviation training industry) and FAA policy divisions.

Given the foundational nature of the ACS documents and their importance in the ongoing evolution of the FAA’s airman certification testing and training system, the ATSTWG wishes to make draft ACS documents for the private pilot certificate and the instrument rating available to the public for review and comment. The ATSTWG will use the comments it receives to refine and inform its continuing work on this project. Future drafts developed by the ATSTWG may also be published for this
purpose.

Issued in Washington, DC on April 19,
2013. Brenda D. Courtney, Alternate Designated Federal Officer, Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.
[FR Doc. 2013–09684 Filed 4–23–13; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 4910–13–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION** 

**Federal Aviation Administration**

**Furlough Implementation**

**AGENCY :**  Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

**ACTION :**  Notice.

**SUMMARY :**  This action gives notice to the American public and aviation industry of the FAA’s Aviation Safety Office’s (AVS) furlough implementation. Under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended by the Budget Control Act of 2011 and the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, across-the-board budget cuts require the FAA to implement furloughs. AVS and its Services/Offices will implement the required 11 days of furlough beginning April 21, 2013 and continuing through September 30, 2013. AVS will continue to focus resources on those initiatives that would have the highest safety and economic value for the American public and aviation industry. The furlough days vary, with each office scheduling those days in accordance with mission requirements, workload considerations, and applicable collective bargaining agreements. For specific information, please see the FAA Web site at http://www.faa.gov/about/ office

_ org/headquarters

_ offices/avs/ operations

_ sequestration

. **DATES :**  The furlough will take place beginning April 21 through September 30, 2013.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  For specific information, please see the FAA Web site at http://www.faa.gov/about/ office

_ org/headquarters

_ offices/avs/ operations

_ sequestration

.

Issued in Washington, DC, on April 22,
2013. Lirio Liu, Director, Office of Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2013–09775 Filed 4–22–13; 11:15 am]

**BILLING CODE 4910–13–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION**

**Federal Aviation Administration**

**[Summary Notice No. PE–2013–17]**

**Petition for Exemption; Summary of Petition Received** 

**AGENCY :**  Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

**ACTION :**  Notice of petition for exemption received.

**SUMMARY :**  This notice contains a summary of a petition seeking relief from specified requirements of 14 CFR. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public’s awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA’s regulatory activities. Neither publication of this notice nor the inclusion or omission of information in the summary is intended to affect the legal status of the petition or its final disposition.

**DATES :**  Comments on this petition must identify the petition docket number and must be received on or before May 14,
2013.

**ADDRESSES :**  You may send comments identified by Docket Number FAA– 2013–0156 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.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Mr. Mark B. James, Aerospace Engineer, Standards Office (ACE–111), Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service, FAA; telephone number (816) 329–4137, fax number (816) 329–4090, email at mark.james@faa.gov. Andrea Copeland, ARM–208, Office of Rulemaking, FAA,