[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 14, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 13862-13864]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-6274]
[[Page 13861]]
_______________________________________________________________________
Part VIII
Department of Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
Federal Aviation Administration
_______________________________________________________________________
14 CFR Parts 121, 125, and 135
Increased Flight Data Recorder Parameters; Proposed Rule
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 49 / Tuesday, March 14, 1995 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 13862]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Parts 121, 125, and 135
[Docket No. 28109, Notice No. 95-4]
Increased Flight Data Recorder Parameters
agency: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
action: Notice of public meeting and request for comments.
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summary: The FAA is soliciting comments from the public, aircraft
manufacturers and operators, and manufacturers of flight data recorders
(FDR's) on the recent recommendations issued by the National
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on increased FDR parameters. The FAA
seeks comment on any aspect of the NTSB recommendations, including the
potential safety benefits and financial costs for each of the NTSB
recommendations. Comments received on the recommendations will assist
the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in preparing potential
regulatory action and in analyzing specific exceptions or alternatives
that should be considered.
dates: Comments must be received on or before March 31, 1995.
A public meeting to discuss the NTSB recommendations will be held
on April 20, 1995, starting at 9 a.m.
addresses: Comments on the NTSB recommendations discussed in this
document should be mailed or delivered, in triplicate, to: Federal
Aviation Administration, Attention: Rules Docket (AGC-200), 800
Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20591. Comments must be marked:
Docket No. 28109. Comments may also be sent electronically to the
following Internet address: nprmcmts@mail.hq.faa.gov. Comments may be
examined in room 915G weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., except
Federal holidays.
The public meeting will be held at the FAA National Headquarters,
800 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20591.
for further information contact: Requests to present a statement at the
meeting or questions regarding the logistics of the meeting should be
directed to Jeanne Trapani, Office of Rulemaking, 800 Independence
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591; telephone (202) 267-7624.
Questions concerning the subject matter of the meeting should be
directed to Frank Rock, Technical Analysis Branch (AIR-120), Aircraft
Certification Service, Federal Aviation Administration, 800
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591, Telephone (202) 267-
9567.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Participation at the Meeting
Requests from persons who wish to present oral statements at the
public meeting should be received by the FAA no later than April 15,
1995. Such requests should be submitted to Jeanne Trapani at the
address listed in the section entitled FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
and should include a written summary of oral remarks to be presented.
Requests received after the date specified above will be scheduled if
time is available during the meeting; however, the name of those
individuals may not appear on the written agenda for the public
meeting.
The FAA will prepare an agenda of speakers who will be available at
the meeting. Every effort will be made to accommodate as many speakers
as possible. The amount of time allocated to each speaker may be less
than the amount of time requested.
Background
On February 22, 1995, the NTSB issued three recommendations to the
FAA as a result of its investigation of accidents and incidents that,
in the opinion of the NTSB, have demonstrated that more information
about flight control parameters should be recorded by FDR's. A copy of
the NTSB Safety Recommendation letter of February 22, 1995, has been
placed in the FAA docket. Contrasting accident/incident data involving
airplanes with 5- and 128-parameter FDR's, the NTSB indicated that
investigations were greatly aided by the availability of enhanced
recorded information. The NTSB recommended that the FAA require
operators to retrofit certain airplanes currently in operation with
enhanced FDR's and require certain enhanced FDR's on newly-manufactured
airplanes. The NTSB also issued recommendations to operators and
manufacturers of aircraft operated under parts 121, 125, and 135.
However, these recommendations will not be addressed at the public
meeting. See attachment A of NTSB Safety Recommendation letter dated
February 22, 1995.
The NTSB stated that among the additional flight control parameters
that are needed are parameters that pertain to the flight control
inputs and control surface positions. Acknowledging that the cost of
increasing the recorded parameters on FDR's would necessitate a
significant monetary investment, the NTSB stated that public safety
outweighs the costs.
With this notice, the FAA is soliciting comments on the following
NTSB recommendations:
Require that each Boeing 737 airplane operated under 14 CFR
parts 121 or 125 be equipped, by December 31, 1995, with a flight
data recorder system that records, as a minimum, the parameters
required by current regulations applicable to that airplane plus the
following parameters (recorded at the sampling rates specified in
``Proposed Minimum FDR Parameter Requirements for Airplanes in
Service'' [see Table 1 below]): lateral acceleration; flight control
inputs for pitch, roll, and yaw; and primary flight control surface
positions for pitch, roll, and yaw.
