00-580. Proposed Advisory Circular 25-XX, Transport Airplane Propulsion Engine and Auxiliary Power Unit Installation Certification Handbook The Propulsion Mega AC  

  • [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]
    BILLING CODE 4910-13-U
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
01/11/2000
Department:
Federal Aviation Administration
Entry Type:
Notice
Action:
Withdrawal of notice of availability of proposed advisory circular.
Document Number:
00-580
Pages:
1652-1653 (2 pages)
PDF File:
00-580.pdf