Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2005/03/28/05-5856/repair-stations
Timestamp: 2017-08-21 20:13:38
Document Index: 465459728

Matched Legal Cases: ['§\u2009145', '§\u2009145', 'art 145', 'art 145', 'art 145', 'art 145', 'art 145', 'art 145', '§\u2009145', 'art 145', '§\u2009145', '§\u2009145', '§\u2009145', '§\u2009145']

The effective date of Sec. 145.163 published at 66 FR 41117 (August 6, 2001) is delayed until April 6, 2006. The amendments in this final rule become effective April 6, 2006.
15580-15583 (4 pages)
2120-AI60
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/05-5856 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/05-5856
The effective date of § 145.163 published at 66 FR 41117 (August 6, 2001) is delayed until April 6, 2006. The amendments in this final rule become effective April 6, 2006.
Mr. Herbert E. Daniel, Aircraft Maintenance Division, General Aviation and Repair Station Branch (AFS-340), Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20591; facsimile (202) 267-5115; e-mail Herbert.E.Daniel@faa.gov or by telephone at (202) 267-3109; or Mr. Dan Bachelder, AFS-340, at the address or facsimile listed above or e-mail Dan.Bachelder@faa.gov or by telephone at (202) 267-7027.
This rulemaking is promulgated under the authority described in title 49, subtitle VII, part A, subpart III, section 44701, General requirements, and section 44707, Examining and rating air agencies. Under section 44701, the FAA may prescribe regulations and standards in the interest of safety for inspecting, servicing, and overhauling aircraft, aircraft engines, propellers, and appliances. It may also prescribe equipment and facilities for, and the timing and manner of, inspecting, Start Printed Page 15581servicing, and overhauling. Under section 44707, the FAA may examine and rate repair stations.
This regulation is within the scope of section 44701 since it pertains to the new requirement for repair stations to have FAA-approved training programs in the interest of enhancing safety. The regulation is within the scope of section 47707 since it will assist repair stations in developing better training programs by allowing them to develop those programs based on FAA-issued guidance materials.
On July 30, 2001, the FAA issued a final rule to update and revise repair station regulations (66 FR 41088, August 6, 2001). In that rulemaking action, the FAA established a new requirement that each repair station have an employee training program approved by the FAA that consists of initial and recurrent training. In the preamble to the final rule, the FAA stated, “Before the effective date of the final rule, the FAA will issue advisory material regarding the required training program.” The effective date for the new training requirements was set two years after the effective date of the revised rule for repair stations to provide repair stations time to develop their programs. The new training requirements are scheduled to become effective on April 6, 2005.
On December 22, 2004, the FAA published a Notice of Availability of draft Advisory Circular AC 145-RSTP. This document would provide guidance to repair stations for their training programs. In response to multiple comments from industry associations, the FAA has extended the comment period to March 22, 2005 (70 FR 3243; January 21, 2005). The extended comment period will enable repair station operators to submit meaningful comments on whether the guidance material is useful in developing training programs that comply with § 145.163.
When the comment period closes, the FAA will review the comments. We expect commenters will have meaningful suggestions for improving the guidance. We also expect that some commenters will call attention to new training technologies that would benefit a training program. The FAA will need time to consider the comments and to incorporate meaningful changes into AC 145-RSTP that will benefit these smaller entities in the development of their training programs.
Further, due to recent events in the European Union, the European Commission (EC) has passed and implemented commission regulation 2042/2003. This regulation also impacts the domestic United States by requiring all European-registered aircraft to be maintained in accordance with annex 2, part 145. The FAA recognizes that 1,275 US-based 14 CFR part 145 repair stations are also approved under EC regulation 2042 and are now required to meet the repair station manual supplement requirements of EC 2042, hereinafter referred to as European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) part 145. This new requirement to transition from the former Joint Aviation Authority (JAA) to EASA part 145 will require many US-based repair stations to revise their current JAA supplements to the EASA part 145 supplement requirements. Concurrently with its review and evaluation of the U.S.-certificated repair stations' training programs, the FAA also must allot resources to review and accept these EASA part 145 manual supplement revisions. In light of these developments and the United States' international agreements, as well as FAA international obligations, the FAA finds that implementing the § 145.163 training program and EASA supplement to repair station manuals by April 6, 2005 would impose a significant burden on the repair station industry as well as the FAA.
