[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 84 (Tuesday, May 2, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21582-21583]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-10771]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee; Airport Certification 
Issues--New Task

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of 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:
Robert E. David, Assistant Executive Director for Airport Certification 
Issues, Office of Airport and Safety Standards (AAS-300), 800 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591; telephone (202) 267-
3085; fax (202) 267-5383.

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 is Airport Certification issues. These 
issues involve the certification and operation of airports that service 
air carriers in 14 CFR part 139.

The Task

    This notice is to inform the public that the FAA has asked ARAC to 
provide advice and recommendations on the following task.

    Review Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 139 and 
develop recommendations concerning what requirements are applicable 
to airports that have scheduled service with aircraft having a 
seating capacity of 10 to 30 seats. In developing these 
recommendations, consideration should be given to accepted industry 
practices regarding airport safety, personnel available at these 
airports, costs associated with meeting these requirements (e.g., 
capital, operating, and maintenance costs) and the types of 
accidents/incidents that occur at these airports. Where it appears 
that it is not reasonable to apply a part 139 requirement at these 
airports, the ARAC shall examine alternatives to the requirement to 
determine if there is another means to assure a comparable level of 
safety.
    In conducting this review, ARAC should (1) Consider categorizing 
the requirements applicable to these airports by the size of the 
airport, or some other means to achieve specific safety objectives, 
while minimizing the operational burden; (2) consider alternatives 
to providing aircraft rescue and firefighting services for 
operations at these airports; (3) consider conducting a survey of 
the airports that would be affected by this rule; and (4) recommend 
applicable requirements, including a reasonable compliance period, 
taking into account economic and operational factors.
    The recommendations from ARAC could serve as the basis for a 
notice of proposed rulemaking, if the FAA is granted the legislative 
authority to certificate these airports.

ARAC Acceptance of Task

    ARAC has accepted the task and has chosen to establish a new 
Commuter Airport Certification 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 Commuter Airport Certification 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 airport certification 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. Provide a status report at each meeting of ARAC held to consider 
airport certification issues. Participation in the Working Group.
    The Commuter Airport Certification 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 
Commuter Airport Certification 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 [[Page 21583]] public 
announcement of working group meetings will be made.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on April 25, 1995.
Robert E. David,
Assistant Executive Director for Airport Certification Issues, Aviation 
Rulemaking Advisory Committee.
[FR Doc. 95-10771 Filed 5-1-95; 8:45 am]
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