14 CFR Part 21, Subpart A - General

The FAA amends its airworthiness standards for normal, utility, acrobatic, and commuter category airplanes by replacing current prescriptive design requirements with performance-based airworthiness standards. These standards also replace the current weight and propulsion divisions in small airplane regulations with performance- and risk-based divisions for airplanes with a maximum seating capacity of 19 passengers or less and a maximum takeoff weight of 19,000 pounds or less. These airworthiness standards are based on, and will maintain, the level of safety of the current small airplane regulations, except for areas addressing loss of control and icing, for which the safety level has been increased. The FAA adopts additional airworthiness standards to address certification for flight in icing conditions, enhanced stall characteristics, and minimum control speed to prevent departure from controlled flight for multiengine airplanes. This rulemaking is in response to the Congressional mandate set forth in the Small Airplane Revitalization Act of 2013.

This notice announces the availability of and requests comments on the proposed design criteria for the Stemme AG model Stemme S12 powered glider. The Administrator finds the proposed design criteria, which make up the certification basis for the Stemme S12, acceptable.These final design criteria will be published in the Federal Register .

The FAA is amending its regulations to allow the operation of small unmanned aircraft systems in the National Airspace System. These changes address the operation of unmanned aircraft systems and certification of their remote pilots. This rule will also prohibit model aircraft from endangering the safety of the National Airspace System.

The FAA proposes to amend its airworthiness standards for normal, utility, acrobatic, and commuter category airplanes by removing current prescriptive design requirements and replacing them with performance-based airworthiness standards. The proposed standards would also replace the current weight and propulsion divisions in small airplane regulations with performance- and risk-based divisions for airplanes with a maximum seating capacity of 19 passengers or less and a maximum takeoff weight of 19,000 pounds or less. The proposed airworthiness standards are based on, and would maintain, the level of safety of the current small airplane regulations. Finally, the FAA proposes to adopt additional airworthiness standards to address certification for flight in icing conditions, enhanced stall characteristics, and minimum control speed to prevent departure from controlled flight for multiengine airplanes. This notice of proposed rulemaking addresses the Congressional mandate set forth in the Small Airplane Revitalization Act of 2013.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is correcting a final rule correction published on December 17, 2015. In that correction, the FAA changed the effective date of the final rule to permit an earlier implementation of the rule's provisions that allow production approval holders to issue authorized release documents for aircraft engines, propellers, and articles. It also permits an earlier implementation date for production certificate holders to manufacture and install interface components, and provides earlier relief from the current requirement that fixed-pitch wooden propellers be marked using an approved fireproof method. This action corrects an error in the preamble of that document.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is correcting a final rule published on October 1, 2015. In that rule, the FAA amended its certification procedures and marking requirements for aeronautical products and articles. This action corrects the effective date of the final rule to permit an earlier implementation of the rule's provisions that allow production approval holders to issue authorized release documents for aircraft engines, propellers, and articles. It also permits an earlier implementation date for production certificate holders to manufacture and install interface components, and provides earlier relief from the current requirement that fixed-pitch wooden propellers be marked using an approved fireproof method.

These airworthiness design standards are issued to AutoGyro for certification of the Model Calidus gyroplane under the regulations for primary category aircraft.

The FAA is amending certification procedures and marking requirements for aeronautical products and articles. The amendment requires production approval holders to identify an accountable manager who is responsible for, and has authority over, their production operations and serves as the primary contact with the FAA; allows production approval holders to issue authorized release documents for aircraft engines, propellers, and articles; permits production certificate holders to manufacture and install interface components; requires production approval holders to ensure that each supplier-provided product, article, or service conforms to the production approval holder's requirements and establish a supplier-reporting process for products, articles, or services that have been released from or provided by the supplier and subsequently found not to conform to the production approval holder's requirements; removes the requirement that fixed-pitch wooden propellers be marked using an approved fireproof method; and changes the title of part 21 of title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations. This amendment updates FAA regulations to reflect the current global aeronautical manufacturing environment, thereby promoting aviation safety.

