Background: Following investigations of bird strikes involving rotorcraft, the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) tasked the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) to provide
recommendations regarding bird strike protection rulemaking, policy, or guidance for normal category rotorcraft; to evaluate existing bird strike protection standards for transport category rotorcraft; and to provide recommendations for enhancement. The ARAC established the Rotorcraft Bird Strike Working Group (RBSWG), composed of industry manufacturers and rotorcraft operators, to provide advice and recommendations to the ARAC. The RBSWG studied bird strike reports for rotorcraft in the National Wildlife Strike Database. The RBSWG found little information is provided to helicopter operators, including flight schools and flight training facilities, about bird strike hazards.

This technical standard order (TSO) is for manufacturers applying for a TSO authorization (TSOA) or letter of TSO design approval (LODA). In it, we (the Federal Aviation Administration, (FAA)) tell you what minimum performance standards (MPS) your Alternating Current (AC) to AC converter must meet for approval and identification with the applicable TSO marking.

This final rule amends the U.S. Department of Transportation’s regulated
industry drug testing program to include oral fluid testing. This additional methodology
for drug testing will give employers a choice that will help combat employee cheating on
urine drug tests and provide a less intrusive means of achieving the safety goals of the
program. In order for an employer to implement oral fluid testing under the
Department’s regulation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will need to
certify at least two laboratories for oral fluid testing, which has not yet been done. The
final rule includes other provisions to update the Department’s regulation and to
harmonize, as needed, with the Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug
Testing Programs using Oral Fluid established by the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services. In addition, this rule amends the FAA, FMCSA, FRA and FTA
regulations to ensure consistency within the Department of Transportation and by
removing or adjusting references to the word “urine” and/or add references to oral fluid,
as well as removing or amending some definitions for conformity and to make other
miscellaneous technical changes or corrections.

This memorandum clarifies the process outlined in FAA Order 8040.5, Airworthiness
Directive Process for Mandatory Continuing Airworthiness Information. Specifically,
paragraph 5a(1)(d) instructs the aviation safety engineer (ASE) to complete a No
Airworthiness Directive Required (NAR) if they determine there is no unsafe condition.
Further, appendix 1 states that the ASE complete the NAR form when they have
evaluated the mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) and decided not
to issue an airworthiness directive (AD).

This memorandum clarifies our acceptance procedures for TSO articles based on reciprocal agreements between the FAA and certain foreign CAAs. These acceptance procedures will eliminate past duplicative processes, reduce costs, and save time for both industry and the authorities involved.
The acceptance procedures allow the importing authority to accept the exporting authority’s approval of a TSO article without further evaluation or validation as stated in the bilateral agreement. This means the FAA can accept the TSO article design approval from a foreign CAA without issuing a letter of TSO design approval (LODA) as required by previous validation procedures.

This advisory circular (AC) describes an acceptable means for demonstrating compliance with
the requirements of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 33.70, Engine Life-Limited
Parts