14 CFR 121 - OPERATING REQUIREMENTS: DOMESTIC, FLAG, AND SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATIONS

The FAA is issuing an Initial Supplemental Regulatory Impact Analysis of its final rule amending its existing flight, duty and rest regulations applicable to certain certificate holders and their flightcrew members. That document may be found in the docket listed above. The Initial Supplemental Regulatory Impact Analysis serves to provide more detail on the potential impacts the final rule would have on cargo-only operations. In addition, the Initial Supplemental Regulatory Impact Analysis provides expanded discussion of the methodology and information sources used in the original Regulatory Impact Analysis, corrects some reporting of results and minor calculation errors present in that document, and presents sensitivity analysis on key assumptions used in the analysis.

This action amends the FAA's rules for permitting limited use of portable oxygen concentrator systems on board aircraft, to allow for the use of additional portable oxygen concentrator (POC) devices on board aircraft, provided certain conditions in the SFAR are met. This action is necessary to allow all POC devices deemed acceptable by the FAA for use in air commerce to be available to the traveling public in need of oxygen therapy. Passengers will be able to carry these devices on board the aircraft and use them with the approval of the aircraft operator.

The “FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012,” enacted on February 14, 2012, in Section 305 of the Act, removed the line check performance evaluation requirements for pilots over 60 years of age that applied to air carriers engaged in part 121 operations. This technical amendment conforms to the FAA's regulations as a result of the Act.

The FAA is correcting a final rule published on November 15, 2010. That rule required design approval holders of certain existing airplanes and all applicants for type certificates of future transport category airplanes to establish a limit of validity of the engineering data that supports the structural maintenance program (hereinafter referred to as LOV). It also required that operators of any affected airplane incorporate the LOV into the maintenance program for that airplane. This document corrects errors in codified text of that document.

The FAA is correcting the final flightcrew member duty and rest rule published on January 4, 2012. In that rule, the FAA amended its existing flight, duty and rest regulations applicable to certificate holders and their flightcrew members operating certain domestic, flag, and supplemental operations. This document corrects the effective date and several errors in the codified text of the final flightcrew member duty and rest rule.

The FAA published a final rule on January 4, 2012 that amends the existing flight, duty and rest regulations applicable to certificate holders and their flightcrew members. Since then, the FAA has received questions from stakeholders concerning the provisions of the final rule. In response to these questions, the FAA is issuing this document, which announces the procedures for submitting clarifying questions to the final rule.

On March 8, 2011, the FAA published an interim final rule, request for comments (Amendment Nos. 21-94, 25-133, 121-354, 129-50; SFAR 111) on security considerations for lavatory oxygen systems (77 FR 12550). The interim final rule addresses a security vulnerability and is needed so the affected airplanes can continue operating until the non-compliance to airworthiness standards and operating rules is resolved. We sought public comment on the interim final rule even though it became effective upon publication. This action responds to the public comments the FAA received.

The FAA is amending regulations relating to operating rules for FAA approved portable oxygen concentrators (POC) onboard aircraft. This document updates the names of two manufacturers of approved POCs listed in the Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR).

This rule amends the FAA's existing flight, duty and rest regulations applicable to certificate holders and their flightcrew members operating under the domestic, flag, and supplemental operations rules. The rule recognizes the universality of factors that lead to fatigue in most individuals and regulates these factors to ensure that flightcrew members in passenger operations do not accumulate dangerous amounts of fatigue. Fatigue threatens aviation safety because it increases the risk of pilot error that could lead to an accident. This risk is heightened in passenger operations because of the additional number of potentially impacted individuals. The new requirements eliminate the current distinctions between domestic, flag and supplemental passenger operations. The rule provides different requirements based on the time of day, whether an individual is acclimated to a new time zone, and the likelihood of being able to sleep under different circumstances.

The proposed rule would prohibit flightcrew members in operations under part 121 from using a personal wireless communications device or laptop computer for personal use while at their duty station on the flight deck while the aircraft is being operated. This rule, which conforms FAA regulations with recent legislation, is intended to ensure that certain non-essential activities do not contribute to the challenge of task management on the flight deck or a loss of situational awareness due to attention to non-essential tasks.

This action extends the comment period for a notice of availability that was published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2012. In that document, the FAA announced a proposed policy statement regarding the regulation of some occupational safety and health conditions affecting cabin crewmembers on aircraft by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The comment period is scheduled to close on January 7, 2013. Several airline associations have requested that the FAA extend the comment period for an additional 30 days to allow time for their members to evaluate the impacts and implications of the proposed policy and prepare comments.

