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[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 86 (Friday, May 3, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 26103]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-10433]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

Proposed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the Aircraft 
Certification Service (AIR) Project Prioritization and Resource 
Management

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of, and request for 
public comments on, the Aircraft Certification Service (AIR) standard 
operating procedure (SOP) describing the process used to prioritize 
certification projects and manage certification project resources when 
local resources are not available.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 2, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Send all comments on the SOP to: Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA) Aircraft Certification Service, Aircraft 
Engineering Division, 950 L'Enfant Plaza SW., 5th Floor, SW., 
Washington, DC 20024. Attn: Graham Long, AIR-103. You may deliver 
comments to: Federal Aviation Administration, 950 L'Enfant Plaza, 5th 
Floor, SW., Washington, DC 20024, or electronically submit comments to 
the following Internet address: 9-AWA-AVS-AIR-103-SOP@faa.gov. Include 
in the subject line of your message the following: SOP: AIR-100-001; 
Standard Operating Procedure--Aircraft Certification Service Project 
Prioritization.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Graham Long, Aerospace Engineer, 
Federal Aviation Administration, Aircraft Certification Service, 
Aircraft Engineering Division, Technical and Administrative Support 
Branch, AIR-103, 950 L'Enfant Plaza, 5th Floor, SW., Washington, DC 
20024. Telephone (202) 385-6319, FAX (202) 385-6475.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    You are invited to comment on the SOP for the prioritization of 
certification projects listed in this notice by sending such written 
data, views, or arguments to the above listed address. Please identify 
``SOP: AIR-100-001 Standard Operating Procedure--Aircraft Certification 
Service Project Prioritization'' as the subject of your comments. You 
may also examine comments received on the SOP before and after the 
comment closing date at the FAA's Aircraft Engineering Division office 
located at 950 L'Enfant Plaza, 5th Floor, SW., Washington, DC 20024, 
weekdays except Federal holidays, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The 
Director of the Aircraft Certification Service will consider all 
communications received on or before the closing date before issuing 
the final document.

Background

    In 2005, the Federal Aviation Administration instituted a project 
sequencing process to manage our limited resources to address both 
continued operational safety and certification project work. In 2011, 
the existing SOP for Project Sequencing was made available for public 
comment. As a result of comments received, a completely new SOP has 
been developed that is intended to replace the existing SOP. This SOP 
documents the process used for all certification projects worked in 
AIR's Aircraft Certification Offices (ACOs). The certification programs 
include: Type certificate (TC), Amended Type Certificate (ATC), 
Supplemental Type Certificated ATC), Amended Supplemental Type 
Certificate (ASTC), and Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) accomplished 
by test and computation. This SOP defines that all projects are 
initiated in the geographical ACO when the application is received. The 
FAA applies this process to determine the project priority, and 
identifies related task response time. Lower priority projects may have 
task response time extended within limits when AIR resources are unable 
to support. The SOP provides for a national forum for AIR managers to 
identify and obtain support to accomplish specific project tasks while 
not diverting resources from activities supporting our safety mission 
of ensuring continued operational safety of the existing fleet. The FAA 
is publishing the SOP to ensure transparency of the existing sequencing 
process and to solicit feedback on how the process can be improved.

How To Obtain Copies

    You can get an electronic copy of the Standard Operating 
Procedure--Aircraft Certification Service Project Prioritization, via 
the Internet at http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/draft_docs/, and then 
select Policy, or by contacting the person named in the paragraph FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on April 29, 2013.
Susan J.M. Cabler,
Assistant Manager, Aircraft Engineering Division, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-10433 Filed 5-2-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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