Robinson Helicopter R-22 and R-44 Special Training and Experience Requirements

<RULE> DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION <SUBAGY>Federal Aviation Administration</SUBAGY> <CFR>14 CFR Part 61</CFR> <DEPDOC>[Docket No. FAA-2023-2083; Amdt. No. 61-154]</DEPDOC> <RIN>RIN 2120-AL89</RIN> <SUBJECT>Robinson Helicopter R-22 and R-44 Special Training and Experience Requirements</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation (DOT). <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Final rule. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> In this final rule, the FAA revises the Special Federal Aviation Regulation No. 73—Robinson R 22/R-44 Special Training and Experience Requirements to provide consistency with other FAA regulatory requirements, training, and Airman Certification Standards and Practical Test Standards. This final rule removes the low gravity flight instruction requirement to align this Special Federal Aviation Regulation with current aircraft placard requirements and the limitations section of the Robinson Helicopter Company Rotorcraft Flight Manual/Pilot Operating Handbook set forth by Airworthiness Directives. The FAA amends certain terminology in this Special Federal Aviation Regulation to mirror the Helicopter Flying Handbook, Airman Certification Standards, and Practical Test Standards. This final rule also clarifies the awareness training endorsement and flight review requirements for less experienced pilots, removes legacy dates, and updates the applicability section to include ground and flight training, including flight reviews provided by flight instructors. Finally, the FAA adds an expiration date to the Special Federal Aviation Regulation to allow the FAA time to review and refine the R-22 and R-44 requirements for ground training, aeronautical experience, including flight training, and flight reviews, before permanently adopting them into an independent separate subchapter. </SUM> <EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> Effective August 22, 2024. </EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">ADDRESSES:</HD> For information on where to obtain copies of rulemaking documents and other information related to this final rule, see “How to Obtain Additional Information” in the <E T="02">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION</E> section of this document. <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Cara M. Barbera, Training and Certification Group, General Aviation and Commercial Division, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591; telephone (202) 267-1100; email <E T="03">Cara.Barbera@faa.gov.</E> </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Table of Contents</HD> <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">I. Executive Summary</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Overview of Regulatory Action</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Summary of the Costs and Benefits</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">II. Authority for This Rulemaking</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">III. Background</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. History</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. AD 95-11-09 (R-22) and AD 95-11-10 (R-44) Low G Cyclic Pushover Prohibition Background</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Summary of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. General Overview of Comments</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">IV. Discussion of Comments and the Final Rule</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Support for the Rule</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Suggested Changes to the Rule</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">V. Regulatory Notices and Analyses</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Regulatory Impact Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Regulatory Flexibility Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. International Trade Impact Assessment</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Unfunded Mandates Assessment</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Paperwork Reduction Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. International Compatibility</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">G. Environmental Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">VI. Executive Order Determinations</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Executive Order 13132, Federalism</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Executive Order 13175, Consultation and Coordination With Indian Tribal Governments</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Executive Order 13211, Regulations That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Executive Order 13609, Promoting International Regulatory Cooperation</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">VII. Additional Information</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Electronic Access and Filing</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act</FP> </EXTRACT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">I. Executive Summary</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD2">A. Overview of Regulatory Action</HD> Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) No. 73, found in part 61 of title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, addresses Robinson Helicopter Company R-22 and R-44 special training and experience requirements. SFAR No. 73 currently requires flight training on the effects of low gravity (low G) maneuvers and proper recovery procedures. However, because of the inherent danger in performing low gravity maneuvers, Airworthiness Directives 95-11-09  prohibit intentionally inducing low gravity flight in Robinson Helicopter Company model R-22 and R-44 helicopters, contrary to certain requirements in the current SFAR requiring dual instruction (flight instruction) on the effects of low G maneuvers and proper recovery procedures. Therefore, this final rule removes the requirement in the SFAR to perform low gravity maneuvers during flight training due to safety concerns. However, low gravity hazards will continue to be addressed in ground training. Additionally, this final rule replaces the term “awareness training” with “ground training.” <FTNT> <SU>1</SU>  See AD 95-11-09, Robinson Helicopter Company Model R22 Helicopters (Jul. 14, 1995), <E T="03">https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/AB0E6D73A5A548F186256A4D006126BD.0001.</E> </FTNT> <FTNT> <SU>2</SU>  See AD 95-11-10, Robinson Helicopter Company Model R44 Helicopters (Jul. 14, 1995), <E T="03">https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/FED1D31B434F466E86256A4D00613579.0001.</E> </FTNT> Additionally, this final rule updates SFAR No. 73 to align its terminology with other regulations and publications. Certain terminology used in the current SFAR is neither defined nor used in the same context as found in the Helicopter Flying Handbook (HFH), <SU>3</SU> <FTREF/> Airman Certification Standards, Practical Test Standards, <SU>4</SU> <FTREF/> and part 61. Specifically, updating the terms “awareness,” “certified/certificated flight instructor,” and “blade stall” provides consistency with part 61 terms and definitions without impacting preexisting requirements. In addition, the final rule replaces the term “enhanced” with more specific language detailing how to satisfy autorotation training in an R-22 and/or R-44 helicopter. The terminology changes do not require updates to endorsements, websites, or other publications. <FTNT> <SU>3</SU>  See Helicopter Flying Handbook, FAA-H-8083-21B (2019) <E T="03">https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/helicopter_flying_handbook/helicopter_flying_handbook.pdf.</E> </FTNT> <FTNT> <SU>4</SU>  See Airman Certification Standards and Practical Test Standards <E T="03">https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/acs.</E> The FAA notes that the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) (88 FR 71509, October 17, 2023) to this final rule only referred to alignment with the Practical Test Standards (PTSs), as no helicopter PTSs had transitioned to Airman Certification Standards (ACSs) yet. However, on April 1, 2024, the FAA issued a final rule incorporating the ACSs and PTSs, which included four newly published helicopter ACSs for: commercial pilot certificate, private pilot certificate, instrument rating, and flight instructor certificate. See 89 FR 22482. </FTNT> Further, this final rule aligns certain provisions pertaining to applicability, ground training, and flight reviews. First, this rulemaking revises the applicability section in SFAR No. 73 by including applicability to flight instructors who conduct ground training, flight training, or a flight review. Second, the final rule clarifies the current model applicability endorsement within the ground training requirements. Third, this final rule refines the formatting of the aeronautical experience flight review requirements for less experienced pilots. Finally, this final rule adds a five-year expiration date to SFAR No. 73. This allows the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) time to review and refine the requirements for R-22 and R-44 helicopters for eventual movement into a permanent location in title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, chapter I. To note, this final rule does not impose any additional requirements to the current regulations and practice, nor does it render current requirements less restrictive. Rather, the changes more clearly identify the current requirements for persons seeking to manipulate the flight controls, act as pilot in command, provide ground training or flight training, or conduct a flight review in a Robinson Helicopter Company model R-22 or R-44 helicopter that are unique to SFAR No. 73, and are not otherwise included in part 61. After reviewing the comments received on the NPRM, the FAA did not make any changes to the final rule. <HD SOURCE="HD2">C. Summary of the Costs and Benefits</HD> The final rule promotes safety without imposing costs by clarifying existing requirements, eliminating inconsistencies, and updating language. Thus, the FAA has determined that this final rule will have minimal economic effects. <HD SOURCE="HD1">II. Authority for This Rulemaking</HD> The FAA's authority to issue rules on aviation safety is found in title 49 of the United States Code. Subtitle I, section 106 describes the authority of the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII, Aviation P ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 66k characters. Full document text is stored and available for version comparison. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━