Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee; task assignments,

[Federal Register: August 26, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 165)]

[Notices]

[Page 45554-45556]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr26au98-112]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee; Transport Airplane and Engine Issues--New Task

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of new task assignment for the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC).

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: Stewart R. Miller, Transport Standards Staff (ANM-110), Federal Aviation Administration, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, WA 98055-4056; phone (425) 227-1255; fax (425) 227-1320.

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 Transport Airplane and Engine Issues.

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These issues involve the airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes and engines in 14 CFR parts 25, 33, and 35 and parallel provisions in 14 CFR parts 121 and 135.

The Task

This notice is to inform the public that the FAA has asked ARAC to provide advice and recommendation on the following harmonization task:

Flight Control Systems

Review the current Secs. 25.671 and 25.672 standards and corresponding JAR 25.671 and 25.672 standards pertaining to flight control systems, taking into account the requirements in Secs. 25.1309 and 25.1329. Also review current policy including that established by special conditions issued for fly-by-wire control systems and active flight controls, and any related advisory material. Examine accumulated transport airplane service history to validate assumptions made on the probability of occurrence of system failure and consider any NTSB recommendation. In light of this review, recommend new harmonized standards, and develop related advisory material as necessary. Of particular concern is development of advisory material addressing the following regulatory areas:

1. In FAR 25.671(c), the definition of extremely improbable and probable failures is provided in the rule itself, and this definition differs from the numerical definition which is commonly used in showing compliance with FAR 25.1309, which sometimes leads to confusion. Unlike FAR, JAR 25.671(c)(1) excludes single failures when they are shown to be extremely improbable. JAR definition of probabilities is in line with 25.1309. A uniform means of compliance needs to be developed. It is expected that considerable elaboration would be made as to how the various mechanical, hydraulic and electrical failures should be handled. Consideration should be given to latent failures and the relationship of the flight control failures with the occurrence of engine failures.

2. In light of the rate of control jams experienced in the transport fleet to date, and using the experience as an indicator of types of control system malfunctions that may be safety concerns, provide any necessary regulatory and/or policy provisions to:

   1. Define the meaning of the terms ``normal flight envelope'', ``without exceptional piloting skill or strength'', ``minor effects'', and ``control position normally encountered'' as used in Sec. 25.671(c).

   2. Determine to what extent basic airmanship skills and reasonable pilot response and action may be used to alleviate the resulting airplane control problems. Determine the applicability of crosswind to the landing situation with a jammed flight control.

   3. Identify acceptable methodology by which to judge the controllability/maneuverability of an airplane with a jammed control system (e.g. Handling Qualities Rating System (HQRM)).

   4. Review NTSB Recommendation A-96-108 and appropriately respond to the proposed criteria.

   5. Consider comments in AIA-GAMA letter dated January 23, 1997 and the input received at the December 3, 1996, public meeting conducted by the FAA.

   6. Address structural loading conditions following the jammed failure condition required for continued safe flight and landing.

3. Provide advisory material that addresses the all engine failure condition defined in Sec. 25.671(d).

   The FAA expects ARAC to submit its recommendation(s) by March 31, 2001.

   The FAA requests that ARAC draft appropriate regulatory documents with supporting economic and other required analyses, and any other related guidance material or collateral documents to support its recommendations. If the resulting recommendation is one or more notices of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) published by the FAA, the FAA may ask ARAC to recommend disposition of any substantive comments the FAA receives.

   ARAC Acceptance of Tasks

   ARAC has accepted the tasks and has chosen to establish a new Flight Controls Harmonization 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 Flight Controls 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 meeting of ARAC to consider transport airplane and engine 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 appropriate regulatory documents with supporting economic and other required analyses, and/or any other related guidance material or collateral documents the working group determines to be appropriate; or, if new or revised requirements or compliance methods are not recommended, a draft report stating the rationale for not making such recommendations. If the resulting recommendation is one or more notices of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) published by the FAA, the FAA may ask ARAC to recommend disposition of any substantive comments the FAA receives.

   4. Provide a status report at each meeting of ARAC held to consider transport airplane and engine issues.

   Participation in the Working Group

   The Flight Controls 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 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 tasks, and stating the expertise he or she would bring to the working group. All requests to participate must be received no later than September 25, 1998. The requests will be reviewed by the assistance chair and the assistant executive director, and the individuals will be advised whether or not the request can be accommodated.

   Individuals chosen for membership on the working group will be expected to represent their aviation community segment and participate actively 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 ensure the ability of the working group to meet any assigned deadline(s). Members are expected to keep their management chain advised of working group activities and decisions to ensure that the agreed technical solutions do not conflict with their sponsoring organization's position when the subject being negotiated is presented to ARAC for a vote.

   Once the working group has begun deliberations, members will not be added or substituted without the approval of the assistant chair, the assistant executive director, and the working group chair.

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   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. Meetings of the Flight Controls 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. No public announcement of working group meetings will be made.

   Issued in Washington, DC, on August 20, 1998. Joseph A. Hawkins, Executive Director, Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.

   [FR Doc. 98-22918Filed8-25-98; 8:45 am]

   BILLING CODE 4910-13-M