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[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 242 (Thursday, December 17, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 78650-78651]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-31639]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Parts 21 and 45

[Docket No. FAA-2013-0933; Amdt. Nos. 21-98A, 45-29A]
RIN 2120-AK20

Changes to Production Certificates and Approvals; Correction

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; correction.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is correcting a 
final rule published on October 1, 2015. In that rule, the FAA amended 
its certification procedures and marking requirements for aeronautical 
products and articles. This action corrects the effective date of the 
final rule to permit an earlier implementation of the rule's provisions 
that allow production approval holders to issue authorized release 
documents for aircraft engines, propellers, and articles. It also 
permits an earlier implementation date for production certificate 
holders to manufacture and install interface components, and provides 
earlier relief from the current requirement that fixed-pitch wooden 
propellers be marked using an approved fireproof method.

DATES: The final rule published October 1, 2015 (80 FR 59021), is 
effective March 29, 2016, except for Sec. Sec.  21.1(b)(1), 21.1(b)(5) 
through (9), 21.137(o), 21.142, 21.147, and 45.11(c), which are 
effective January 4, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical questions concerning 
this action, contact Priscilla Steward or Robert Cook, Aircraft 
Certification Service, Production Certification Section, AIR-112, 
Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20591; telephone (202) 267-1656; email: 
priscilla.steward@faa.gov or telephone: (202) 267-1590; email: 
robert.cook@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On October 1, 2015, the final rule, ``Changes to Production 
Certificates and Approvals,'' 80 FR 59021, was published in the Federal 
Register. In that final rule the FAA revised the regulations pertaining 
to certification requirements for products and articles in part 21 of 
title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) and removed 
certain marking requirements in 14 CFR part 45 applicable to fixed-
pitch wooden propellers. The final rule afforded production approval 
holders (PAHs) a number of privileges not currently permitted under 
current regulations.
    To provide PAHs privileges similar to those afforded European and 
Canadian approved manufacturers, Sec.  21.137(o) of the final rule 
permits a PAH to issue authorized release documents for new aircraft 
engines, propellers, and articles that it produces, and also for used 
aircraft engines, propellers, and articles it rebuilds or alters in 
accordance with Sec.  43.3(j), provided it establishes an FAA-approved 
process in its quality system for issuing those documents. Authorized 
release documents would typically be issued using FAA Form 8130-3, 
Airworthiness Release Certificate, Airworthiness Approval Tag.
    The final rule also allows a PAH that meets the requirements of 
Sec.  21.147(c) to apply for an amendment to its production certificate 
for the purpose of manufacturing and installing interface components. 
The term ``interface component'' is also specifically defined in Sec.  
21.1(a)(5).
    Additionally, the final rule amends part 45 to exclude fixed-pitch 
wooden propellers from the requirement that a propeller, propeller 
blade, or propeller hub be marked using an approved fireproof method. 
This exclusion allows manufacturers to mark their products in a 
practical manner that takes into account the inherent nature of wooden 
propellers.
    Finally, the rule revises the definition of ``airworthiness 
approval,'' in Sec.  21.1(b)(1), by expanding it to account for the 
issuance of an airworthiness approval in instances where an aircraft, 
aircraft engine, propeller, or article does not conform to its approved 
design or may not be in a condition for safe operation at the time the 
airworthiness approval is generated and that nonconformity or condition 
is specified on the airworthiness approval document.
    The FAA issued the final rule with an effective date of 180 days 
after its publication in the Federal Register to allow sufficient time 
for industry compliance with new requirements contained in the rule. 
This effective date, however, also delayed the implementation date of 
certain provisions that removed regulatory burdens that were no longer 
necessary or appropriate in the current global manufacturing 
environment. Accordingly, the FAA is amending the effective date of the 
final rule to January 4, 2016 for the following sections:
     Sec.  21.1(b)(1) which revises the definition of 
airworthiness approval
     Sec.  21.1(b)(5), which defines interface component
     Sec.  21.137(o), which establishes provisions for the 
issuance of authorized release documents by PAHs
     Sec.  21.142, which codifies provisions for the inclusion 
of interface components in a production limitation record
     Sec.  21.147, which specifies the requirements that must 
be met to amend a production certificate to include interface 
components
     Sec.  45.11(c), which excludes fixed-pitch wooden 
propellers from the requirement that they be marked using an approved 
fireproof method.
    The FAA also notes that Change 5 to the Maintenance Annex Guidance 
(MAG), which implements certain provisions of the Aviation Safety 
Agreement between the United States and the European Union requires 
that FAA Form 8130-3 be issued by a U.S.

[[Page 78651]]

PAH for new parts that will be installed in articles for which a dual 
airworthiness release is to be issued. In order to serve European 
customers many U.S. repair stations will be required to possess parts 
documentation that U.S. PAHs cannot currently issue and which can only 
be obtained from the FAA or its designees.
    Although the FAA and EASA have agreed to delay the implementation 
of Change 5 to the MAG until March 29, 2016, correcting the effective 
date of Sec.  21.137(o) will provide PAHs with the ability to establish 
a system for the issuance of authorized release documents to meet EASA 
requirements without increasing staff in the form of Organization 
Designation Authority (ODA) unit members or Designated Manufacturing 
Inspection Representatives (DMIRs), or incurring the cost of hiring 
additional Designated Airworthiness Representatives (DARs).
    Additionally, correcting the effective date of Sec. Sec.  21.142, 
21.147, and 45.11(c) will alleviate the current need for PAHs to 
request new exemptions or renew current exemptions to manufacture and 
install interface components and appropriately mark wooden propellers.
    The remaining sections of the final rule become effective on March 
29, 2016, its originally published effective date.

Correction

    In FR Doc. 2015-24950, beginning on page 59021 in the Federal 
Register of October 1, 2015, in the second column, correct the DATES 
section to read as follows:
    DATES: This final rule is effective March 29, 2016, except for 
Sec. Sec.  21.1(b)(1), 21.1(b)(5) through (9), 21.137(o), 21.142, 
21.147 and 45.11(c), which are effective on January 4, 2016.

    Issued under authority provided by 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 44701(a), 
and 44703 in Washington, DC, on December 11, 2015.
Lirio Liu,
Director, Office of Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2015-31639 Filed 12-16-15; 8:45 am]
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