Delaying the effective date of 14 CFR 145.163 for 12 months will have the ancillary benefit of reducing the burden on the 1,275 U.S.-based repair stations that must meet the EASA part 145 manual supplement requirements. They will have additional time in which to develop both those revisions and the training programs required by § 145.163. Similarly, the extension will provide additional time for the FAA to review them.
In summary, the FAA is delaying the effective date of 14 CFR 145.163 for 12 months because:
1. We have extended the comment period on the proposed guidance material and, therefore, have not yet issued the final guidance, and
2. We want to adhere as closely as possible to a transition period between the time the guidance is issued and the effective date of the rule. The additional time will enable repair stations to use that guidance material when it becomes available in developing their programs.
Sections 553(b)(3)(B) and 553(d)(3) of the Administrative Procedures Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B) and 553(d)(3)) authorize agencies to dispense with certain notice procedures for rules when they find “good cause” to do so. Under section 553(b)(3)(B), the requirements of notice and opportunity for comment do not apply when the agency for good cause finds that those procedures are “impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest.” The FAA finds that notice and public comment on this final rule are impracticable. For the APA, “impracticable” means that, if notice and comment procedures were followed, they would defeat the purpose of the rule. As explained previously, the purpose of this final rule is to extend the effective date for the repair station training requirements from April 6, 2005, to April 6, 2006. Coordinating and issuing rulemaking documents will take time under current procedures. We cannot issue a notice, receive comments, and issue a final rule before the current effective date. Repair stations will also need adequate time before the effective date to develop their training programs following guidance to be provided by the FAA. Therefore, any delay in issuing this final rule would subject repair stations to confusion and the expense of trying to establish training programs hurriedly without final guidance from the FAA. Therefore, it is “impracticable” to provide notice and opportunity to comment.
In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B), FAA finds good cause for issuing this rule without prior notice and comment. Seeking public comment is impracticable, unnecessary, and contrary to the public interest. This delay of effective date will give repair stations sufficient time to use FAA guidance material in preparing to operate under the amended regulations for repair stations. Given the imminence of the effective date, seeking prior public comments on this temporary delay would have been impracticable, as well as contrary to the public interest in the orderly promulgation and implementation of this rule. Start Printed Page 15582
Changes to Federal regulations must undergo several economic analyses. First, Executive Order 12866 directs each Federal agency to propose or adopt a regulation only if the agency makes a reasoned determination that the benefits of the intended regulation justify its costs. Second, the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 requires agencies to analyze the economic impact of regulatory changes on small entities. Third, the Trade Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 2531-2533) bans agencies from setting standards that create unnecessary obstacles to the foreign commerce of the United States. In developing U.S. standards, the Trade Act requires agencies to consider international standards. Where suitable, the Trade Act directs agencies to use those international standards as the basis of U.S. standards. Fourth, the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 requires agencies to prepare a written assessment of the costs, benefits, and other effects of proposed or final rules. This requirement applies only to rules that include a Federal mandate on State, local, or tribal governments, likely to result in a total expenditure of $100 million or more in any one year (adjusted for inflation). In conducting these analyses, the FAA determines that this rule:
This rule delays the effective date for repair stations to establish their training programs in accordance with § 145.163. This action is necessary because applicable guidance material is not yet available to assist repair stations in developing their programs. The extended date will give repair stations sufficient time to develop their programs and will give the FAA time to evaluate and approve them.There will also be a decrease in overall paperwork and costs if this rule has the extended effective date.
This final rule merely delays the effective date for § 145.163. Its economic impact is minimal. Therefore, we certify that this action will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
The Trade Agreement Act of 1979 prohibits Federal agencies from establishing any standards or engaging in related activities that create unnecessary obstacles to the foreign commerce of the United States. Legitimate domestic objectives, such as safety, are not considered unnecessary obstacles. The statute also requires consideration of international standards and, where appropriate, that they be the basis for U.S. standards. The FAA has assessed the potential effect of this final rule and determined that it has only a domestic impact.
End List of Subjects Start Printed Page 15583
For the reasons set forth above, the Federal Aviation Administration is delaying the effective date of
2. Revise § 145.163(a) introductory text to read as follows:
[FR Doc. 05-5856 Filed 3-22-05; 3:29 pm]