1. PURPOSE. This order renews and constitutes the charter for the Aging Transport Systems Rulemaking Advisory Committee that is designated and established pursuant to the Administrator’s authority under 49 USC 106(p)(5).

2. DISTRIBUTION. This order is distributed to the director level in Washington headquarters and the Technical Center and division level in the Aircraft Certification Directorates.

3. CANCELLATION. This order cancels Order 1110.127, Aging Transport Systems Rulemaking Advisory Committee, dated January 19, 1999.

4. BACKGROUND.

a. On October 2, 1998, the Administrator announced the FAA Aging Transport Non-Structural Systems Plan. This plan was put in place to address concerns with potential safety issues associated with problems that may develop in transport category airplane systems as a result of wear and degradation in service. This plan involves study of the existing transport airplane fleet and development of appropriate approaches to mitigate the effects of system aging, if such action is determined to be necessary. One important component of the Aging Transport Non-Structural Systems Plan is the use of the Aging Transport Systems Rulemaking Advisory Committee to provide a mechanism for public input to FAA activities.

b. The Aging Transport Systems Rulemaking Advisory Committee serves the public interest by providing a forum for interaction among FAA, the military, NASA, the airlines, airline pilots, manufacturers, and their representatives. The level of expertise and balanced viewpoint of this committee will enable early identification of potential problem areas and accelerated development of cost-effective corrective action, thereby creating greater safety and public confidence in the Nation's air transportation system.

c. The committee will be assigned specific tasks by the Associate Administrator for Regulation and Certification. Only tasks assigned by the FAA will be undertaken. These tasks will be published in the Federal Register for public notification and establishment of working groups, if appropriate. Neither the committee nor any of its working groups may assign a task without prior approval by the FAA. The committee will be responsible for timely completion of the assignments under procedures set forth in this charter or as specified in the tasking notice.

Under previous taskings, the FAA identified certain steps that the committee must perform to generate the data necessary to develop corrective actions for aging system. The tasks were as follows:

(1) The committee reviewed service history, service bulletins, and service letters for the aging transport fleet that pertained to aging systems for possible mandatory action and provided recommendations to the FAA.

(2) The committee conducted evaluations of in-service transport airplane models. This work included an evaluation plan and report on evaluation findings and recommendations.

(3) The committee developed recommendations to the FAA for improvements to airplane maintenance practices that would address aging airplane systems. This work involved a study of inspection criteria for systems, including acceptable corrosion criteria, and identification of improvements to maintenance processes for aging systems. In addition to review of maintenance practices, this work also included review and recommendations for improvement of air carrier and repair station processes and training, and review and update of manufacturers' standard practices for wiring. The official recommendations are expected to be submitted to the FAA early in 2001.

The recommendations from the committee may lead to proposed revisions to the Federal Aviation Regulations and associated guidance material appropriate to institutionalize the lessons learned from the aging systems program. The FAA will review the recommendations of the committee and may choose to task the committee with follow-on activities based in part on its initial recommendations.

5. OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE. The general objectives and scope of the committee’s work are defined in this paragraph. Definitive tasking statements for the committee will be provided by the Associate Administrator for Regulations and Certification. The committee chair may, with approval of the Associate Administrator for Regulation and Certification, establish working groups. These working groups must report to the committee at each regular committee meeting, will be established for the length of the specific assigned task only, and must include at least one representative of a committee member organization. The committee’s primary task is to propose such revisions to the Federal Aviation Regulations and associated guidance material as may be appropriate to ensure that non-structural systems in transport airplanes are designed, maintained, and modified in a manner that ensures their continuing operational safety throughout the service life of the airplanes.

The results and recommendations from previous committee taskings indicate that problems associated with systems on aging airplanes are not completely related to the degradation over time of wire systems. Inadequate installation and maintenance practices can lead to what is commonly referred to as an "aging system" problem. As such, the scope of the committee will not be limited solely to age-related issues, but will include improving the continued airworthiness of airplane systems. This expanded scope is considered in the Enhanced Airworthiness Program for Airplane Systems (EAPAS). EAPAS will be the means to develop, maintain, and institute the necessary changes to ensure the safety of airplane systems.

6. DUTIES.

a. The committee is to make recommendations for standardizing, clarifying, and upgrading regulations, guidance, standards, and procedures related to continued airworthiness of transport airplane systems as may be necessary to institutionalize the lessons learned from the aging systems review and future reviews, including research and development. These regulations may effect existing airplane type certificates and operations.

b. The committee may make recommendations for mandatory rules in the form of airworthiness directives necessary to ensure the safety of the existing transport airplane fleet.

