Meetings: General aviation summit; U.S. general aviation aircraft; fleet airworthiness,

[Federal Register: November 26, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 227)]

[Notices]

[Page 66524-66525]

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

[DOCID:fr26no99-124]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration RIN 2120-AA64

General Aviation Summit; Notice of Public Meeting

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

SUMMARY: This notice announces a public meeting on the subject of the continued airworthiness of the U.S. general aviation fleet of aircraft. The purpose of the meeting is to gather information and discuss technical issues related to problems associated with the increasing average age of the general aviation fleet. Particular emphasis will be given to continued field support, service difficulty experiences and reporting, and inspection issues.

DATES: The public meeting will be held January 11-12, 2000, starting at 8:00 a.m. each day, in Kansas City, Missouri. Registration will begin at 8:00 a.m. on the first day of the meeting.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the following location: The Adam's Mark Hotel, Grand Ballroom, 9103 East 39th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64133.

Persons who are unable to attend the meeting may mail their comments to: Federal Aviation Administration, (FAA), Central Region, Small Airplane Directorate, Attention: Mr. Bill Timberlake, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. Written comments regarding the subject of this meeting will receive the same consideration as statements made at the public meeting.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests to present a statement at the public meeting and questions regarding the logistics of the meeting should be directed to FAA, Central Region, Small Airplane Directorate, Attention: Mr. Bill Timberlake, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone: (816) 329-4178; facsimile (816) 329-4091.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Participation at the Public Meeting

Requests from persons who wish to present oral statements at the public meeting should be received by the FAA no later than 10 days prior to the meeting. Such requests should be submitted to Mr. Bill Timberlake as listed in the section titled FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT above, and should include a written summary of oral remarks to be presented, and an estimate of time needed for the presentation. Requests received after the date specified above will be scheduled if there is time available during the meeting; however, the names of those individuals may not appear on the written agenda. The FAA will prepare an agenda of speakers that will be available at the meeting. To accommodate as many speakers as possible, the amount of time allocated to each speaker may be less than the amount of time requested. Those persons desiring to have available audiovisual equipment should notify the FAA when requesting to be placed on the agenda.

Background

The average airplane in the general aviation fleet of the United States is approximately 34 years old. In the next 10 years, this average age is expected to rise to over 41 years old. By the year 2019, the average general aviation airplane will be almost 50 years old.

Certain type design airplanes may be subject to pending rulemaking, which would require the development of Structural Inspection Documents (SIDs), and a mandated structural inspection program. These actions, if adopted, would not commence for at least 5 years and may not be complete until the year 2010. This rulemaking would not affect airplanes utilized in accordance with Part 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 91). The FAA has determined that as the general aviation fleet gets older, there is concern about ensuring the continued airworthiness of these airplanes.

In addition to these concerns, there are a large number of general aviation airplane manufacturers that have gone out of business or severely curtailed operations. The FAA is concerned about the less than optimum availability of resources to respond to any airworthiness problems on these airplanes. The FAA is aware that many of these ``orphaned'' airplanes are well supported by owner associations and spare parts manufacturers, but unfortunately, this support is not available in all cases.

The FAA has determined that it is in the public interest to hold a public meeting on this subject for the purpose of sharing information and gathering additional data. Accordingly, the FAA will conduct this public meeting in Kansas City, Missouri.

The FAA anticipates that the agency, industry, and the general public will use the public meeting as a forum to share information, resolve questions, and discuss potential solutions concerning the continued airworthiness of older general aviation airplanes.

Public Meeting Procedures

The following procedures have been established for this meeting:

1. Admission and participation in the public meeting is free. The meeting will be open to all persons who have requested in advance to present statements, or who register on the first day of the meeting (between 8:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.). Time availability for presentations and seating will be made according to the order of reservation.

2. Representatives from the FAA will conduct the public meeting. A technical panel of FAA personnel will discuss information presented by participants.

3. The public meeting is intended as a forum to share information and resolve questions concerning the continued airworthiness of older general aviation airplanes. Those sharing information will include industry, the general public, and operators of general aviation aircraft. Participants must limit their presentations to the issue.

4. All interested parties will have the opportunity to present any additional information not currently available to the FAA. The FAA will then have the opportunity to explain the methodology and technical assumptions supporting its current observations.

5. FAA personnel, industry, and public participants may engage in a full discussion of all technical material presented at the meeting. Anyone presenting conclusions will be expected to submit to the FAA data supporting those conclusions.

6. The FAA will try to accommodate all speakers. Time may be limited for each presentation.

7. Sign and oral interpretations will be made available at the meeting, including assistive listening devices, if requested 10 calendar days before the meeting.

8. The meeting (except for any breakout sessions) will be recorded by a court reporter. Any person who is interested in purchasing a copy of the

   [[Page 66525]]

   transcript should contact the court reporter directly. This information will be available at the meeting.

9. The FAA will review and consider all material presented by participants at the public meeting. Position papers or material presenting views or information related to the subject of the meeting may be accepted at the discretion of the presiding officer. The FAA requests that persons participating in the meeting provide 10 copies of all materials to be presented for distribution to the panel members; other copies may be provided to the audience at the discretion of the participant.

10. Statements made by FAA personnel are intended to facilitate discussion of the issues or to clarify issues.

11. The meeting is designed to share information and solicit public views and additional information. The meeting will be conducted in an informal and nonadversarial manner.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri on November 18, 1999. Marvin R. Nuss, Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

    [FR Doc. 99-30633Filed11-24-99; 8:45 am]

    BILLING CODE 4910-13-P