Delegate Newsletter Volume 6, Number 1

FAA Regulatory and Guidance Library Enhanced

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) maintains an Internet web site called the Regulatory & Guidance Library (RGL), which is a set of searchable databases that contains regulatory, guidance and aviation product information. The RGL contains certain Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) from 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) in their current version as well as historical versions. This allows a user to assemble certain FAR Parts, as they existed at any date in the past creating what is referred to as a Regulatory Basis. 

The RGL has been recently enhanced through the addition of certain Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRMs) and Final Rules, including all preamble explanatory material that led to the actual Rule changes. This change will be of major benefit to industry and Transport Canada when the Changed Product Rule (CPR) comes into effect as it will allow an individual to determine what changes were introduced into the Rules and why they were introduced. 

The RGL can be found on the FAA Internet web site at the following address:

http://www.airweb.faa.gov/
Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgWebcomponents.nsf/
HomeFrame?OpenFrameSet

On this web page, it is possible to select the particular section of the RGL that is of interest, in this case we will look at only the FAR Final Rule, the FAR NPRM, and the Federal Aviation Regulations, since the December 2000 Design Approval Delegate Newsletter introduced the other choices. 

FAR FINAL RULE: The FAR Final Rule database is a repository of certain FAA Final Rule documents that have changed the language of the FAR Rules in Title 14 CFR, and have been published in the U.S. Federal Register. These documents can be sorted by FAR Part number or by effective date for viewing. 

FAR NPRM: The FAR Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) database is a repository of certain NPRM documents that are draft Rules that may potentially change the language of the official FAR Rules, and have been published in the U.S. Federal Register for public comment. It is possible to view NPRMs that are currently open for comment or you can view all NPRMs in this database sorted by FAR Part number. 

FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS: This database is a repository of certain FARs from 14 CFR. The current FARs refers to those FAR documents that are in effect today while the historical FARs represent each FAR Part section from the original (since re-codification from the Civil Aviation Regulations) up to and including the active document as a result of the most recent amendment. When looking at the historical FARs, you may notice a green checkmark that indicates the FAR Part section that is the most current. 

Note, at the bottom of each document is a "Document History" section that provides links to related Rulemaking documents. For example, if one looks at the current FARs and selects a particular section, such as 25.773, you will notice at the end of the text the following:

• Document History
  Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Actions:
  Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. Notice No. 84-21; Issued on 09/21/84.
• Final Rule Actions:
  Final Rule. Docket No. 24344; 
  Issued on 06/26/90.

The linkage to the originating NPRM allows one to see why the rule change was introduced and what it was trying to achieve, i.e. it provides the background and detailed discussions. The final rule provides the FAA's response to comments received during consultation of the NPRM and some of the background to decisions made. 

The RGL is certainly a unique new tool which is constantly being enhanced. It will prove of benefit to all who will be exposed to the Changed Product Rule or who have an interest in why rule changes are made!

 

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