This notice announces the FAA's intent to designate Silvercraft S.co.p.a. (Silvercraft) Type Certificate (TC) H2EU, issued in the normal category, as abandoned. The FAA has been unable to locate Silvercraft, the TC holder, concerning the continued airworthiness of the aircraft certificated under its TC. The Federal Aviation Regulations (regulations) require that TC holders report certain failures, malfunctions, and defects to the FAA. The regulations also require, upon request, that TC holders submit design changes to the FAA that are necessary to correct any unsafe condition in their products. The FAA is responsible for surveillance of Silvercraft's ability to perform continued operational safety management and oversight of the helicopter on its TC. This action is intended to ensure that Silvercraft Model SH-4 helicopters are under a TC that has active continued operational safety management and oversight by a TC holder that can be subject to periodic safety audits by the FAA.

This notice announces the existence of and requests comments on the proposed airworthiness design standards for acceptance of the AutoGyro Model Calidus gyroplane under the regulations for primary category aircraft.

The FAA is proposing to amend its regulations to adopt specific rules to allow the operation of small unmanned aircraft systems in the National Airspace System. These changes would address the operation of unmanned aircraft systems, certification of their operators, registration, and display of registration markings. The proposed rule would also find that airworthiness certification is not required for small unmanned aircraft system operations that would be subject to this proposed rule. Lastly, the proposed rule would prohibit model aircraft from endangering the safety of the National Airspace System.

This notice announces the availability of and request for comments on proposed revisions to three FAA Advisory Circulars (ACs). The proposed revisions correspond to proposed regulatory changes outlined in the FAA's February 27, 2014, notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), Changes to Production Certificates and Approvals. Due to erroneous information in the docket that may have led commenters not to submit their views on the ACs, the FAA will accept comment on the three ACs only, and not on the regulatory changes proposed in the NPRM. The three ACs include: AC 21-43, Production Under 14 CFR Part 21, Subparts F, G, K, and O; AC 21-44, Issuance of Export Airworthiness Approvals Under 14 CFR Part 21 Subpart L; and AC 45-2, Identification and Registration Marking.

The FAA is proposing changes to its certification procedures and identification requirements for aeronautical products and articles. The proposed changes would: require production approval holders to identify an accountable manager who would be responsible for, and have authority over, their production operations and serve as the primary contact with the FAA; allow production approval holders to issue authorized release documents for aircraft engines, propellers, and articles; permit production certificate holders to manufacture and install interface components; require production approval holders to ensure that each supplier-provided product, article, or service conforms to the production approval holder's requirements and establish a supplier-reporting process for products, articles, or services that have been released from or provided by the supplier and subsequently found not to conform to the production approval holder's requirements; and remove the requirement that fixed-pitch wooden propellers be marked using an approved fireproof method. This proposal is necessary to update our regulations by revising certification and marking requirements to reflect the current global aeronautical manufacturing environment, thereby promoting aviation safety.

This document is an issuance of the final airworthiness design criteria for the inclusion of advance avionics with integrated electronic displays for the Aquila Aviation by Excellence GmbH AT01-100. These additional provisions are expansions of the existing JAR-VLA (Joint Aviation Requirements—Very Light Aircraft) and CS-VLA regulations as the current regulations do not adequately address these types of systems. The current regulations only address traditional federated gauges. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has not expanded the VLA regulations for these types of installation on these types of airplanes through EASA special conditions or new regulations. These Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) design criteria help initiate standards for this type of airplane without being over burdensome and to encourage EASA to follow suit.

