On May 21, 2012, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) amending the regulations for repair stations by revising the system of ratings, the repair station certification requirements, and the regulations on repair stations providing maintenance for air carriers. The intent of the announced changes is to modernize the regulations to keep pace with current industry standards and practices. The NPRM addresses three major areas: 1) the system of ratings; 2) the certification requirements; and 3) repair stations providing maintenance for air carriers. A summary of the NPRM prepared by The Wicks Group can be found here.
Today, FAA published a notice in the Federal Register extending the comment period until November 19, 2012. By letter dated August 3, 2012, nine associations representing a large crosssection of the aviation industry jointly requested that the FAA extend the comment period for 90 days. The petitioners stated that due to the scope and extent of the proposed changes, additional time was needed to respond. Further, the petitioners noted that many repair stations are small businesses which do not have departments or personnel dedicated to reviewing regulatory changes. As such, they may not be aware of the proposals, and the petitioners need more time to reach these small businesses and gather their input. Accordingly, pursuant to 14 C.F.R. § 11.47(c), FAA has reviewed the joint petition and determined that extension of the comment period is consistent with the public interest.
For further questions concerning the FAA’s NPRM, or assistance in formulating a comment in response to the FAA’s request, please contact Ronce Almond at (202) 457-7790.