05-7631. Consensus Standards, Light-Sport Aircraft

AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION:

Notice of availability; Request for comments.

SUMMARY:

This notice announces the availability of a consensus standard relating to the provisions of the Sport Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft rule issued July 16, 2004, and effective September 1, 2004. ASTM International Committee F37 on Light Sport Aircraft developed this standard with FAA participation. By this Notice, the FAA finds this standard acceptable for certification of the specified aircraft under the provisions of the Sport Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft rule.

DATES:

Comments must be received on or before June 17, 2005.

ADDRESSES:

Comments may be mailed to: Federal Aviation Administration, Small Airplane Directorate, Programs and Procedures Branch, ACE-114, Attention: Larry Werth, Room 301, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. Comments may also be e-mailed to: [e-mail]. All comments must be marked: Consensus Standards Comments, and must specify the standard being addressed by ASTM designation and title.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Larry Werth, Light-Sport Aircraft Program Manager, Programs and Procedures Branch (ACE-114), Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service, Federal Aviation Administration, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone [phone]; e-mail: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This notice announces the availability of a consensus standard relating to the provisions of the Sport Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft rule. ASTM International Committee F37 on Light Sport Aircraft developed this standard.

Comments Invited: Interested persons are invited to submit such written data, views, or arguments, as they may desire. Communications should identify the consensus standard number and be submitted to the address specified above. All communications received on or before the closing date for comments will be forwarded to ASTM International Committee F37 for consideration. The standard may be changed in light of the comments received. The FAA will address all comments received during the recurring review of the consensus standard and will participate in the consensus standard revision process.

Background: Under the provisions of the Sport Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft rule, and revised Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-119, “Federal Participation in the Development and Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards and in Conformity Assessment Activities”, dated February 10, 1998, industry and the FAA have been working with ASTM International to develop consensus standards for light-sport aircraft. These consensus standards satisfy the FAA's goal for airworthiness certification and a verifiable minimum safety level for light-sport aircraft. Instead of developing airworthiness standards through the rulemaking process, the FAA participates as a member of Committee F37 in developing these standards. The use of the consensus standard process assures government and industry discussion and agreement on appropriate standards for the required level of safety.

The FAA has reviewed the standard presented in this NOA for compliance with the regulatory requirements of the rule. Any light-sport aircraft issued a special light-sport airworthiness certificate, which has been designed, manufactured, operated and maintained, in accordance with this and previously accepted ASTM consensus standards provides the public with the appropriate level of safety established under the regulations. Manufacturers who choose to produce these aircraft and certificate these aircraft under 14 CFR part 21, §§ 21.190 or 21.191 are subject to the applicable consensus standard requirements. The FAA maintains a listing of all accepted standards at afs600.faa.gov.

The Effective Period of Use

The consensus standard listed in this notice may be used unless the FAA publishes a specific notification otherwise.

The Consensus Standards

The FAA finds the following consensus standard acceptable for certification of the specified aircraft under the provisions of the Sport Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft rule:

ASTM Designation F2483-05, titled: Standard Practice for Maintenance and the Development of Maintenance Manuals for Light Sport Aircraft.

Availability

This consensus standard is copyrighted by ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. Individual reprints of this standard (single or multiple copies, or special compilations and other related technical information) may be obtained by contacting ASTM at this address, or at [phone] (phone), [phone] (fax), through [e-mail] (e-mail), or through the ASTM Web site at http://www.astm.org. To inquire about standard content and/or membership, or about ASTM International Offices abroad, contact Daniel Schultz, Staff Manager for Committee F37 on Light Sport Aircraft: [phone], [e-mail].

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri on April 7, 2005.

David R. Showers,

Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.