[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 13, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 1988]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-758]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary


Reports, Forms and Recordkeeping Requirements; Agency Information 
Collection Activity Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (U.S.C. 
3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection 
Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes 
the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and 
burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period 
soliciting comments on the following collections of information was 
published in 62 FR 52180, October 6, 1997.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before February 12, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bernie Stankus, Office of Airline 
Information, K-25, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 400 Seventh 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590, (202) 366-4387.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)

    Title: Domestic Cargo Transportation--Part 291.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    OMB Control Number: 2138-0023.
    Affected Public: Certificated domestic all-cargo carriers.
    Abstract: The Department of Transportation requires air carriers 
holding section 418 certificates, that do not submit Form 41 reports, 
to file Form 291-A, ``Statement of Operations and Statistics Summary 
for Section 418 Operations'' pursuant to 14 CFR 291.42. This form is 
used to monitor air-cargo activity carried on strictly all-cargo 
flights.
    Needs and Uses: Form 291-A financial data are reviewed in 
connection with an air carrier's operations when concerns arise as to a 
carrier's financial condition as evidenced by reported losses and 
delinquency in payments to creditors. Data comparisons are made between 
current and past periods in order to assess the current financial 
positions. Financial trend lines are extended into the future to 
evaluate the continued viability of the carrier. When an all-cargo 
carrier wishes to extend its operation to passenger service, the 
carrier's prior Form 291-A filings are examined as a source document to 
help determine the carrier's financial condition. FAA's Safety 
Indicators Division is developing an integrated approach to exposure 
data (Form 291-A is a part of this data) in the aviation industry to 
support the Safety Indicators Program. FAA's National Safety Data 
Center is currently using Form 291-A in compiling annual year end 
flight hours, miles flown, and departures. Also, these activity data 
are used by the National Transportation Safety Board in determining the 
airline industry's annual safety indexes. Commercial all-cargo activity 
data are used by the FAA in estimating the excise tax paid by shoppers 
and held by the all-cargo air carriers. Although a precise tax figure 
cannot be computed from the Form 291-A reports (because some cargo 
movements are exempted from the excise tax), an estimation is possible 
for revenue budgeting purposes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 8 hours.
    Number of Respondents: 2.

ADDRESSES: Send comments, within 30 days, to the Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725-17th 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention DOT Desk Officer. Comments 
are invited on: whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the 
Department, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including 
the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 6, 1998.
Vanester M. Williams,
Clearance Officer, Department of Transportation.
[FR Doc. 98-758 Filed 1-12-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-62-P