[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 103 (Tuesday, May 29, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29203-29205]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-13438]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Aging Transport Systems Rulemaking Advisory Committee
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of new taskings for the Aging Transport Systems
Rulemaking Advisory Committee.
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SUMMARY: Notice is given of the new taskings assigned to and accepted
by the Aging Transport Systems Rulemaking Advisory Committee. This
notice informs the public of the activities of the Committee.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles Huber, Manager, Program
Management Branch, ANM-114, Executive Director of ATSRAC, Federal
Aviation Administration, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW, Renton, WA 98055;
telephone (425) 227-2589 or fax (425) 227-1320.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
In response to the White House Commission on Aviation Safety and
Security, the FAA formed the Aging Non-Structural Systems Study Team,
which developed the FAA's approach to improving the management of aging
wire systems. To assist in fulfilling the actions specified in the
Aging Non-Structural Systems Plan, we have established an Aging
Transport Systems Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ATSRAC) to provide
advice and recommendations to the FAA Administrator, through the
Associate Administrator for Regulation and Certification, on airplane
system safety issues like aging wire systems. The ATSRAC was initially
tasked in 1998 with five tasks, which encompassed collecting data on
aging wiring systems through airplane inspections, reviewing airplane
manufacturer's service information, reviewing operators maintenance
programs, and providing the FAA with recommendations to enhance the
safety of these systems.
It should be noted that the results and recommendations from the
initial taskings indicate that problems associated with systems on
aging airplanes are not completely related to the degradation over time
of wire systems. Inadequate installation and maintenance practices can
lead to what is commonly referred to as an ``aging system'' problem. As
such, the scope of the Committee is not limited solely to age-related
issues, but includes improving the continued airworthiness of airplane
systems, and in particular wire systems.
This notice informs the public of four new tasks assigned to and
accepted by ATSRAC. These new tasks are intended to facilitate
implementation of earlier recommendations of ATSRAC. The ATSRAC has
chosen to establish harmonization working groups (HWG) to provide
technical support in developing its recommendations to the Federal
Aviation Administration. The HWG's will establish working methods to
ensure coordination among the four groups and coordination with working
groups established by the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee. This
coordination is required to ensure efficient use of resources,
continuity in related decisions, and to reduce duplication of efforts.
The new tasks and harmonization working groups follow:
I. Wire System Certification Requirements Harmonization Working Group
This group should be comprised of representatives and experts from
type certificate and supplemental type certificate holders, operators,
and regulatory authorities.
Review all 14 CFR part 25 and JAR 25 requirements and
ATSRAC and
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ARAC recommendations related to wiring systems.
Submit recommendations consolidating existing paragraphs
and creating a new section dedicated to wire system requirements.
Identify design and certification requirements for a new
wire system rule that would account for aging effects.
Identify requirements to conduct wire system safety
assessments. Review Sec. 25.1309, AC 25.1309-1A (or latest revision),
corresponding JAR-25 material, and related ARAC recommendations and
recommend, if appropriate, particular methods of compliance with
Sec. 25.1309 that should be mandated in a new wire system rule.
Review existing FAA and JAA guidance, related ATSRAC and
ARAC recommendations, and industry documentation and guidance for wire
separation requirements.
Recommend, if appropriate, a comprehensive wire separation
regulation (in addition to 25.1353).
Recommend requirements for special identification of wire
and/or wire bundles based on the airplane level of effect of failures
of systems contained in a wire bundle.
Review and revise, as appropriate, existing advisory
material, guidance and policies and related ARAC recommendations on
design and installation of wiring systems, in consideration of aging
effects on wiring noted in previous recommendations submitted by
ATSRAC.
II. Standard Wire Practice Manual (SWPM) Harmonization Working Group
The composition of this working group should include technical
representatives from the Air Transport Association, operators [specify
type, i.e. repair station, air carrier, etc.], aircraft and component
manufacturers, and regulatory authorities.
Define the standard format and content of an SWPM in
consideration of ATSRAC recommendations on the SWPM.
Recommend, as appropriate, changes to existing SWPM's
required by airline and repair station programs.
III. Enhanced Training Program for Wire Systems Harmonization Working
Group
The composition of this working group should include technical
expertise from air carrier operators, repair stations, other operators
of transport category aircraft, regulatory authorities. Specific
expertise is needed in the areas of training program development,
wiring, and avionics maintenance.
