Some will recall concerns raised in past years by the FAA over the compliance of some S- LSA manufacturers with the industry “consensus standards” that take the place of formal regulatory certification requirements. Now available on the FAA website is the June 4, 2013 Order 8130.36, providing guidance for the implementation of the FAA’s audit program. The Order, which involves compliance audits in order to determine compliance and to “identify national trends that may require developing or revising regulation, policy, or guidance” is available here.

In a written interpretation published June 18, 2013, the FAA Chief Counsel’s office held the Part 135 rest and duty requirements preclude any work for the certificate holder or a related company during required rest periods. Applying the  135.273(a) definition of rest period as “the period free of all responsibility for work or duty should the occasion arise,” to Part 135 pilots, the Chief Counsel’s office held a pilot cannot work for the certificate holder’s FBO, saying, “The short answer is that work performed for the certificate holder cannot take place during a required rest period.” The opinion is available here.

The FAA revised its policy regarding the use of GPS for alternate airport planning to authorize planning for non-WAAS GPS approaches at either the destination or the alternate (but not both). Primarily directed to the contents of OpSpecs it  probably has broader application since OpSpecs tend to be more restrictive. The bulletin is here.

The existing policy  required  pilots and operators to plan an alternate  with an IAP using used approach navigation other than GPS (unless the GPS used WAAS). The announced revision to FAA Order 8900.1, Flight Standards Information Management Systems (FSIMS), Volume 3, Chapter 18, Section 5:

1. reaffirms that operators with WAAS navigation may have OpSpecs allowing for planning  GPS-based IAPs at both the destination and the alternate; and
2. changes the non-WAAS policy to permit non-WAAS GPS operators OpSpecs to permit planning for a GPS approach at either the destination or the alternate (but not both).

The DOT’s Office of Inspector General issued its semi-annual report to Congress for the Oct – March 2013 period. Mentioned are the results of a number of investigations resulting in criminal penalties. Significant activity includes prosecutions related to maintenance-related activities improper activities – counterfeit “yellow tags,” fake STCs, and the like. Also mentioned is a prosecution against a pilot for falsifying information on a medical certificate application. The OIG report is available here.

The DOT inspector General announced that a Texas resident has been criminally charged for attaching false “yellow tags” and selling the items of eBay. It appears, at this point, that these are state charges.

•Inspector General announcement •Tarrrant County, TX docket