Avionics News November 2014 - 14

In this monthly column, Ric Peri of the AEA's Washington, D.C., office, informs members of the latest regulatory updates.

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A EA V I C E P R ES I D E N T O F G OV E R N M E N T & I N D U ST RY A F FA I RS

11 - 10 - 14
W

e begin this month's column with random
numbers. Can you solve the puzzle?
OK, I guess a few hints might be in order.
If you attended the Aircraft Electronics Association's
Regional Meetings this year, the numbers should come
into focus, as we discussed this topic during the regulatory updates. Not enough? It's a future date that will
affect every AEA-member repair station. Excellent, you
have it: 11-10-14 is the effective date of the Federal
Aviation Administration's Repair Station Final Rule. Are
you ready for Nov. 10, 2014?
Back in May 2012, the FAA published a notice
of proposed rulemaking affecting repair stations.
The AEA briefed the NPRM at both the 2012 AEA
International Convention & Trade Show, as well as
the AEA Regional Meetings throughout the year.
In addition, the AEA provided updates during the
past two years. Contained within the notice were a
number of proposals to repair station regulations that
were considered detrimental to the avionics industry,
including a revision to the system of ratings, the repair
station certification requirements and the regulations
applicable to repair stations providing maintenance for
air carriers.
The rulemaking process used by the FAA is a 1946
law called the Administrative Procedures Act, which
governs the way all administrative agencies of the U.S.
federal government (including the FAA) may propose
and establish regulations. For the FAA, this process is
captured within 14 CFR Part 11, General Rulemaking
Procedures. Key elements of Part 11 include the "notice
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avionics news

november

2014

of proposed rulemaking" (section 11.5) and the "final
rule" (section 11.9). According to section 11.9:
"A final rule sets out new or revised requirements and their effective date. It also may remove
requirements. When preceded by an NPRM, a
final rule will also identify significant substantive
issues raised by commenters in response to the
NPRM and will give the agency's response."
As a result of the 2012 NPRM, the FAA received
more than 230 public comments. The majority of
the commenters, including those submitted by the

The rulemaking process used by the FAA is a 1946 law called
the Administrative Procedures Act, which governs the way
all administrative agencies of the U.S. federal government
(including the FAA) may propose and establish regulations.

AEA, expressed serious concerns with the proposed
changes. Unable to recommend reasonable editing,
many commenters suggested withdrawing the entire
proposal. In following the processes established by the
Administrative Procedures Act, the FAA concluded in
the final rule that, "As a result of the substantive comments received by the FAA, it has withdrawn most of
the changes proposed in the NPRM."
The proposals withdrawn and, therefore, will not be
changed include changes to the system of ratings; housing and facilities requirements; expanded requirements
for supervisory personnel; codifying the recommended

Avionics News November 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News November 2014