This document announces the issuance of the design criteria for the inclusion of advance avionics with intergrated electronic displays for the Aquila Aviation by Excellence GmbH AT01-100. These additional provisions are expansions of the existing JAR-VLA (Joint Aviation Requirements-Very Light Aircraft) and CS-VLA regulations as the current regulations do not adequetely address these types of systems. The current regulations only address traditional federated gauges. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has not expanded the VLA regulations for these types of installation on these types of airplanes through EASA special conditions or new regulations. These Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) design criteria are being proposed to help initiate standards for this type of airplane without being overburdensome and to encourage EASA to follow suit.

This document is an issuance of Final Airworthiness design criteria for night visual flight rules (VFR) expansion and substantiation for the Aquila GmbH AT01. These additional provisions are expansions of the existing JAR-VLA (Joint Aviation Requirements—Very Light Aircraft) and CS-VLA regulations to include Night-VFR. The current regulations only allow Day-VFR, but the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is expanding the VLA regulations for this type of airplane through EASA special conditions. These FAA design criteria are being proposed to be the same as the EASA Special Conditions. The original certification of the aircraft was done under the provisions of 14 CFR part 21, § 21.29, as a 14 CFR part 21, § 21.17(b), special class aircraft, JAR-VLA, using the requirements of JAR-VLA Amendment VLA/92/01 as developed by the Joint Aviation Authority, and under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations and two additional design criteria issued on September 2, 2003 (68 FR 56809).

This notice announces the issuance of the design criteria for Night visual flight rules (VFR) expansion and substantiation for the Aquila GmbH AT01. These additional provisions are expansions of the existing JAR-VLA (Joint Aviation Requirements—Very Light Aircraft) and CS-VLA regulations to include Night VFR. The current regulations only allow Day VFR, but the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is expanding the VLA regulations for this type of airplane through EASA special conditions. These FAA design criteria are being proposed to be the same as the EASASpecial Conditions.

On December 4, 2012, the FAA published a final rule; request for comments (77 FR 71691) to make the existing regulation consistent with the FAA's intent and with the certification practice both before and after the adoption of the existing rule. The 2012 final rule clarifies what an applicant must show regarding a “changed product” to comply with applicable standards and became effective on February 4, 2013. We sought public comment on that final rule even though it is only clarifying in nature. This action responds to the public comments the FAA received.

This rule amends the regulations governing noise certification standards for issuing type and airworthiness certificates for a new civil, hybrid airplane-rotorcraft known as the tiltrotor. This noise standard establishes new noise limits and procedures as the basis to ensure consistent aviation noise reduction technology is incorporated in tiltrotors for environmental protection. It provides uniform noise certification standards for tiltrotors certificated in the United States and harmonizes the U.S. regulations with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Annex 16.

The FAA is revising a final rule published on June 7, 2000 (65 FR 36244). In that final rule, the FAA amended its regulations for the certification of changes to type-certificated products. That amendment was to enhance safety by applying the latest airworthiness standards, to the extent practical, for the certification of significant design changes of aircraft, aircraft engines, and propellers. The existing rule requires the applicant show that the “changed product” complies with applicable standards. This action revises that requirement so that an applicant is required to show compliance only for the change and areas affected by the change. The intended effect of this action is to make the regulation consistent with the FAA's intent and with the certification practice both before and after the adoption of the existing rule.

This notice of policy announces Alaskan fuel hauling as a restricted category special purpose operation under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 21.25(b)(7), for aircraft type-certificated under 14 CFR 21.25(a)(1), for operations within the State of Alaska, to provide bulk fuel to isolated individuals or locations in the State of Alaska.

Based upon its assessment of the special light-sport aircraft (SLSA) manufacturing industry, the FAA is issuing this notice of policy to inform the public of its policy for assessing the accuracy of declarations made in Statements of Compliance issued for aircraft intended for airworthiness certification as SLSA and to ensure that SLSA conform to identified consensus standards. Additionally, in response to findings noted in its assessment of the SLSA manufacturing industry, the FAA is reiterating its policy regarding the airworthiness certification of SLSA manufactured outside the United States.