Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2003/12/01/03-29147/stage-4-aircraft-noise-standards
Timestamp: 2017-09-24 19:53:08
Document Index: 304947544

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 91', 'art 91', '§\u200936', '§\u200936', 'art 36', '§\u200936', '§\u200936', '§\u200936', '§\u200936', 'art 36', '§\u200936', 'art 36', '§\u200991', '§\u200991', '§\u200936', 'art 51', '§\u200991', '§\u200991', '§\u200991', '§\u200991', '§\u200991', '§\u200991', '§\u200991']

Federal Register :: Stage 4 Aircraft Noise Standards
A Proposed Rule by the Federal Aviation Administration on 12/01/2003
68 FR 67329
67329-67336 (8 pages)
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/03-29147 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/03-29147
Start Preamble Start Printed Page 67330
In 1976, the FAA amended the aircraft operating rules of 14 CFR part 91 by Start Printed Page 67331adding a new Subpart E entitled “Operating Noise Limits.” The regulation established a phased compliance program for U.S. domestic operators that required them to achieve compliance with Stage 2 or Stage 3 certification standards for all four-engine jet airplanes by January 1, 1985.
Recognizing the need to both expand airport capacity and provide relief from aviation noise, Congress passed the Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990 (ANCA) on November 5, 1990 (now codified at 49 U.S.C. 47521-47533). The regulations implementing the part of ANCA known as the Stage 3 transition rule were effective on September 25, 1991, and are codified at part 91, Subpart I, Operating Noise Limits. The regulations provided two options to meet the schedule for the transition to 100 percent Stage 3 operations in the contiguous United States by December 31, 1999. One option allowed an operator to meet the compliance schedule by phasing out Stage 2 airplanes. Under this option, an operator could operate no more than 75 percent of its Stage 2 base level after December 31, 1994, 50 percent after December 31, 1996, and 25 percent after December 31, 1998. The second option allowed an operator to meet the compliance schedule by attaining a fleet composition of not less than 55 percent Stage 3 airplanes after December 31, 1994, 65 percent after December 31, 1996, and 75 percent after December 31, 1998. New entrant operators (those that did not conduct operations on or before November 5, 1990) had to operate a fleet composed of at least 25 percent Stage 3 airplanes after December 31, 1994, 50 percent after December 31, 1996, and 75 percent after December 31, 1998. All operators were required to operate 100 percent Stage 3 fleets after December 31, 1999. In October 1991, Public Law 102-143 added a separate Stage 2 restriction for operations in Hawaii.
Recertification. The technical working group defines recertification as the certification of an in-service aircraft to comply with a more stringent noise certification standard. Recertification potentially includes options such as re-analysis of existing noise certification and performance databases, weight and/or flap limitations, and engine or airframe modifications. The cost or penalty incurred to recertify aircraft to the proposed new stringency levels is based on the relationships between noise reduction, the capital investment required, and operating costs. Under the recertification case analyzed by CAEP, noncompliant aircraft are either replaced or modified to comply with the new noise standard. An estimate was made of the cost to modify the airframe and/or engine to comply with the new noise standard. Aircraft affected by a phaseout scheme were screened to identify candidates eligible for recertification. These aircraft were assumed to be recertified (modified) to Start Printed Page 67332remain in service until they reach their presumed retirement age.
The FAA is proposing to add the following three terms to § 36.1(f): “Stage 4 noise level,” “Stage 4 airplane,” and “Chapter 4 noise level”, to be designated as paragraphs (f)(9), (f)(10), and (f)(11) respectively. These new terms, used in the proposed noise standard, would be added to the list of definitions currently listed in § 36.1(f) to include Stage 4 airplanes in the applicability section of part 36.
The FAA is proposing to add new paragraphs (c) and (d) to § 36.6 to incorporate by reference ICAO Annex 16, Volume 1, Aircraft Noise, Third Edition, July 1993, Amendment 7. This change would add the ICAO document that includes requirements for noise measurement and evaluation and the maximum noise level to the list of acceptable alternatives.
