[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 11, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1652-1653]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-580]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Proposed Advisory Circular 25-XX, Transport Airplane Propulsion
Engine and Auxiliary Power Unit Installation Certification Handbook--
The Propulsion Mega AC
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Withdrawal of notice of availability of proposed advisory
circular.
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SUMMARY: This action withdraws a previously-issued notice of
availability of proposed Advisory Circular (AC) 25-XX, ``Transport
Airplane Propulsion Engine and Auxiliary Power Unit Installation
Certification Handbook--The Propulsion Mega AC.'' The FAA previously
announced the availability of and requested public comments on that
proposed AC. The intent of the AC was to provide one consolidated
source of guidance on methods acceptable to the Administrator for
showing compliance with the type certification requirements for
propulsion systems and auxiliary power unit (APU) installations as they
apply to transport category airplanes. The FAA is withdrawing the
proposal at this time to allow the majority of the affected public time
to concentrate their resources towards concluding the harmonization of
international aviation standards, which the FAA considers a higher
priority. The FAA intends to re-issue the notice at a later time.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Steve Happenny, Propulsion/Mechanical
Systems Branch, ANM-112, Transport Airplane Directorate, Federal
Aviation Administration, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington
98055-4056.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jill DeMarco, Program Management
Branch, ANM-114, Transport Airplane Directorate, Federal Aviation
Administration, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98055-4056;
telephone (425) 227-1313; fax (425) 227-1320.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Discussion of Original Proposal
On September 23, 1999, the FAA issued a notice of availability and
request for comments on proposed Advisory Circular (AC) 25-XX,
``Transport Airplane Propulsion Engine and Auxiliary Power Unit
Installation Certification Handbook--The Propulsion Mega AC.'' The
notice was published in the Federal Register on September 30, 1999 (64
FR 52819). The FAA initiated the proposed AC in response to requests by
the affected aviation industry that the FAA provide one comprehensive
source of FAA policy and guidance on various methods acceptable to the
FAA Administrator for showing compliance with the type certification
requirements for propulsion systems and auxiliary power unit (APU)
installations on transport category airplanes. The public was provided
until December 29, 1999, to submit comments on the proposed document.
Requests from the Affected Public
Since issuance of the notice, the FAA has received numerous
requests from representatives of the affected industry and non-U.S.
civil aviation authorities, asking that the FAA withhold further action
on the proposed Propulsion Mega AC.
These representatives have stated that many in industry who will be
most affected by the AC are members of Working Groups under the aegis
of the FAA's Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC). Currently,
these ARAC Working Groups will be focusing their resources on
expediting the final harmonization of 14 CFR part 25 rules and the
European Joint Aviation Requirements (JAR)-25. The FAA has encouraged
ARAC to give this final harmonization effort its highest priority, thus
increasing the workload of the same parties that normally would be
reviewing the proposed Propulsion Mega AC. This will leave little time
or resources for those parties to provide an adequate, thorough review
of the proposed AC before the comment deadline.
Additionally, these representatives indicate that new
recommendations to the FAA may come out of ARAC as a result of the
activities of these Working Groups, and those recommendations (and
subsequent rulemaking) may affect the form and content of part of the
proposed AC.
Withdrawal of the Notice
The FAA has reviewed and considered these requests from the
affected public, and has determined that a temporary withdrawal of the
notice of proposed advisory circular and suspension of the public
comment period is appropriate at this time. The FAA has placed high
priority on completing the regulatory harmonization effort in a timely
manner, and expects the affected industry's resources (via ARAC) to be
directed primarily towards that goal. Once the harmonization effort has
concluded, however, the FAA plans to re-issue the notice and re-open
the period for public comment.
When formally re-issued, the draft AC likely will not be
substantially changed from its current form. In fact, approximately 99%
of the draft AC is comprised of the text of current regulations,
historical background, advisory circular material, and long-standing
accepted FAA policy. (The remaining 1% is new policy and advisory
material not previously released formally to the public.) All of that
currently-existing material can be found in other documents that have
been:
Available to the public for some time, and
Used by applicants in demonstrating compliance with the
pertinent regulations, and
Used by the FAA in finding compliance with regulations.
Those documents remain valid in their current form.
Note: The FAA will continue to provide resources to further
modify the draft AC and subsequent draft versions will be available
on the Internet at http://www.faa.gov/avr/air/airhome.htm, at the
link titled ``Draft AC's'' under the ``Available Documents'' drop-
down menu. The public can continue to refer to this draft document
as a consolidated source reference for currently-existing material.
[[Page 1653]]
Because the proposed AC likely will not change significantly before
it is re-issued, and because of the time already allotted to the public
for review of the proposal, the FAA intends to provide a shortened
period for public comment when the notice is re-issued.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on January 5, 2000.
Donald L. Riggin,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 00-580 Filed 1-10-00; 8:45 am]
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