Amend, by December 31, 1995, 14 CFR 121.343, 125.225, and
135.152 to require that Boeing 727 airplanes, Lockheed L-1011
airplanes, and all transport category airplanes operated under 14
CFR parts 121, 125, or 135 whose type certificate applies to
airplanes still in production, be equipped to record on a flight
data recorder system, as a minimum, the parameters listed in
``Proposed Minimum FDR Parameter Requirements for Airplanes in
Service'' plus any other parameters required by current regulations
applicable to each individual airplane. Specify that the airplanes
be so equipped by January 1, 1998, or by the later date when they
meet Stage 3 noise requirements but, regardless of Stage 3
compliance status, no later than December 31, 1999.
Amend, by December 31, 1995, 14 CFR 121.343, 125.225, and
135.152 to require that all airplanes operated under 14 CFR parts
121, 125, or 135 (10 seats or larger), for which an original
airworthiness certificate is received after December 31, 1996,
record the parameters listed in ``Proposed FDR Enhancements for
Newly Manufactured Airplanes'' [see Table 2 below] on a flight data
recorder having at least 25-hour recording capacity.
The FAA requests that commenters be specific and provide as much
factual detail in comments as possible. Cost information is also
particularly requested.
Because of the time frame recommended by the NTSB and the date of
the public meeting, the FAA requests that commenters be timely in their
response. All comments received will be available, both before and
after the closing date for comments, in the Rules Docket.
The FAA anticipates that comments provided in response to this
notice will assist the agency in responding to the NTSB
recommendations.
Meeting Procedures
The following procedures are established to facilitate the
meeting: [[Page 13863]]
(1) There will be no admission fee or other charge to attend or to
participate in the meeting. The opportunity to speak will be available
to all persons who have requested in advance to present statements or
who register on the day of the meeting subject to availability of space
in the meeting room.
(2) There will be morning, lunch, and afternoon breaks.
(3) The meeting may adjourn early if scheduled speakers complete
their statements in less time than is scheduled for the meeting.
(4) An individual, whether speaking in a personal or a
representative capacity on behalf of an organization, may be limited to
a 10-minute statement. If possible, we will notify the speaker if
additional time is available.
(5) The FAA will try to accommodate all speakers. If the available
time does not permit this, speakers generally will be scheduled on a
first-come-first-served basis. However, the FAA reserves the right to
exclude some speakers if necessary to present a balance of viewpoints
and issues.
(6) Sign and oral interpretation may be made available at the
meeting, as well as an assistive listening device, if requested at
least 10 calendar days before the meeting.
(7) Representatives of the FAA will preside over the meeting. A
panel of FAA personnel involved in this issue will be present.
(8) The meeting will be recorded by a court reporter. A transcript
of the meeting and any material accepted by the panel during the
meeting will be included in the public docket. Any person who is
interested in purchasing a copy of the transcript should contact the
court reporter directly.
(9) The FAA will review and consider all material presented by
participants at the meeting. Position papers or material presenting
views or information related to the FDR's may be accepted at the
discretion of the presiding officer and subsequently placed in the
public docket. 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 members of the meeting panel are intended
to facilitate discussion of the issues or to clarify issues. Any
statement made during the meeting by a member of the panel is not
intended to be, and should not be construed as, a position of the FAA.
(11) The meeting is designed to solicit public views and more
complete information. Therefore, the meeting will be conducted in an
informal and nonadversarial manner. No individual will be subject to
cross-examination by any other participant; however, panel members may
ask questions to clarify a statement and to ensure a complete and
accurate record.
(12) Speakers are encouraged, before the meeting, to review the
comments received in the docket, providing them an opportunity to
express their view at the meeting on the comments in the docket, as
well as present any additional comments.
