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[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 78 (Monday, April 23, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24251-24252]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-9743]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

Consensus Standards, Light-Sport Aircraft

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of three new and three 
revised consensus standards relating to the provisions of the Sport 
Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft rule issued July 16, 2004, and effective 
September 1, 2004. ASTM International Committee F37 on Light Sport 
Aircraft developed the new and revised standards with Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA) participation. By this notice, the FAA finds the 
new and revised standards acceptable for certification of the specified 
aircraft under the provisions of the Sport Pilot and Light-Sport 
Aircraft rule.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 22, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to: Federal Aviation Administration, 
Small Airplane Directorate, Programs and Procedures Branch, ACE-114, 
Attention: Terry Chasteen, Room 301, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 
64106. Comments may also be emailed to: 9-ACE-AVR-LSA-Comments@faa.gov. 
All comments must be marked: Consensus Standards Comments, and must 
specify the standard being addressed by ASTM designation and title.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Terry Chasteen, Light-Sport Aircraft 
Program Manager, Programs and Procedures Branch (ACE-114), Small 
Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; 
telephone (816) 329-4147; email: terry.chasteen@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces the availability of 
three new and three revised consensus standards relating to the 
provisions of the Sport Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft rule. ASTM 
International Committee F37 on Light Sport Aircraft developed the new 
and revised standards. The FAA expects a suitable consensus standard to 
be reviewed at least every two years. The two-year review cycle will 
result in a standard revision or reapproval. A standard is issued under 
a fixed designation (i.e., F2244); the number immediately following the 
designation indicates the year of original adoption or, in the case of 
revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates 
the year of last reapproval. A reapproval indicates a two-year review 
cycle completed with no technical changes. A superscript epsilon 
([egr]) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or 
reapproval. A notice of availability (NOA) will only be issued for new 
or revised standards. Reapproved standards issued with no technical 
changes or standards issued with editorial changes only (i.e., 
superscript epsilon ([egr])) are considered accepted by the FAA without 
need for a NOA.
    Comments Invited: Interested persons are invited to submit such 
written data, views, or arguments, as they may desire. Communications 
should identify the consensus standard number and be submitted to the 
address specified above. All communications received on or before the 
closing date for comments will be forwarded to ASTM International 
Committee F37 for consideration. The standard may be changed in light 
of the comments received. The FAA will address all comments received 
during the recurring review of the consensus standard and will 
participate in the consensus standard revision process.
    Background: Under the provisions of the Sport Pilot and Light-Sport 
Aircraft rule, and revised Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
Circular A-119, ``Federal Participation in the Development and Use of 
Voluntary Consensus Standards and in Conformity Assessment 
Activities'', dated February 10, 1998, industry and the FAA have been 
working with ASTM International to develop consensus standards for 
light-sport aircraft. These consensus standards satisfy the FAA's goal 
for airworthiness certification and a verifiable minimum safety level 
for light-sport aircraft. Instead of developing airworthiness standards 
through the rulemaking process, the FAA participates as a member of 
Committee F37 in developing these standards. The use of the consensus 
standard process assures government and industry discussion and 
agreement on appropriate standards for the required level of safety.

Comments on Previous Notices of Availability

    In the Notice of Availability (NOA) issued on July 20, 2011, and 
published in the Federal Register on July 29, 2011 the FAA asked for 
public comments on the new and revised consensus standards accepted by 
that NOA. The comment period closed on September

[[Page 24252]]

27, 2011. No public comments were received regarding the standards 
accepted by this NOA.

Consensus Standards in This Notice of Availability

    The FAA has reviewed the standards presented in this NOA for 
compliance with the regulatory requirements of the rule. Any light-
sport aircraft issued a special light-sport airworthiness certificate, 
which has been designed, manufactured, operated and maintained, in 
accordance with this and previously accepted ASTM consensus standards 
provides the public with the appropriate level of safety established 
under the regulations. Manufacturers who choose to produce these 
aircraft and certificate these aircraft under 14 CFR part 21, 
Sec. Sec.  21.190 or 21.191 are subject to the applicable consensus 
standard requirements. The FAA maintains a listing of all accepted 
standards on the FAA Web site.

The Revised Consensus Standard and Effective Period of Use

    The following previously accepted consensus standards have been 
revised, and this NOA is accepting the later revision. Either the 
previous revision or the later revision may be used for the initial 
certification of special light-sport aircraft until October 22, 2012. 
This overlapping period of time will allow aircraft that have started 
the initial certification process using the previous revision level to 
complete that process. After October 22, 2012, manufacturers must use 
the later revision and must identify the later revision in the 
Statement of Compliance for initial certification of special light-
sport aircraft unless the FAA publishes a specific notification 
otherwise. The following Consensus Standards may not be used after 
October 22, 2012:
    ASTM Designation F2245-10c, titled: Standard Specification for 
Design and Performance of a Light Sport Airplane.
    ASTM Designation F2352-09, titled: Standard Specification for 
Design and Performance of Light Sport Gyroplane Aircraft.
    ASTM Designation F2564-09, titled: Standard Specification for 
Design and Performance of a Light Sport Glider

The Consensus Standards

    The FAA finds the following new and revised consensus standards 
acceptable for certification of the specified aircraft under the 
provisions of the Sport Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft rule. The 
following consensus standards become effective April 23, 2012 and may 
be used unless the FAA publishes a specific notification otherwise:
    ASTM Designation F2245-11, titled: Standard Specification for 
Design and Performance of a Light Sport Airplane.
    ASTM Designation F2352-11, titled: Standard Specification for 
Design and Performance of Light Sport Gyroplane Aircraft.
    ASTM Designation F2564-11, titled: Standard Specification for 
Design and Performance of a Light Sport Glider
    ASTM Designation F2745-11, titled: Standard Specification for 
Required Product Information to be Provided with an Airplane.
    ASTM Designation F2839-11, titled: Standard Practice for Compliance 
Audits to ASTM Standards on Light Sport Aircraft.
    ASTM Designation F2840-11, titled: Standard Practice for Design and 
Manufacture of Electric Propulsion Units for Light Sport Aircraft.

Availability

    These consensus standards are copyrighted by ASTM International, 
100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. 
Individual reprints of a standard (single or multiple copies, or 
special compilations and other related technical information) may be 
obtained by contacting ASTM at this address, or at (610) 832-9585 
(phone), (610) 832-9555 (fax), through service@astm.org (email), or 
through the ASTM Web site at www.astm.org. To inquire about standard 
content and/or membership or about ASTM International Offices abroad, 
contact Christine DeJong, Staff Manager for Committee F37 on Light 
Sport Aircraft: (610) 832-9736, cdejong@astm.org.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on February 22, 2012.
John R. Colomy,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-9743 Filed 4-20-12; 8:45 am]
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