The FAA is proposing to amend § 36.7 to allow for the addition of the Stage 4 designation. Section 36.7(e) would be amended to include airplanes that were not originally certificated as Stage 4, but become Stage 4 after a change in type design. A new paragraph (f) to § 36.7 would describe the acoustical change approval process for airplanes originally certificated to Stage 4.
The FAA is proposing to amend § 36.103(b) to establish the cutoff date for new Stage 3 certification, and add a new paragraph (c) to establish the date after which all new certification must be to Stage 4. Paragraph (c) would also designate the type certification requirements of part 36 necessary to comply with Stage 4. Start Printed Page 67333
The FAA is proposing to add new § 36.105 entitled “Chapter 4 equivalency”. The purpose of this section is to codify findings of equivalency for airplanes certificated under part 36 as Stage 4 and those certificated under ICAO Chapter 4. In addition, all airplanes certificated as Stage 4 would be required to have a specified equivalency statement included in the airplane flight manual (AFM). These two items are intended to facilitate the operation of Stage 4 airplanes in locations where Chapter 4 is the recognized standard by establishing equivalency of compliance at certification. The FAA intends these provisions to help eliminate the number of questions that have arisen with Stage 3 and Chapter 3 airplanes.
Section 91.851 contains definitions that apply to §§ 91.851 through 91.877, the Stage 3 operating rules for airplanes over 75,000 pounds. The FAA is proposing to add these new terms to § 91.851: “Stage 4 noise level,” “Stage 4 airplane,” and “Chapter 4 noise level.” The addition of these terms in the definition section coincides with their incorporation into the following operating rules.
This proposed rule would establish a new Stage 4 noise standard for subsonic jet airplanes and subsonic transport category large airplanes. The proposed noise standard would apply to new type designs for which application is made on or after January 1, 2006. Start Printed Page 67334
The proposed noise standard would provide noise certification standards for Stage 4 airplanes certificated in the United States that would be consistent with those for airplanes certificated under the International Civil Aviation Organization Annex 16 Chapter 4 noise standards, and would ensure that the best available, economically reasonable, and technologically practicable noise reduction technologies would be incorporated into the aircraft design.
End Authority Start Printed Page 67335
6. Add new § 36.105 to read as follows:
Chapter 4 equivalency.
A36.1.4 For Stage 4 airplanes, an acceptable alternative for noise measurement and evaluation is Appendix 2 to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 16, Environmental Protection, Volume I, Aircraft Noise, Third Edition, July 1993, Amendment 7, March 21, 2002. The Director of the Federal Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51 approved this incorporation by reference. This document can be obtained from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Document Sales Unit, 999 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3C 5H7, Canada. Also, you may obtain documents on the Internet at www.ICAO.int/​eshop/​index.cfm. Copies may be reviewed at the FAA Office of the Chief Counsel, Rules Docket, Federal Aviation Administration Headquarters Building, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC or at the Office of Federal Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., Suite 700, Washington, DC.
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 1155, 40103, 40113, 40120, 44101, 44111, 44701, 44709, 44711, 44712, 44715, 44716, 44717, 44722, 46306, 46315, 46316, 46504, 46506, 46507, 47122, 47508, 47528-47531, articles 12 and 29 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (61 stat. 1180).
For the purposes of § 91.851 through 91.877 of this subpart:
Chapter 4 noise level means a noise level at or below the Chapter 4 maximum noise level prescribed in Start Printed Page 67336Chapter 4 of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 16, Volume I, Amendment 7, dated March 21, 2002. Airplanes certificated to Chapter 4 are considered equivalent to Stage 4, and comply with all operating rules of this part.
§ 91.853
Except as provided in § 91.873, after December 31, 1999, no person shall operate to or from any airport in the contiguous United States any airplane subject to § 91.801(c) of this subpart, unless that airplane has been shown to comply with Stage 3 or Stage 4 noise levels.
§ 91.855
For an airplane subject to § 91.801(c) of this subpart and otherwise prohibited from operation to or from an airport in the contiguous United States by § 91.855, any person may apply for a special flight authorization for that airplane to operate in the contiguous United States for the purpose of obtaining modifications to meet Stage 3 or Stage 4 noise levels.