The FAA published a Final Rule today addressing operations under FAR Part 129 by foreign air carriers conducting operations within the United States and foreign air carriers and foreign persons operating U.S.-registered aircraft in common carriage solely outside the United States. Specifically, the final rule clarifies and standardizes the rules for applications for operations specifications by adding three new regulations: FAR 129.5, Operations Specifications; FAR 129.7, Application, issuance, or denial of operations specifications; and FAR 129.9 Contents of operations specifications. The final rule also amends Sec. 129.11 to establish new standards for amendment, suspension, and termination of operations specifications.
Additionally, the FAA has transferred all of the definitions in FAR 119.3 to a new FAR Part 110. FAR 119.3 will now be FAR 110.2. However, the FAA has not made substantive changes to any of the definitions.
The final rule’s amendments become effective April 11, 2011. Operators will need to comply with FAR 129.9(a)(2) and (b)(2) by February 10, 2012. Compliance with the information collection requirement in FAR 129.7 will not be required until the FAA publishes in the Federal Register the control number assigned by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for this information collection requirement. Compliance with all other provisions of the final rule is required by April 11, 2011.
For a more detailed explanation of the new and amended regulations, please refer to the Final Rule.
