Aging Airplane Safety

SUMMARY: On April 2, 1999, the FAA published a Notice of Proposed

Rulemaking (NPRM) regarding aging aircraft safety and invited comments

for a 120-day period. The comment period closed on August 2, 1999;

however, the FAA is reopening the comment period for an additional 60

days in response to a request from the National Air Transportation

Association (NATA). Per NATA, the reopening of the comment period is

needed to allow small businesses whose operations are especially busy

during the spring and summer additional time to evaluate the extensive

proposal.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 18, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the proposed rulemaking should be mailed or

delivered, in triplicate, to: U.S. Department of Transportation

Dockets, Docket No. FAA-1999-5401, 400 Seventh St. SW., Room Plaza 401,

Washington, DC 20590. Comments also may be submitted electronically to

the following Internet address: [email protected] Comments may be

filed and/or examined in Room Plaza 401, between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00

p.m. weekdays except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frederick Sobeck, Aircraft Maintenance

Division (AFS-300), Flight Standards Service, Federal Aviation

Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591,

telephone (202) 267-7355.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

Interested persons are invited to participate in the making of the

proposed rule by submitting such written data, views, or arguments as

they desire. Comments relating to the environmental, energy,

federalism, or economic impact that might result from adopting the

proposals in this notice also are invited. Substantive comments should

be accompanied by cost estimates. Comments must identify the regulatory

docket or notice number and be submitted in triplicate to the Rules

Docket address specified above.

All comments received, as well as a report summarizing each

substantive public contact with FAA personnel on this rulemaking, will

be filed in the docket. The docket is available for public inspection

before and after the comment closing date.

All comments received on or before the closing date will be

considered by the Administrator before taking action on this proposed

rulemaking. Late-filed comments will be considered to the extent

practicable. The proposals contained in this NPRM may be changed in

light of the comments received.

Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments

submitted in response to this NPRM must include a pre-addressed,

stamped postcard with those comments on which the following statement

is made: ``Comments to Docket No. FAA-1999-5401.'' The postcard will be

date stamped and mailed to the commenter.

Availability of NPRMs

Using a modem and suitable communications software, an electronic

copy of this document may be downloaded from the FAA regulations

section of the FedWorld electronic bulletin board service (telephone:

(703) 321-3339), or the Federal Register's electronic bulletin board

service (telephone: (202) 512-1661).

Internet users may reach the FAA's web page at http://www.faa.gov/

avr/arm/nprm/nprm.htm or the Government Printing Office's webpage at

http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara for access to recently published

rulemaking documents.

Any person may obtain a copy of this NPRM by submitting a request

to the Federal Aviation Administration, Office of Rulemaking, ARM-1,

800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591, or by calling (202)

267-9680. Communications must identify the notice number or docket

number of this NPRM.

Persons interested in being placed on the mailing list for future

NPRMs should request from the above office a copy of Advisory Circular

No. 11-2A, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Distribution System, which

describes the application procedure.

Background

On March 19, 1999, the FAA issued NPRM 99-02 (63 FR 16298, April 2,

1999). The NPRM proposed to require all airplanes operated under part

121 of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR), all U.S.-

registered multiengine airplanes operated under 14 CFR part 129, and

all multiengine airplanes used in scheduled operations under 14 CFR

part 135 to undergo records reviews and inspections by the

Administrator after their 14th year in service to ensure that the

maintenance of all these airplanes' age-sensitive parts and components

has been adequate and timely. The comment period closed August 2, 1999.

By letter dated July 26, 1999, the NATA requested that the comment

period be extended by an additional 60 days in order to give the

companies of small businesses whose operations are especially busy

during the spring and summer additional time to complete an economic

analysis, audit the impact of this proposal on scheduled air carriers,

evaluate the economic impact of this proposal on aviation businesses,

and to develop meaningful comments to this proposal.

The FAA finds that it is in the public interest to reopen the

comment period for sixty (60) days.

Issued in Washington, DC, on August 12, 1999.

L. Nicholas Lacey,

Director, Flight Standards Service.

[FR Doc. 99-21379 Filed 8-17-99; 8:45 am]

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