Current FAA regulations require that foreign applicants for operating specifications must hold a valid air operator certificate issued by the State of the Operator. This proposed rule would amend the regulations for applications by foreign air carriers and foreign persons for operations specifications under 14 CFR part 129 and amend regulations for the denial of applications for operations specifications. The proposed rule would also apply to the operation of foreign carriers within the United States, as well as foreign persons or carriers operating U.S.-registered aircraft in common carriage solely outside the United States.

This AC contains methods, techniques, and practices acceptable to the Administrator for inspection, prevention, control, and repair of corrosion on avionics systems and equipment. The procedures in this AC are an acceptable means, but not the only means, of inspecting, preventing, controlling, and repairing avionics corrosion. This AC is intended to supplement the Original Equipment Manufacturer’s (OEM) published recommendations, or for use when there are no OEM repair or maintenance instructions. Operators having their own Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-approved maintenance program may also include the guidance contained in this AC in the development of such programs. The contents of this document do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in any way, and the document is intended only to provide information to the public regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies.

This notice announces a nonmandatory revision to operations
specification (OpSpec) A001 for Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 145
certificate holders (CH) to remove the “Delegated Authorities” data field and dropdown list.

This action adopts standards for measuring non-volatile particulate matter (nvPM) exhaust emissions from aircraft engines. With this rulemaking, the FAA implements the nvPM emissions standards adopted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), allowing manufacturers to certificate engines to the new nvPM emissions standards in the United States, and fulfilling the statutory obligations of the FAA under the Clean Air Act.

The FAA is updating requirements for safety management systems and requiring certain certificate holders and commercial air tour operators to develop and implement a safety management system (SMS). This rule extends the requirement for an SMS to all certificate holders operating under the rules for commuter and on-demand operations, commercial air tour operators, production certificate holders that are holders or licensees of a type certificate for the same product, and holders of a type certificate that license out that type certificate for production. The FAA is publishing this rule in part to address a Congressional mandate as well as recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board and two aviation rulemaking committees. Additionally, the rule more closely aligns the United States with Annex 19 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation. This rule will improve aviation safety by requiring organizations to implement a proactive approach to managing safety.

On October 17, 2023, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published the subject direct final rule in the Federal Register, confirmed on November 29, 2023. In that direct final rule, the FAA redesignated two paragraphs in one section of the Code of Federal Regulations but failed to amend cross-references to those paragraphs. This document corrects those errors.

This notice provides inspectors with guidance on Revision 5 to
Policy Letter (PL) 34, MMEL and MEL Preamble.