The FAA is issuing an Initial Supplemental Regulatory Impact Analysis of its final rule amending its existing flight, duty and rest regulations applicable to certain certificate holders and their flightcrew members. That document may be found in the docket listed above. The Initial Supplemental Regulatory Impact Analysis serves to provide more detail on the potential impacts the final rule would have on cargo-only operations. In addition, the Initial Supplemental Regulatory Impact Analysis provides expanded discussion of the methodology and information sources used in the original Regulatory Impact Analysis, corrects some reporting of results and minor calculation errors present in that document, and presents sensitivity analysis on key assumptions used in the analysis.

This notice announces the availability of a proposed policy statement regarding the regulation of some occupational safety and health conditions affecting cabin crewmembers on aircraft by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This policy statement will enhance occupational safety and health in the aircraft cabin by establishing the extent to which OSHA requirements may apply to the working conditions of aircraft cabin crew while they are onboard aircraft in operation.

The FAA proposes to amend and harmonize minimum altitudes for use of autopilots for transport category airplanes. The proposed rule would enable the operational use of advanced autopilot and navigation systems by incorporating the capabilities of new and future autopilots, flight guidance systems, and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) guidance systems while protecting the continued use of legacy systems at current autopilot minimum use altitudes. The proposed rule would accomplish this through a performance-based approach, using the certified capabilities of autopilot systems as established by the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) or as approved by the Administrator.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes to amend the maintenance regulations for domestic, flag, and supplemental operations, and commuter and on-demand operations for aircraft type certificated with a passenger seating configuration of 10 seats or more (excluding any pilot seat). The proposed rules would require these operators to develop policies, procedures, methods, and instructions for performing contract maintenance that are acceptable to the FAA and to include them in their maintenance manuals. The rules would also require the operators to provide a list to the FAA of all persons with whom they contract their maintenance. These changes are needed because contract maintenance has increased to over 70 percent of all air carrier maintenance, and numerous investigations have shown deficiencies in maintenance performed by contract maintenance providers. The proposals would help ensure consistency between contract and in-house air carrier maintenance and enhance the oversight capabilities of both the air carriers and the FAA.

This action amends the FAA's rules for permitting limited use of portable oxygen concentrator systems on board aircraft, to allow for the use of additional portable oxygen concentrator (POC) devices on board aircraft, provided certain conditions in the SFAR are met. This action is necessary to allow all POC devices deemed acceptable by the FAA for use in air commerce to be available to the traveling public in need of oxygen therapy. Passengers will be able to carry these devices on board the aircraft and use them with the approval of the aircraft operator.

The FAA seeks comments on current policy, guidance, and procedures that aircraft operators (ranging from pilots of general aviation aircraft up to and including air carrier certificate holders at the major airlines) use when determining if passenger use of portable electronic devices (PEDs) may be allowed during any phase of flight on their aircraft. Current FAA regulations generally prohibit the use of all PEDs during flight, with the exception of portable voice recorders, hearing aids, heart pacemakers, and electric shavers. These regulations also provide an exception for any other PED that the aircraft operator has determined will not cause interference with the navigation or communication systems on the aircraft. To better effectuate the safety purposes of these regulations, this notice requests comments about key areas of policy and guidance that are used by aircraft operators when making these determinations. It also requests comments about other technical challenges for addressing the problems associated with determining if and when PEDs can be used. The desired outcome of this solicitation is to have sufficient information to allow operators to better assess whether more widespread use of PEDs during flight is appropriate, while maintaining the highest levels of safety to passengers and aircraft. The Agency stresses that the existing regulations allow the operator to authorize the use of PEDs, and that no specific FAA approval is required. The aircraft operator is responsible for assuring that the interference from PEDs does not pose a flight risk. Once all the comments have been collected, the FAA intends to establish an Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) to review the comments and provide recommendations that might permit the more widespread use of PEDs during flight while maintaining the highest levels of safety for the passengers and aircraft. The FCC will be a key partner in this activity working collaboratively with the FAA, airlines, and the manufacturers to explore broader use of PEDS in flight.

On December 15, 2011, the FAA published a Federal Register Notice (76 FR 77939) requesting comments on the FAA's plans for providing PBN services, and particularly the transition from the current Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Ranges (VOR) and other legacy navigation aids (NAVAIDS) to Area Navigation (RNAV)-based airspace and procedures. This action responds to the public comments the FAA received.

