[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 69 (Thursday, April 10, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19959-19960]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-08117]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Office of Commercial Space Transportation: Black Sky Training 
Safety Approval Performance Criteria

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This is notification of criteria used to evaluate the Black 
Sky Training, Inc. (BST) safety approval application. The FAA issued 
BST a safety approval, subject to the provisions of Title 51 U.S.C 
Subtitle V, ch. 509, and the orders, rules and regulations issued under 
it. Pursuant to Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) Sec.  
414.35, this Notice publishes the criteria that were used to evaluate 
the safety approval application.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about the performance 
criteria, you may contact Randal Maday, Licensing and Evaluation 
Division (AST-200), FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation 
(AST), 800 Independence Avenue SW., Room 331, Washington, DC 20591, 
telephone (202) 267-8652; Email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background: BST applied for, and received, a safety approval for 
its ability to provide a service that includes Spaceflight 101, Crew 
Resource Management, High Altitude Physiology, Disorientation and G 
Force Management, Vehicle Energy Management, and Rocket Powered 
Transition training for crew and space flight participants. BST may 
offer its space flight training service to a prospective launch and 
reentry operator to meet the applicable crew and space flight 
participant training requirements of 14 CFR 460.5 and 14 CFR 460.51.
    Criteria Used to Evaluate Safety Approval Application: The 
performance criteria for this safety approval include: AC60-22 
Aeronautical Decision Making, AC120-51E Crew Resource Management 
Training, NASA Space Flight Resource Management (SFRM) training 
methods, FAA-H8083-25A Pilot Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, AC61-
107A AC 61-107A--Operations of Aircraft at Altitudes Above 25,000 feet 
MSL and/or Mach Numbers Greater than .75, FAA AM-400-03/1 Spatial 
Disorientation, AC91-61 A Hazard in Aerobatics: Effects of G-Forces of 
Pilots, FAA-H8083-3b Airplane Flying Handbook, FAA-H8083-13 Glider 
Flying Handbook, FAA-H8083-25A Pilot Handbook of Aeronautical 
Knowledge, and FAA-S-8081-SF Airline Transport Pilot and Aircraft Type 
Rating Practical Test Standards for Airplane. The performance criteria 
also include 14 CFR 61.31(g) for additional training required for 
operating pressurized aircraft capable of operating at high altitudes. 
These criteria include FAA regulations, advisory circulars, and current 
industry practices which are acceptable technical criteria for 
reviewing a safety approval application per 14 CFR 414.19. Many aspects 
of aviation training also apply to aerospace operations because it 
addresses human-vehicle interactions common to both aviation and 
aerospace.
    The FAA's evaluation included assessment of BST's space flight 
training service lesson plans and objectives, which include classroom, 
simulator, and flight training for crew and space flight participants 
to experience and demonstrate knowledge of the following through 
testing:
     Understand the fundamentals of space flight, which include 
terminology, rocket operations, and space flight hazards.
     Understand and apply the concepts of space flight resource 
management.
     Understand and experience the symptoms associated with 
high altitude physiology.

[[Page 19960]]

     Demonstrate techniques used to mitigate the physical 
effects of G forces and vertigo due to unusual attitudes.
     Demonstrate vehicle energy management principles.
     Demonstrate proficiency in the operation of a rocket-
propelled simulator from liftoff to landing.

     Issued in Washington, DC, on 24 February 2014.
 George C. Nield,
Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation.
[FR Doc. 2014-08117 Filed 4-9-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P