[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 193 (Monday, October 6, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52176-52177]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-26380]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee; Aircraft Certification 
Procedures Issues--New Task

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

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

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SUMMARY: Notice is given of two new harmonization tasks 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:
Brian A. Yanez, Aircraft Certification Service (AIR-110), Federal 
Aviation Administration, 800 Independence

[[Page 52177]]

Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591, phone (202) 267-9588.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The FAA has established an Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee 
to provide advice and recommendations to the FAA 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 on 
the FAA's commitment to harmonize its Federal Aviation Regulations 
(FAR) and practices with its trading partners in Europe and Canada.
    One area ARAC deals with its Aircraft Certification Procedures 
Issues. These issues involve the regulatory standards and procedures 
for aircraft certification found in 14 CFR parts 21, 39, and 183 and 
Special Federal Aviation Regulation No. 36.

The Tasks

    This notice is to inform the public that the FAA has asked ARAC to 
provide advice and recommendation on the following harmonization tasks:
    Task 1. Review the public comments received on Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking (NPRM) 97-7, which proposes to amend the procedural Federal 
Aviation Regulations for the certification of changes to type 
certificated products, and develop recommendations regarding the 
disposition of those comments. The review and recommendations must take 
into account the public comments received by the Joint Aviation 
Authorities (JAA) regarding JAA Notice of Proposed Amendment (NPA) 
21.7. Prepare a recommended final rule for NPRM 97-7 that the JAA could 
adopt as its rule and that is harmonized with the FAA's rule. Forward 
the final recommendations to the FAA.
    Task 2. Develop a training syllabus for a common training course 
between the FAA and JAA and assist the FAA and JAA training personnel 
with the training program material.
    The FAA expects ARAC to complete these tasks by March 2, 1998.
    The FAA has asked that ARAC prepare the necessary documents, 
including economic analysis, to justify and carry out its 
recommendations.

ARAC Acceptance of Tasks

    ARAC has accepted the tasks and has chosen to assign them to the 
existing International Certification Procedures Working Group. The 
working group serves 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 International Certification Procedures 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 work plan for completion of the tasks, including the 
rationale supporting such a plan, for consideration at the meeting of 
ARAC to consider Aircraft Certification Procedures Issues held 
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. For each task, draft appropriate regulatory documents with 
supporting economic and other required analyses, and/or any other 
related guidance material or collateral documents the working group 
determines to be appropriate; or, if new or revised requirements or 
compliance methods are not recommended, a draft report stating the 
rationale for not making such recommendations.
    4. Provide a status report at each meeting of ARAC held to consider 
Aircraft Certification Procedures Issues

Participation in the Working Group

    The International Certification Procedures Working Group is 
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.
    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 
International Certification Procedures Working Group will not be open 
to the public, except to the extent that individuals with an interest 
and expertise have been selected to participate. No public announcement 
of working group meetings will be made.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 29, 1997.
Brian A. Yanez,
Assistant Executive Director for Aircraft Certification Procedures 
Issues Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.
[FR Doc. 97-26380 Filed 10-3-97; 8:45 am]
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