Develop and recommend a wire system training program that
could be incorporated into an FAA advisory circular and JAA advisory
material. The recommendation must consider training requirements that
address all specific issues contained in ATSRAC's recommendation
concerning Enhanced Maintenance Criteria for Systems.
Identify and recommend SWPM minimum recurrent training
requirements for maintenance technicians with particular focus on aging
and degradation of wiring systems.
IV. Enhanced Maintenance Criteria for Systems Harmonization Working
Group
The composition of this working group should include technical
expertise in wiring/avionics maintenance, maintenance program
development, and use of Instructions for Continued Airworthiness.
Develop recommendations for enhanced maintenance criteria
for systems in consideration of the elements of previous
recommendations in the ATSRAC, including the enhanced zonal analysis
program. The recommended program must consider related conclusions and
recommendations from ATSRAC's Intrusive Inspection Report. The
recommendations will form the basis for an FAA advisory circular and
JAA Advisory Circular Joint (ACJ) directed toward part 25 transport
category aircraft currently being used in part(s) 91, 121, 125, and 129
operations.
Review recommendations from ATSRAC's report concerning
Maintenance Practices, particularly the ``zonal analysis procedure''
methodology.
Provide certain information that will allow development of
regulatory text for a Special Federal Aviation regulation (SFAR) for
Performance of the Enhanced Zonal Analysis Procedure (EZAP) applicable
to type certificate holders and supplemental type certificate holders
who install wire bundles or significantly affect the installation of
existing wiring. Recommendations should include timelines for aircraft
type design holders to complete their application for the EZAP logic
for each aircraft.
Recommend wire system data for inclusion in Appendix H to
part 25, Instructions for Continued Airworthiness.
ATSRAC Acceptance of Taskings
ATSRAC has accepted these four taskings and has agreed to provide
the FAA with its final recommendations by August 2002. The tasking
statements in this notice are a summary of the four taskings that
ATSRAC accepted at the April 25, 2001 ATSRAC meeting in Washington, DC.
The Committee has chosen to assign the tasks to four separate
harmonization working groups. These working groups will serve as staff
to the ATSRAC to assist the Committee in writing technical reports that
will allow the FAA to complete its development of associated rulemaking
language and advisory material. Working group documents will be
reviewed, deliberated, and approved by ATSRAC. If ATSRAC accepts the
working groups' documents, they will be forwarded to the FAA as ATSRAC
recommendations.
The working groups should coordinate with other working groups,
organizations, and specialists as appropriate. The working groups will
identify to ATSRAC the need for additional new working groups when
existing groups do not have the appropriate expertise to address
certain tasks.
Working Group Activity
The working groups are expected to comply with the procedures
adopted by ATSRAC. As part of the procedures, each working group is
expected to:
1. Recommend a work plan for completion of the task, including the
rationale supporting such a plan, for consideration by the ATSRAC
following the establishment and selection of the working group.
2. Give a detailed conceptual presentation of proposed
recommendations prior to proceeding with the work stated in item 3
below.
3. Draft a report and/or any other collateral documents the working
group determines to be appropriate and submit them to the ATSRAC for
review and approval by July 2002.
4. Provide a status report at each meeting of the ATSRAC.
Participation in the Working Group
Each of the working groups will be composed of experts having an
interest in the assigned task. Participants of the working groups
should be prepared to devote a significant portion of their time to the
ATSRAC task through August 2002. A working group member need not be a
representative or a member of the ATSRAC.
An individual who has expertise in the subject matter and wishes to
become a member of one of the working groups should contact: Charles
Huber (see For Further Information Contact section), expressing that
desire, describing his or her interest in the tasks, and stating the
expertise he or she would bring to the working group. All requests to
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participate must be received no later than June 28, 2001. The requests
will be reviewed by the ATSRAC Chair, the Executive Director, and the
working group Chair, and the individuals will be advised whether or not
requests can be accommodated.
The Secretary of Transportation has determined that the formation
and use of ATSRAC are necessary and in the public interest in
connection with the performance of duties imposed on the FAA by law.
Meetings of the ATSRAC will be open to the public. Meetings of the
individual working groups will not be open to the public, except to the
extent that individuals with an interest and expertise are selected to
participate. No public announcement of working group meetings will be
made.
Issued in Washington, DC, on May 23, 2001.
Anthony F. Fazio,
Director, Office of Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 01-13438 Filed 5-25-01; 8:45 am]
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