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[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 23 (Thursday, February 4, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6099-6101]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-02046]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee--New Task

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

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

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SUMMARY: The FAA assigned the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee 
(ARAC) a continuation of a task to provide recommendations regarding 
standards, training guidance, test management, and reference materials 
for airman certification purposes. The FAA added the Aircraft Mechanic 
Certificate with Airframe and/or Powerplant ratings to the existing 
list of certificates and ratings for which the ARAC will provide 
recommendations. This notice informs the public of the continuing ARAC 
activity and solicits additional membership for the existing Airman 
Certification System Working Group (ACS WG).

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:

ARAC Acceptance of Task

    As a result of the December 17, 2015 ARAC meeting, the FAA assigned 
and ARAC accepted and designated this continuation of task to the ACS 
WG. The ACS WG continues to serve as staff to the ARAC and continues to 
provide advice and recommendations on the continued assigned task. The 
ARAC will review and accept the recommendation report and will submit 
it to the FAA.

Background

    The FAA established the ARAC to provide information, advice, and 
recommendations on aviation related issues that could result in 
rulemaking to the FAA Administrator, through the Associate 
Administrator of Aviation Safety.

[[Page 6100]]

    On December 19, 2013, ARAC accepted the FAA's assignment of a new 
task to establish an Airman Certification System Working Group (ACS WG) 
to assist in the development of standards, training guidance, test 
management, and reference materials for airman certification testing. 
The FAA announced the ARAC's acceptance of this task through a Federal 
Register Notice published on January 29, 2014 [79 FR 4800]. The 
original task focused on the Private Pilot, Commercial Pilot, Airline 
Transport Pilot, and Authorized Instructor certificates and the 
Instrument Rating. The ACS WG has made significant progress toward 
completion of this work. The FAA is now assigning ARAC to continue and 
expand the ACS WG's task to include development of recommended 
standards, training guidance, test management, and reference materials 
for the Aircraft Mechanic Certificate (AMC) with Airframe and/or 
Powerplant ratings and to add members with expertise in 14 CFR parts 65 
and 147 to assist in this work. The addition of the AMC task arises 
from FAA and aviation industry recognition that the integrated Airman 
Certification Standards approach will address the compelling need to 
improve and update aircraft mechanic testing and training materials.

The Task

    The ACS WG will provide advice and recommendations to the ARAC on 
the development of standards, training guidance, test management, and 
reference materials for the AMC with Airframe and/or Powerplant 
ratings.
    1. In developing this report, the ACS WG, including its new 
members, shall familiarize itself with:
    a. A report to the FAA from the Airman Testing Standards and 
Training Aviation Rulemaking Committee: Recommendations to Enhance 
Airman Knowledge Test Content and Its Processes and Methodologies for 
Training and Testing (www.faa.gov/aircraft/draft_docs/arc);
    b. A report from the Airman Testing Standards and Training Working 
Group to the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee;
    c. Aeronautical knowledge and proficiency standards set forth in 14 
CFR part 61, Certification: Pilots, Flight Instructors, and Ground 
Instructors; 14 CFR part 65 Certification: Airman Other Than Flight 
Crewmembers, subpart D, Mechanics, and Subpart E, Repairmen;
    d. FAA Airman Knowledge Test Guides (FAA-G-8082-17E, FAA-G-8082-3A, 
FAA-G-8082-11C, FAA-G-8082-19);
    e. Current Practical Test Standards documents for Private Pilot 
Airplane (FAA-S-8081-14B); Flight Instructor Airplane (FAA-S-8081-6C); 
Instrument Rating for Airplane, Helicopter, and Powered Lift (FAA-S-
8081-4E);
    f. Current Practical Test Standards documents for Aviation Mechanic 
General (FAA-S-8081-26A); Aviation Mechanic Airframe Practical Test 
Standards (FAA-S-8081-27A); and Aviation Mechanic Powerplant Practical 
Test Standards (FAA-S-8081-28A);
    g. Current FAA guidance materials, to include the Pilot's Handbook 
of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25A); the Airplane Flying 
Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3A); the Aviation Instructor's Handbook (FAA-H-
8083-9A); the Instrument Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-15A); the 
Instrument Procedures Handbook (FAA-H-8083-1A); the Aviation 
Maintenance Technician Handbook- General (FAA-H-8083-30), the Aviation 
Maintenance Technician Handbook Airframe (FAA-H-8083-31) Volumes 1 and 
2; the Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook Powerplant (FAA-H-8083-
32) Volumes 1 and 2; the Aircraft Weight and Balance Handbook (FAA-H-
8083-1A); and the appropriate FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Supplements 
(FAA-CT-8080 series documents).
    2. FAA has specifically tasked the ACS WG to support the FAA's goal 
to enhance aviation safety by providing a means for the aviation 
industry to provide expert assistance and industry views to the FAA's 
Flight Standards Service (AFS) on the development, modification, and 
continued alignment of the major components of the airman certification 
system, which include:
    a. The ACS for airman certificates and ratings (i.e. 8081-series 
documents);
    b. Associated training guidance material (e.g., H-series 
handbooks);
    c. Test management (e.g., test question development, test question 
boarding, test composition/test ``mapping,'' and CT-8080-series 
figures); and
    d. Reference materials, to include AFS directives and Aviation 
Safety Inspector guidance; FAA Orders, Advisory Circulars (ACs), and 
other documents pertaining to the airman certification system.
    3. Develop a report containing recommendations on the findings and 
results of the tasks explained above.
    a. The recommendation report should document both majority and 
dissenting positions on the findings and the rationale for each 
position.
    b. Any disagreements should be documented, including the rationale 
for each position and the reasons for the disagreement.
    4. After the FAA accepts the recommendation report, the FAA may 
task the ARAC ACS WG to complete the following additional tasks:
    a. Provide recommendations for regular industry review of 
standards, guidance, and test management for each airman certificate or 
rating included in this task;
    b. Provide prioritized recommendations for applying the Airman 
Certification Standards framework to other airman certifications and 
ratings;
    5. The ACS WG may be reinstated to assist the ARAC by responding to 
the FAA's questions or concerns after the recommendation report has 
been submitted.

