[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 192 (Wednesday, October 3, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49971-49973]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-21458]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

[Notice No. NOA-18-01]


Consensus Standards, Light-Sport Aircraft

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of two new and two 
revised consensus standards 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 the new and revised standards with Federal Aviation 
Administration participation. By this notice, the Federal Aviation 
Administration finds the new and revised standards acceptable for 
certification of the specified aircraft

[[Page 49972]]

under the provisions of the Sport Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft rule.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 3, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Mail comments to: Federal Aviation Administration, Small 
Airplane Standards Branch, Programs and Procedures, AIR-694, Attention: 
Terry Chasteen, Room 301, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. 
Comments may also be emailed to: [email protected]. 
Specify the standard being addressed by ASTM designation and title. 
Mark all comments: Consensus Standards Comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Terry Chasteen, Light-Sport Aircraft 
Program Manager, Programs and Procedures, AIR-694, Small Airplane 
Standards Branch, Aircraft Certification Service, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; 
telephone (816) 329-4147; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces the availability of 
two new and two revised consensus standards that supersede previously 
accepted consensus standards relating to the provisions of the Sport 
Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft rule. ASTM International Committee F37 
on Light-Sport Aircraft developed the new and revised standards. The 
FAA expects a suitable consensus standard to be reviewed periodically. 
The review cycle will result in a standard revision or reapproval. A 
standard is revised to make changes to its technical content or is 
reapproved to indicate a review cycle has been completed with no 
technical changes. A standard is issued under a fixed designation 
(e.g., F2245); the number immediately following the designation 
indicates the year of original adoption or, in the case of revision, 
the year of last revision. A number in parentheses following the year 
of original adoption or revision indicates the year of last reapproval. 
For example, F2242-05(2013) designates a standard that was originally 
adopted (or revised) in 2005 and reapproved in 2013. A superscript 
epsilon ([egr]) indicates an editorial change since the last revision 
or reapproval. A notice of availability (NOA) will only be issued for 
new or revised standards. Reapproved standards issued with no technical 
changes or standards issued with editorial changes only (i.e., 
superscript epsilon [[egr]]) are considered accepted by the Federal 
Aviation Administration (FAA) without need for an NOA.
    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,'' revised January 27, 2016, 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 facilitates government and industry discussion and 
agreement on appropriate standards for the required level of safety.

Comments on Previous Notices of Availability

    In the previous NOA issued on March 27, 2017, and published in the 
Federal Register on April 3, 2017 (82 FR 16271), the FAA asked for 
public comments on the revised consensus standards accepted by that 
NOA. The comment period closed on June 2, 2017. No public comments were 
received.

Consensus Standards in This Notice of Availability

    The FAA has reviewed the standards 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 these 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 21.190 or 14 CFR 
21.191 are subject to the applicable consensus standard requirements.
    The FAA maintains a listing of the latest FAA-accepted standards 
specific to special light-sport aircraft and information on previously 
accepted standards on the following FAA website: http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/gen_av/light_sport/. The FAA also maintains a separate general 
listing of standards accepted by the FAA that have or may have 
applicability to other types of certifications. This general listing 
includes the FAA-accepted standards specific to special light-sport 
aircraft. A link to this general listing of standards is available on 
the following FAA website: http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/gen_av/light_sport/.

The Revised Consensus Standard and Effective Period of Use

    The following previously accepted consensus standards have been 
revised, and this NOA is accepting the later revision. Either the 
previous revision or the later revision may be used for the initial 
airworthiness certification of special light-sport aircraft until 
October 3, 2019. This overlapping period of time will allow aircraft 
that have started the initial airworthiness certification process using 
the previous revision level to complete that process. After October 3, 
2019, manufacturers must use the later revision and must identify the 
later revision in the Statement of Compliance for initial airworthiness 
certification of special light-sport aircraft unless the FAA publishes 
a specific notification otherwise. The following Consensus Standards 
may not be used after October 3, 2019:

ASTM Designation F2241-14, titled: Standard Specification for Continued 
Airworthiness System for Powered Parachute Aircraft
ASTM Designation F2295-06, titled: Standard Practice for Continued 
Operational Safety Monitoring of a Light Sport Aircraft
ASTM Designation F2339-06(2009), titled: Standard Practice for Design 
and Manufacture of Reciprocating Spark Ignition Engines for Light Sport 
Aircraft
ASTM Designation F2354-05b(2013), titled: Standard Specification for 
Continued Airworthiness System for Lighter-Than-Air Light Sport 
Aircraft
ASTM Designation F2425-05a(2018), titled: Standard Specification for 
Continued Airworthiness System for Weight-Shift-Control Aircraft
ASTM Designation F2483-12, titled: Standard Practice for Maintenance

[[Page 49973]]

and the Development of Maintenance Manuals for Light Sport Aircraft

The Consensus Standards

    The FAA finds the following new and revised consensus standards 
acceptable for initial airworthiness certification of the specified 
aircraft under the provisions of the Sport Pilot and Light-Sport 
Aircraft rule. The following consensus standards become effective 
October 3, 2018 and may be used unless the FAA publishes a specific 
notification otherwise:

ASTM Designation F2339-17, titled: Standard Practice for Design and 
Manufacture of Reciprocating Spark Ignition Engines for Light Sport 
Aircraft
ASTM Designation F2483-18 [egr], titled: Standard Practice for 
Maintenance and the Development of Maintenance Manuals for Light Sport 
Aircraft
ASTM Designation F3198-18, titled: Standard Specification for Light 
Sport Aircraft Manufacturer's Continued Operational Safety (COS) 
Program
ASTM Designation F3206-17, titled: Standard Practice for Independent 
Audit Program for Light Aircraft Manufacturers

Availability

    ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, Post Office Box C700, 
West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959 copyrights these consensus standards. 
Individual reprints of a standard (single or multiple copies, or 
special compilations and other related technical information) may be 
obtained by contacting ASTM at this address, or at (610) 832-9585 
(phone), (610) 832-9555 (fax), through [email protected] (email), or 
through the ASTM website at www.astm.org. To inquire about standard 
content and/or membership or about ASTM International Offices abroad, 
contact Joe Koury, Staff Manager for Committee F37 on Light-Sport 
Aircraft: (610) 832-9804, [email protected].

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 25, 2018.
Steven W. Thompson,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Standards Branch, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-21458 Filed 10-2-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P