On June 1, 2012 at 77 FR 32441, the FAA published a proposed legal interpretation in which the agency considered clarifying prior legal interpretations regarding pilot in command discretion under 14 CFR 121.547(a)(3) and (a)(4). The agency inadvertently assigned an incorrect docket number to the proposed legal interpretation. This document corrects the docket number. Any comments submitted to docket number FAA-2011-0045 regarding the proposed legal interpretation published at 77 FR 32441 will be moved to the correct docket, FAA-2012-0670.

The “FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012,” enacted on February 14, 2012, in Section 305 of the Act, removed the line check performance evaluation requirements for pilots over 60 years of age that applied to air carriers engaged in part 121 operations. This technical amendment conforms to the FAA's regulations as a result of the Act.

The FAA is considering clarifying prior legal interpretations regarding pilot in command discretion under 14 CFR 121.547(a)(3) and (a)(4).

The FAA is correcting a final rule published on November 15, 2010. That rule required design approval holders of certain existing airplanes and all applicants for type certificates of future transport category airplanes to establish a limit of validity of the engineering data that supports the structural maintenance program (hereinafter referred to as LOV). It also required that operators of any affected airplane incorporate the LOV into the maintenance program for that airplane. This document corrects errors in codified text of that document.

The FAA is announcing public meetings to gather additional technical input on the subject of exemptions relating to the LHFE. Input gathered will aid in developing future FAA guidance for evaluating LHFE petitions for exemption. Prior to the public meetings, the FAA is seeking public comment on the guidance.

The FAA is correcting the final flightcrew member duty and rest rule published on January 4, 2012. In that rule, the FAA amended its existing flight, duty and rest regulations applicable to certificate holders and their flightcrew members operating certain domestic, flag, and supplemental operations. This document corrects the effective date and several errors in the codified text of the final flightcrew member duty and rest rule.

The FAA published a final rule on January 4, 2012 that amends the existing flight, duty and rest regulations applicable to certificate holders and their flightcrew members. Since then, the FAA has received questions from stakeholders concerning the provisions of the final rule. In response to these questions, the FAA is issuing this document, which announces the procedures for submitting clarifying questions to the final rule.

This action would create new certification requirements for pilots in air carrier operations. The proposal would require a second in command (first officer) in part 121 operations to hold an airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate and a type rating for the aircraft to be flown. The FAA proposes to allow pilots with an aviation degree or military pilot experience to obtain an ATP certificate with restricted privileges with fewer than 1,500 hours total time as a pilot. The proposal also would require at least 1,000 flight hours in air carrier operations in order to serve as a pilot in command in part 121 air carrier operations. Finally, the FAA is proposing to modify an ATP certificate with an airplane category multiengine class rating or type rating to require 50 hours of multiengine flight experience and completion of a new FAA-approved ATP Certification Training Program for a Multiengine Class Rating or Type Rating that would include academic training and training in a flight simulation training device. These proposed requirements would ensure that pilots have proper qualifications and experience in difficult operational conditions and in a multicrew environment prior to serving as pilot flightcrew members in air carrier operations.

On March 8, 2011, the FAA published an interim final rule, request for comments (Amendment Nos. 21-94, 25-133, 121-354, 129-50; SFAR 111) on security considerations for lavatory oxygen systems (77 FR 12550). The interim final rule addresses a security vulnerability and is needed so the affected airplanes can continue operating until the non-compliance to airworthiness standards and operating rules is resolved. We sought public comment on the interim final rule even though it became effective upon publication. This action responds to the public comments the FAA received.

The FAA is amending regulations relating to operating rules for FAA approved portable oxygen concentrators (POC) onboard aircraft. This document updates the names of two manufacturers of approved POCs listed in the Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR).

This rule amends the FAA's existing flight, duty and rest regulations applicable to certificate holders and their flightcrew members operating under the domestic, flag, and supplemental operations rules. The rule recognizes the universality of factors that lead to fatigue in most individuals and regulates these factors to ensure that flightcrew members in passenger operations do not accumulate dangerous amounts of fatigue. Fatigue threatens aviation safety because it increases the risk of pilot error that could lead to an accident. This risk is heightened in passenger operations because of the additional number of potentially impacted individuals. The new requirements eliminate the current distinctions between domestic, flag and supplemental passenger operations. The rule provides different requirements based on the time of day, whether an individual is acclimated to a new time zone, and the likelihood of being able to sleep under different circumstances.