[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 167 (Thursday, August 28, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45690-45691]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-22922]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee; Transport Airplane and 
Engine Issues--New Task

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of a new task assignment for the Aviation Rulemaking 
Advisory Committee (ARAC).

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SUMMARY: Notice is given of a new task assigned to and accepted by the 
Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC). This notice informs the 
public of the activities of ARAC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stewart R. Miller, Manager, Transport 
Standards Staff, ANM-110, FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service, 1601 Lind Ave. SW., Renton, WA 98055-4056, 
telephone (425) 227-2190, fax (425) 227-1320.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The FAA has established an Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee 
to provide advice and recommendations to the FA Administrator, through 
the Associate Administrator for Regulation and Certification, on the 
full range of the FAA's rulemaking activities with respect to aviation-
related issues. This includes obtaining advice and recommendations of 
the FAA's commitment to harmonize its Federal Aviation Regulations 
(FAR) and practices with the aviation authorities in Europe and Canada.
    One area ARAC deals with is Transport Airplane and Engine Issues. 
These issues involve the airworthiness standard for transport category 
airplanes in 14 CFR part 25, 33, and 35 and parallel provisions in 14 
CFR parts 121 and 135. The corresponding European airworthiness 
standards for transport category airplanes are contained in Joint 
Aviation Requirements (JAR)-25, JAR-E and JAR-P, respectively. The 
corresponding Canadian Standards are contained in Chapters 525, 533 and 
535 respectively.

The Task

    This notice is to inform the public that the FAA has asked ARAC to 
provide advice and recommendation on the following harmonization task:

FAR/JAR 25 Aging Aircraft

    1. ARAC is tasked to review the capability of analytical methods 
and their validation; related research work; relevant full-scale and 
component fatigue test data; and tear down inspection reports, 
including fractographic analysis, relative to the detection of 
widespread fatigue damage (WFD). Since aircraft in the fleet provide 
important data for determining where and when WFD is occurring in the 
structure, ARAC will review fractographic data from representative 
``fleet leader'' airplanes. Where sufficient relevant data for certain 
airplane models does not currently exist, ARAC will recommend how to 
obtain sufficient data from representative airplanes to determine the 
extent of WFD in the fleet. The review should take into account the 
Airworthiness Assurance Harmonization Working Group report ``Structural 
Fatigue Evaluation for Aging Aircraft'' dated October 14, 1993, and 
extend its applicability to all transport category airplanes having a 
maximum gross weight greater than 75,000 pounds.
    2. ARAC will produce time standards for the initiation and 
completion of model specific programs (relative to the airplane's 
design service goal) to predict, verify and rectify widespread fatigue 
damage. ARAC will also recommend action that the Authorities should 
take if a program, for certain model airplanes, is not initiated and 
completed prior to those time standards. Actions that ARAC will 
consider include regulations to require Type Certificate holders to 
develop WFD programs, modification action, operational limits, and 
inspection requirements to assure structural integrity of the 
airplanes. ARAC will provide a discussion of the relative merits of 
each option.
    This task should be completed within 18 months of tasking.

[[Page 45691]]

ARAC Acceptance of Task

    ARAC has accepted this task and will assign it to a working group. 
The working group will serve as staff to ARAC to assist ARAC in the 
analysis of the assigned task. Working group recommendations must be 
reviewed and approved by ARAC. If ARAC accepts the working group's 
recommendations, it forwards them to the FAA as ARAC recommendations.

Working Group Activity

    The working group is expected to comply with the procedures adopted 
by ARAC. As part of the procedures, the working group is expected to:
    1. Recommend a plan for completion of the task, including 
rationale, for FAA/JAA approval within six months of publication of 
this notice.
    2. Give a detailed conceptual presentation of the proposed 
recommendations, prior to proceeding with its work.
    3. Provide a status report at each meeting of ARAC held to consider 
Transport Airplane and Engine Issues.

Participation in the Working Group

    The working group will be composed of experts having an interest in 
the assigned task. A working group member need not be a representative 
of a member of the full committee.
    An individual who has expertise in the subject matter and wishes to 
become a member of the working group should write to the person listed 
under the caption FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT expressing that 
desire, describing his or her interest in the task, and stating the 
expertise he or she would bring to the working group. The request will 
be reviewed by the assistant chair, the assistant executive director, 
and the working group chair, and the individual will be advised whether 
or not the request can be accommodated.
    The Secretary of Transportation has determined that the formation 
and use of ARAC are necessary and in the public interest in connection 
with the performance of duties imposed on the FAA by law.
    Meetings of ARAC will be open to the public, except as authorized 
by section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. Meetings of the 
working group will not be open to the public, except to the extent that 
individuals with an interest and expertise are selected to participate. 
No public announcement of working group meetings will be made.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 21, 1997.
Joseph A. Hawkins,
Executive Director, Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.
[FR Doc. 97-22922 Filed 8-27-97; 8:45 am]
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