Table 1.--Proposed Minimum FDR Parameter Requirements for Airplanes in
Service (from Attachment A, NTSB Safety Recommendation, February 22,
1995)
Proposed Minimum Parameters:
1. Altitude
2. Airspeed
3. Vertical acceleration
4. Heading
5. Time of each radio transmission to air traffic control
6. Pitch attitude
7. Roll attitude
8. Longitudinal acceleration
9. Pitch trim position*
10. Yaw trim position**
11. Roll trim position**
12. Control column and pitch control surface position**
13. control wheel and lateral control surface position**
14. Rudder pedal and yaw control surface position**
15. Thrust of each engine
16. Position of each thrust reverser (or equivalent for propeller
airplane)*
17. Trailing edge flap or cockpit flap control position*
18. Leading edge flap or cockpit flap control position*
19. Ground spoiler position/speed brake selection**
20. angle of attack (when information source is available)**
21. Lateral acceleration**
22. Autopilot engagement status**
23. Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) modes and engagement
status**
24. Outside or total air temperature**
(*) Indicates a new or changed parameter relative to the current 11-
parameter requirement. (**) Indicates a new or changed parameter
relative to the current 17-parameter requirement.
Table 2.--Proposed FDR Enhancements for Newly Manufactured Airplanes
(from Attachment B of the NTSB Safety Recommendation, February 22,
1995).
Acceleration Parameters:
Vertical
Lateral
Longitudinal
Airplane Performance/Position Parameters:
Altitude
Airspeed
Air/ground sensor (primary airplane systems reference, nose or main
gear)
Brake pressure and pedal position
Drift angle (when an information source is installed)
Ground speed (when an information source is installed)
Wind speed and direction (when an information source is installed)
Outside air temperature or total air temperature
Radio altitude (when an information source is installed)
Latitude and longitude (when an information source is installed)
Airplane Attitude Parameters:
Angle of attack left and right (when an information source is
installed)
Pitch
Roll
Magnetic heading
True heading (when an information source is installed, sampled 1 per 4
seconds)
Yaw or sideslip angle (when an information source is installed)
Flight Controls Position and Input Parameters:
All control surface positions--primary controls (pitch, roll, and yaw)
All cockpit flight control input positions and forces (control wheel,
control column, rudder pedal)
(sidestick controllers on fly-by-wire systems)
All trim surface positions--primary controls (pitch, roll, and yaw)
All cockpit trim control input positions--primary controls (pitch,
roll, and yaw)
Thrust/power--primary flightcrew reference (may require multiple
parameters for all phases of flight)
Throttle/power lever position
Thrust reverser status (i.e., stow, transit, deployed, reverse pitch)
Thrust command (when an information source is installed)
Thrust target (when an information source is installed)
Engine bleed valve position (when an information source is installed)
Airplane Configuration Parameters:
Flap position (trailing and leading edge)
Spoiler position (ground and speed brake)
Spoiler/speed brake cockpit selection/status (armed--ground spoiler)
Flap cockpit control selection
Landing gear position
Landing gear cockpit control selection
De-icing or anti-icing system selection (when an information source is
installed, sampled 1 per 4 seconds)
[[Page 13864]]
Fuel quantity in CG trim tank (when an information source is
installed)
Computed center of gravity (when an information source is installed)
AC electrical bus status
DC electrical bus status
APU bleed valve position
Hydraulic pressure (all systems)
Navigation Aids:
Localizer deviation
Glideslope deviation
DME 1 and 2 distances
Nav 1 and 2 selected frequency
GPS position data (when an information source is installed)
Marker beacon passage
Autopilot Parameters:
Engagement status (all systems)
AFCS modes and engagement status
Timing:
Radio transmitter keying
UTC (when an information source is installed)
Recorder elapsed time (frame counter, 0 to 4095)
CVR/DFDR synchronization reference (when an information source is
installed)
Event marker
Warning Parameters:
GPWS
Hydraulic pressure low (each system)
Master warning
Loss of cabin pressure
TCAS--TA, RA, and sensitivity (as selected by crew)
Icing (when an information source is installed)
Engine warnings each engine--
Vibration (when an information source is installed)
Over temp. (when an information source is installed)
Oil pressure low (when an information source is installed)
Over speed (when an information source is installed)
Windshear (when an information source is installed)
Computer failure
Stick shacker/pusher (when an information source is installed)
Manual/Automatic Selected Parameters:
Selected barometric setting
Selected speed
Selected vertical speed
Selected heading
Selected flight path
Selected decision height
EFIS display format
Head-up display (when an information source is installed)
Para-visual display (when an information source is installed)
Multi-function/engine/alerts display format
Issued in Washington, DC on March 8, 1995.
Anthony J. Broderick,
Associate Administrator for Regulation and Certification.
[FR Doc. 95-6274 Filed 3-13-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M
