[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 202 (Thursday, October 18, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 52878-52879]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-26226]


 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
 
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 

  Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 202 / Thursday, October 18, 2001 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 52878]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Parts 13, 61, 119, 125, 135, and 142

[Docket No. FAA-2001-10047; Notice No. 01-11]
RIN 2120-AH06


Regulation of Fractional Aircraft Ownership Programs and On-
Demand Operations; Extension of Comment Period

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM); extension of comment 
period.

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SUMMARY: This action extends the comment periods for an NPRM that was 
published on July 18, 2001. In that document, the FAA proposed to 
update and revise the regulations governing operations by aircraft in 
fractional ownership programs. This extension is a result of several 
requests to extend the comment period to the proposal.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Comments must be received on or before November 16, 
2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments on this document should be mailed or delivered, in 
duplicate, to: U.S. Department of Transportation Dockets, Docket No. 
FAA-2001-10047, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Room Plaza 401, Washington, DC 
20590. Comments may be filed and examined in Room Plaza 401 between 10 
a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays, except Federal holidays. Comments also may be 
sent electronically to the Dockets Management System (DMS) at the 
following Internet address; http://dms.dot.gov at any time. Commenters 
who wish to file comments electronically, should follow the 
instructions on the DMS web site.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katherine Hakala Perfetti, Flight 
Standards Service (AFS-200), Federal Aviation Administration, 800 
Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20591; telephone: (202) 267-
3760; or e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    The FAA invites interested persons to participate in this 
rulemaking by submitting written comments, data, or views. We also 
invite comments relating to the economic, environmental, energy, or 
federalism impacts that might result from adopting the proposals in 
this document. The most helpful comments reference a specific portion 
of the proposal, explain the reason for any recommended change, and 
include supporting data. We ask that you send us two copies of written 
comments.
    We will file in the docket all comments we received, as well as 
report summarizing each substantive public contact with FAA personnel 
concerning this proposal rulemaking. The docket is available for 
inspection before and after the comment closing date. If you wish to 
review the docket in person, go to the address in the ADDRESSES section 
of this preamble between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays. You may also review the docket using the 
Internet at the web address in the ADDRESSES section.
    Before acting on this proposal, we will consider all comments we 
receive on or before the closing date for comments. We will consider 
comments filed date if it is possible to do so without incurring 
expense or delay. We may change this proposal in light of the comments 
we receive.
    If you want the FAA to acknowledge receipt of your comments on this 
proposal, include with your comments a pre-addressed, stamped postcard 
on which the docket number appears. We will stamp the date on the 
postcard and mail it to you.

Background

    On July 18, 2001, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued 
Notice No. 01-08, Regulation of Fractional Aircraft Ownership Programs 
and On-Demand Operations (66 FR 37520, 7/18/2001). This notice provided 
for a 90-day comment period. Comments pertaining to the document were 
to be received on or before October 16, 2001.
    Several petitioners have requested an extension of the comment 
period. An individual petitioner requested a nine-month extension by 
letter dated July 15, 2001. The National Air Transportation Association 
and the National Business Aviation Association, by letters dated 
October 1 and October 3, 2001, respectively, requested the FAA to 
extend the comment period for Notice No. 01-08 for 30 days. By letter 
dated October 3, 2001, the National Transportation Safety Board 
requested a 90-day extension. The three recent requests cited the 
national security events that occurred on September 11, 2001 to support 
their requests for an extension. The petitioners mentioned that the 
recent events demanded a significant diversion of resources, making it 
difficult to provide well-developed, thoughtful comments on the 
proposed regulation. These events also raised safety issued that may 
need to be addressed during the comment period.
    The FAA acknowledges that the tragic events of September 11 have 
required the nation's attention and concurs with the petitioners' 
requests that it is appropriate to extend the comment period on Notice 
No. 01-08. The need for additional time for thoughtful comment must be 
balanced against the need to proceed expeditiously with a rulemaking 
that will maintain a high standard of safety for the fractional 
aircraft ownership industry. The FAA believes an additional 30 days 
would be adequate for the petitioners to provide meaningful comment to 
Notice No. 01-08. This will also allow commenters who may have 
anticipated an extension in the comment periods to submit their 
comments by a certain date. Absent unusual circumstances, the FAA does 
not anticipate any further extension of the comment period for this 
rulemaking.

Extension of Comment Period

    In accordance with Sec. 11.47 of Title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations, the FAA has reviewed the requests for extension of the 
comment period to Notice No. 01-08. These petitioners have shown a 
substantive interest in the proposed rule and good cause for the 
extension. The FAA also have determined that an extension of the 
comment period is consistent with the public interest, and that good 
cause exists for taking this action.
    Accordingly, the comment period for Notice No. 01-08 is extended 
until November 16, 2001.


[[Page 52879]]


    Issued in Washington, DC, October 10, 2001.
Nicholas A. Sabatini,
Director, Flight Standards Service.
[FR Doc. 01-26226 Filed 10-17-01; 8:45 am]
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