[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 54 (Wednesday, March 19, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14871-14872]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-5539]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Innovative Technology Administration

[DOCKET: RITA 2007-27185]


Bureau of Transportation Statistics; Agency Information 
Collection; Activity Under OMB Review; Report of Financial and 
Operating Statistics for Small Aircraft Operators; Paperwork Reduction 
Notice

AGENCY: Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), 
Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public 
Law 104-13, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics invites the general 
public, industry and other governmental parties to comment on the 
continuing need for and usefulness of BTS collecting financial, traffic 
and operating statistics from small certificated and commuter air 
carriers. Small certificated air carriers (operate aircraft with 60 
seats or less or with 18,000 pounds of payload capacity or less) 
currently must file the two quarterly schedules listed below:
    F-1 Report of Financial Data,
    F-2 Report of Aircraft Operating Expenses and Related Statistics, 
and Commuter air carriers must file the Schedule F-1 Report of 
Financial Data,
    Commenters should address whether BTS accurately estimated the 
reporting burden and if there are other ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information collected.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by May 19, 2008.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID Number 
RITA 2007-27185 to the Docket Management Facility at the U.S. 
Department of Transportation. To avoid duplication, please use only one 
of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
    Mail: Docket Management Facility: U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building Ground 
Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Fax: 202-493-2251.
    Instructions: Identify docket number, RITA 2007-27185, at the 
beginning of your comments, and send two copies. To receive 
confirmation that DOT received your comments, include a self-addressed 
stamped postcard. Internet users may access all comments received by 
DOT at http://www.regulations.gov. All comments are posted 
electronically without charge or edits, including any personal 
information provided.
    Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all 
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's 
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on 
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78) or you may visit http://DocketInfo.dot.gov.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov. or the street 
address listed above. Follow the online instructions for accessing the 
dockets.

Electronic Access

    An electronic copy of this Notice and copies of the comments may be 
downloaded at: http://www.regulations.gov, by searching docket RITA 
2007-27185.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bernie Stankus, Office of Airline 
Information, RTS-42, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001, (202) 366-4387.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB Approval No. 2138-0009.
    Title: Report of Financial and Operating Statistics for Small 
Aircraft Operators.
    Form No.: BTS Form 298-C.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection for 
the financial data.
    Respondents: Small certificated and commuter air carriers.

[[Page 14872]]

    Number of Respondents: 80.
    Estimated Time per Response: 4 hours x 40 commuter carriers per 
quarter. 12 hours x 40 small certificated carriers per quarter.
    Total Annual Burden: 2,560 hours.
    Needs and Uses: Program uses for Form 298-C financial data are as 
follows:

Mail Rates

    The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) sets and updates the 
Intra-Alaska Bush mail rates based on carrier aircraft operating 
expense, traffic, and operational data. Form 298-C cost data, 
especially fuel costs, terminal expenses, and line haul expenses are 
used in arriving at rate levels. DOT revises the established rates 
based on the percentage of unit cost changes in the carriers' 
operations. These updating procedures have resulted in the carriers 
receiving rates of compensation that more closely parallel their costs 
of providing mail service and contribute to the carriers' economic 
well-being.

Essential Air Service

    DOT often has to select a carrier to provide a community's 
essential air service. The selection criteria includes historic 
presence in the community, reliability of service, financial stability 
and cost structure of the air carrier.

Carrier Fitness

    Fitness determinations are made for both new entrants and 
established U.S. domestic carriers proposing a substantial change in 
operations. A portion of these applications consists of an operating 
plan for the first year (14 CFR Part 204) and an associated projection 
of revenues and expenses. The carrier's operating costs, included in 
these projections, are compared against the cost data in Form 298-C for 
a carrier or carriers with the same aircraft type and similar operating 
characteristics. Such a review validates the reasonableness of the 
carrier's operating plan.
    The quarterly financial submissions by commuter and small 
certificated air carriers are used in determining each carrier's 
continuing fitness to operate. Section 41738 of Title 49 of the United 
States Code requires DOT to find all commuter and small certificated 
air carriers fit, willing, and able to conduct passenger service as a 
prerequisite to providing such service to an eligible essential air 
service point. In making a fitness determination, DOT reviews three 
areas of a carrier's operation: (1) The qualifications of its 
management team, (2) its disposition to comply with laws and 
regulations, and (3) its financial posture. DOT must determine whether 
or not a carrier has sufficient financial resources to conduct its 
operations without imposing undue risk on the traveling public. 
Moreover, once a carrier begins conducting flight operations, DOT is 
required to monitor its continuing fitness.
    Senior DOT officials must be kept fully informed and advised of all 
current and developing economic issues affecting the airline industry. 
In preparing financial condition reports or status reports on a 
particular airline, financial and traffic data are analyzed. Briefing 
papers prepared for senior DOT officials may use the same information.
    The Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency 
Act of 2002 (44 U.S.C. 3501 note), requires a statistical agency to 
clearly identify information it collects for non-statistical purposes. 
BTS hereby notifies the respondents and the public that BTS uses the 
information it collects under this OMB approval for non-statistical 
purposes including, but not limited to, publication of both 
Respondent's identity and its data, submission of the information to 
agencies outside BTS for review, analysis and possible use in 
regulatory and other administrative matters.

M. Clay Moritz, Jr.,
Assistant Director, Airline Information, Bureau of Transportation 
Statistics.
 [FR Doc. E8-5539 Filed 3-18-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-HY-P