Schedule

    The recommendation report should be submitted to the FAA for review 
and acceptance no later than 30 months from the publication date in the 
Federal Register.
    This tasking notice requires two recommendation reports.
     As tasked on December 19, 2013, published on January 29, 
2014 [79 FR 4800], and amended at the ARAC's September 17, 2015 
meeting, the ACS WG must submit an initial recommendation report 
covering the ARAC ACS Working Group's initial tasking for the Private 
Pilot, Commercial Pilot, Airline Transport Pilot, and Instructor 
certificates and the Instrument Rating to the FAA for review and 
acceptance no later than December, 2016.
     The addendum recommendation report on the new AMC task 
must be submitted to the FAA for review and acceptance no later than 
December, 2017.

Working Group Activity

    The ACS WG must comply with the procedures adopted by the ARAC and 
are as follows:
    1. Conduct a review and analysis of the assigned tasks and any 
other related materials or documents.
    2. Draft and submit a work plan for completion of the task, 
including the rationale supporting such a plan, for consideration by 
the ARAC.
    3. Provide a status report at each ARAC meeting.
    4. Draft and submit the recommendation report based on the review 
and analysis of the assigned tasks.
    5. Present the recommendation reports at the ARAC meeting.

[[Page 6101]]

Continued Participation in the Working Group/Addition of New Members

    The existing ACS WG continues to be comprised of technical experts 
having an interest in the assigned task, and the FAA is now soliciting 
up to five new members with expertise in the aviation maintenance 
training and testing fields, specifically involving 14 CFR parts 65 and 
147. The provisions of the August 13, 2014, Office of Management and 
Budget guidance, ``Revised Guidance on Appointment of Lobbyists to 
Federal Advisory Committees, Boards, and Commissions'' (79 FR 47482), 
continues the ban on registered lobbyists participating on Agency 
Boards and Commissions if participating in their ``individual 
capacity.'' The revised guidance now allows registered lobbyists to 
participate on Agency Boards and Commissions in a ``representative 
capacity'' for the ``express purpose of providing a committee with the 
views of a nongovernmental entity, a recognizable group of persons or 
nongovernmental entities (an industry, sector, labor unions, or 
environmental groups, etc.) or state or local government.'' (For 
further information see Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (LDA) as 
amended, 2 U.S.C. 1603, 1604, and 1605.)
    If you wish to become a member of the ACS WG for the purpose of 
assisting with the new AMT task, write the person listed under the 
caption FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT expressing that desire. 
Describe your interest in the task and state the expertise you would 
bring to the working group. The FAA must receive all requests by March 
7, 2016. The ARAC and the FAA will review the requests and advise you 
whether or not your request is approved.
    The members of the Airman Certification System Working Group must 
actively participate, attend all meetings, and provide written comments 
when requested. The members must devote the resources necessary to 
support the working group in meeting any assigned deadlines. The 
members must keep management and those represented advised of the 
working group activities and decisions to ensure the proposed technical 
solutions do not conflict with the position of those represented.
    The Secretary of Transportation determined the formation and use of 
the ARAC is necessary and in the public interest in connection with the 
performance of duties imposed on the FAA by law.
    The ARAC meetings are open to the public. However, meetings of the 
ACS WG are not open to the public, except to the extent individuals 
with an interest and expertise are selected to participate. The FAA 
will make no public announcement of working group meetings.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 28, 2016.
Lirio Liu,
Designated Federal Officer, Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.
[FR Doc. 2016-02046 Filed 2-3-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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