Federal Aviation Administration October 7, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

These special conditions are issued for the Beechcraft, Model A36, Bonanza airplane. This airplane, as modified by Avionics Design Services, Ltd., will have a novel or unusual design feature associated with the use of a replacement option of a lithium battery instead of nickel-cadmium and lead-acid rechargeable batteries. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.

The Federal Aviation Administration proposes to modify the requirements primarily applicable to air carriers conducting domestic, flag and supplemental operations to enhance the professional development of pilots in those operations. The proposal would require air carriers conducting domestic, flag and supplemental operations to provide new-hire pilots with an opportunity to observe flight operations (operations familiarization) to become familiar with procedures before serving as a flightcrew member in operations; revise the upgrade curriculum; provide leadership and command and mentoring training for all pilots in command (PICs); and establish Pilot Professional Development Committees (PPDC). This proposal is responsive to a statutory requirement for the Federal Aviation Administration to convene an aviation rulemaking committee (ARC) to develop procedures for air carriers pertaining to pilot mentoring, professional development, and leadership and command training and to issue an NPRM and final rule based on these recommendations. The proposal also includes a number of additional conforming changes related to flight simulation training devices and second in command (SIC) pilot training and checking, and other miscellaneous changes. The FAA believes that this proposed rule would mitigate incidents of unprofessional pilot behavior which would reduce pilot errors that can lead to a catastrophic event.