3. The committee acts solely in an advisory capacity in accomplishing its duties.

7. ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION.

a. The committee consists of member organizations and members selected by FAA as most representative of the various viewpoints of aircraft manufacturers and users. Additionally, individual members may be selected because of their unique qualifications and expertise. The organizations provide a membership balanced fairly in terms of points of view of those represented and the functions to be performed by the committee. If a need for representation from additional organizations is identified, the charter will be amended to include these groups. Each member organization may designate one representative and alternate. The list of members and member organizations consists of the following:

Transport Canada Aviation will serve as a consultant to the Aging Transport Systems Rulemaking Advisory Committee. If Transport Canada holds a minority position on any issue, it will be submitted in the recommendation or in the letter transmitting the recommendation.

b. The Administrator is the sponsor of the committee. The Associate Administrator for Regulation and Certification shall receive all committee recommendations and reports. The associate administrator shall also be responsible for providing administrative support for the committee and shall provide a secretariat. An executive director of the committee shall be designated by the associate administrator and shall be a full-time employee of the Aircraft Certification Service. The executive director shall be responsible for establishment of the procedures, consistent with the charter, under which the committee shall operate. Committee meetings may be held only with the approval of the sponsor and at the call of the executive director who has formulated or approved the agenda. The executive director of the committee shall adjourn any committee meeting whenever he or she determines adjournment to be in the public interest.

c. Mr. Kent Hollinger shall serve as chairperson of the charter period. Meetings shall not be conducted in the absence of the chairperson and executive director; however, in case of an emergency, the chairperson may designate Mr. Jim Shaw, the vice chairperson, to serve as chairperson. The chairperson should be promptly notified of any changes in representation. The chairperson:

1. Determines, in coordination with the executive director of the committee, when

a meeting is required and where it will be held. Advisory committee meetings shall be held in a Federal building in Washington, D.C., unless a written waiver is submitted and approved by the Department of Transportation Committee Management Officer.

(2) Formulates an agenda for each meeting, which will be approved in advance by the executive director.

1. Arranges notification to all members of the time, place, and agenda for any

meeting through the secretariat.

2. Conducts the meeting.

(5) Arranges secretariat support for the taking of minutes at each meeting and certifies the accuracy of the minutes.

d. Meetings shall be held as needed, approximately once each quarter.

e. Detailed minutes, as certified by the chairperson, shall be kept of each committee meeting. The minutes shall include the time and place of the meeting; a list of committee members, staff, and agency employees present at the meeting; a complete and accurate description of matters discussed and conclusions reached; copies of all reports received, issued, or approved by the committee; a description of public participation, including a list of the members of the public who presented oral or written statements; and a description of the public statements. The written public statements and descriptions of the public oral statements shall be retained.

f. The committee meetings shall be open to the public and notice of such meetings shall be published in the Federal Register at least 15 days before the meeting, except in emergency situations. The proposed agenda, as well as the time and place of the meeting and information that the meeting will be open to the public, will be included in the notice. Other forms of notice, such as press releases, will be used to the extent practicable.

8. COMPENSATION. Representatives of the non-Government member organizations serve without Government compensation and bear all costs related to their participation on the committee.

9. ESTIMATED COST. The estimated annual operating cost (including pro rata share of salaries of DOT employees) is $50,000. Approximately .6 person-years will be required to provide staff support for the committee.

10. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. Each committee meeting shall be open to the public, and interested persons shall be permitted to attend and appear before the committee, subject to reasonable limitations of space and time. Meetings or portions of meetings may be closed to the public where the Administrator determines, in writing, that such meetings or portions of a meeting should be closed. Subsection (e) of 552b of Title 5, United States Code, will be used as guidance in determining whether to close a meeting. Interested persons may file written statements with the committee at any time.

11. AVAILABILITY OF RECORDS. Subject to the conditions of the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 522, records, reports, transcripts, minutes, appendixes, working papers, drafts, studies, agendas, and other documents that are made available to or prepared for or

by the committee shall be available for public inspection and copying at the FAA, Office of Rulemaking, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, D.C. 20591. Fees shall be charged for information furnished to the public in accordance with the fee schedule published in Part 7 of Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations.

12. PUBLIC INTEREST. The formation of the Aging Transport Systems Rulemaking Advisory Committee is determined to be in the public interest in connection with the performance of duties imposed on FAA by law.

13. EFFECTIVE DATE AND DURATION. This committee is effective January 20, 2001. The committee shall remain in existence for 2 years after this date unless sooner terminated or extended.

/s/ Jane F. Garvey

Administrator