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[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 109 (Wednesday, June 6, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30500-30501]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-14235]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee; General Aviation 
Certification and Operations 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: The FAA assigned the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee a 
new task to evaluate changing the requirements in Section 23.177 for 
demonstrating positive dihedral effect in all land gear and flap 
positions. This notice is to inform the public of this ARAC activity.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Dahl, Federal Aviation 
Administration, Central Region Headquarters, 901 Locust, Kansas City, 
Missouri, 64106, (816) 329-4110. [email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The FAA established the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee to 
provide advice and recommendations to the FAA Administrator on the 
FAA's rulemaking activities with respect to aviation-related issues. 
This includes obtaining advice and recommendations on the FAA's 
commitments to harmonize Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations 
(14 CFR) with its partners in Europe and Canada.

The Task

    1. Review Sec. 23.177 and JAR 23 and recommend harmonized changes 
to Sec. 23.177 for demonstrating positive dihedral effect in all 
landing gear and flap positions. (Extending the flaps often decreases 
the dihedral effect to zero. An aileron rudder interconnect is often 
installed to correct the problem when dihedral effect in the landing 
flap configuration is not wanted.)
    2. Prepare a draft Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) 
incorporating the recommendations. The NPRM should include the preamble 
and rule language along with any supporting legal analysis.
    Schedule: This task is to be accomplished no later than December 
10, 2001.

ARAC Acceptance of Task

    ARAC accepted the task and assigned the task to the newly formed 
Static Directional and Lateral Stability Harmonization Working Group, 
General Aviation Certification and Operations Issues. The working group 
will serve as staff to ARAC and assist in the analysis of the assigned 
task. ARAC must review and approve the working group's recommendations. 
If ARAC accepts the working group's recommendations, it will forward 
them to the FAA. Recommendations that are received from ARAC will be 
submitted to the agency's Rulemaking Management Council to address the 
availability of resources and prioritization.

Working Group Activity

    The Static Directional and Lateral Stability Harmonization 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 task, including the 
rationale supporting such a plan for consideration at the next meeting 
of the ARAC on general aviation certification and operations 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. Draft the appropriate documents and required analyses and/or any 
other related materials or documents.
    4. Provide a status report at each meeting of the ARAC held to 
consider

[[Page 30501]]

general aviation certification and operations issues.

Participation in the Working Group

    The Static Directional and Lateral Stability Harmonization Working 
Group will be composed of technical experts having an interest in the 
assigned task. A working group member need not be a representative or 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. All requests to 
participate must be received no later than June 29, 2001. The requests 
will be reviewed by the co-assistant chairs, the co-assistant executive 
directors, and the working group co-chairs. Individuals will be advised 
whether or not their request can be accommodated.
    Individuals chosen for membership on the working group will be 
expected to represent their aviation community segment and actively 
participate in the working group (e.g., attend all meetings, provide 
written comments when requested to do so, etc.). They also will be 
expected to devote the resources necessary to support the working group 
in meeting any assigned deadlines. Members are expected to keep their 
management chain and those they may represent advised of working group 
activities and decisions to ensure that the proposed technical 
solutions do not conflict with their sponsoring organization's position 
when the subject being negotiated is presented to ARAC for approval.
    Once the working group has begun deliberations, members will not be 
added or substituted without the approval of the co-assistant chairs, 
the co-assistant executive directors, and the working group co-chairs.
    The Secretary of Transportation determined that 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.
    Meetings of the ARAC will be open to the public. Meetings of the 
Static Directional and Lateral Stability Harmonization Working Group 
will not be open to the public, except to the extent that 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 June 1, 2001.
Anthony F. Fazio,
Executive Director, Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.
[FR Doc. 01-14235 Filed 6-5-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M
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