[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 1, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11308-11309]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-4237]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notification of Pilot-in-Command; Notice of Public Meeting

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The FAA's Office of Hazardous Materials and the Pipeline and 
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's (PHMSA) Office of Hazardous 
Materials Safety announce a public meeting on March 11, 2011 to hear 
comments and gather information regarding Notification to Pilot in 
Command (NOPICs) (see 49 CFR 175.33 and ICAO TI 7;4.1). The 
International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Dangerous Goods 
Panel has begun to examine this issue and consider the informational 
needs of those who rely on this document. Statements by interested 
parties will be considered as the U.S. develops its position on this 
issue.

DATES: The public meeting will be held on March 11, 2011 from 9 a.m. 
until 3:30 p.m. Web-conferencing capabilities will be provided. The 
agenda for the meeting will be as follows:
     8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.: Sign-in
     9 a.m. to 10 a.m.: FAA Air Traffic Control Organization 
Briefing on the Flight Object Initiative.
     10 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Statements and information from air 
carriers and their representatives.
     12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Break
     12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.: Statements and information from 
airline pilots and their representatives.
     1:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.: Statements and information from 
emergency responders and their representatives.
     2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Statements and information from 
airports, air traffic controllers, stakeholders not referenced above, 
as well as those unable to speak in their designated time frame.
    The deadline to register for the meeting, submit a request to make 
an oral statement and/or participate via web-conferencing is March 4, 
2011. All participants are requested to register at the following Web 
site: https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dExRVGF5WmtOSzZuZWxBSTdBQ2VCR1E6MQ.
    Specific information will be provided on how to participate via 
web-conferencing upon registration to FAA.

ADDRESSES: The March 11, 2011, public meeting will be held at FAA 
Headquarters (FOB 10A), Bessie Coleman Conference Center, 2nd Floor, 
800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC. For questions or 
directions, please call the FAA's Office of Hazardous Materials, (202) 
385-4900.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the meeting should 
be directed to Ms. Janet McLaughlin, Division Manager, Office of 
Hazardous Materials, International and Outreach Division, ADG-200, 
Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue, SW, 
Washington, DC 20591; telephone (202) 385-4900. E-mail: [email protected].
    We are committed to providing equal access to this meeting for all 
participants. If you need alternative formats or other reasonable 
accommodations, please call (202) 385-4900 or e-mail: [email protected] with your request by close of business March 4, 2011.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose of the Public Meeting

    The purpose of the public meeting is for the FAA and PHMSA to hear 
the public's views and obtain relevant information on the Notification 
to Pilot in Command (NOPIC), also referred to as Notification to 
Capitan (NOTOC), processes described in 49 CFR 175.33. The United 
States is in the process of formulating a position that will be offered 
as the International Civil Aviation Organization's Dangerous

[[Page 11309]]

Goods Panel considers revisions to this document.\1\
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    \1\ Corresponding, but non-identical requirements for NOTOCs can 
be found in Part7;4.1 of the ICAO Technical Instructions for the 
Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (ICAO TI). The Department 
of Transportation has a history and statutory mandate to harmonize 
with the ICAO TI when safety considerations and the public interest 
are not compromised. 49 USC 5120(b).
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    The FAA and PHMSA are interested in acquiring a comprehensive 
understanding of the entire NOTOC system. Participants are encouraged 
to address the following issues:

Processes

     While recognizing variance between air carriers, what are 
the process(es) leading to the generation of the NOTOC and its delivery 
to the pilot in command?
     What are the processes involved in providing emergency 
responders the information they require?

What are each stakeholder's unique informational needs?

     When an onboard incident/emergency occurs not caused by or 
immediately associated with hazardous materials how does (or how could) 
the information on the NOTOC impact a pilot's reaction? How does this 
compare to when hazardous materials are the suspected cause of an 
onboard incident?
     Are there notable instances where the presence of 
information or lack of information impacted an air carrier's, pilot's, 
or emergency responder's course of action?
     Should there be a distinction (i.e. format or information 
included) between passenger and cargo-only air carriers?

General Questions

     For hazardous materials required to be listed on NOTOCs, 
is there additional information that would be useful? Is there certain 
information extraneous to NOTOC users?
     Are there certain excepted hazardous materials not 
currently required to be on a NOTOC that should be included on the 
NOTOC? Are there hazardous materials currently required to be on the 
NOTOC that may not need to be included?
     Can the format of the NOTOC be improved? Should different 
versions be considered for different users?
     Should consumer commodities be addressed in an alternative 
manner?

When the NOTOC is provided to Flight Crews

     49 CFR 175.33(a) requires ``accurate and legible written 
information'' be provided to pilots in command, ``as early as 
practicable before departure of the aircraft''. The FAA and PHMSA are 
interested in investigating if current airline processes afford 
sufficient time for pilots in command to review the NOTOC, particularly 
taking into account the extensive demands of an aircrew prior to 
departure. How do airlines implement this policy and how can it be 
improved?

When the NOTOC is provided to Emergency Responders

     49 CFR 175.33(c)(3) requires NOTOCs to be readily 
accessible at the intended arrival airport. 49 CFR 175.33(c)(4) 
requires NOTOCs (or the information contained within NOTOC's) to be 
issued to emergency responders at reasonable times and locations. The 
FAA, PHMSA, and relevant stakeholders are well aware of instances of 
unacceptable delay in providing required information to emergency 
responders. What improvements to this process have been made or are 
being considered? How are airlines considering leveraging new 
technologies where someday even ``unintended'' arrival airports would 
be aware of an aircraft's hazardous materials?

Participation at the Public Meetings

    Attendance is open to the public. Speakers should be prepared to 
limit their oral remarks to 10 minutes in the event the number of 
speakers exceeds the time allocated in the agenda.

Public Meeting Procedures

    A panel of representatives from the FAA and PHMSA will be present. 
An FAA representative will facilitate the meetings in accordance with 
the following procedures:
    (1) The meetings are designed to facilitate the public comment 
process. The meetings will be informal and non-adversarial. No 
individual will be subject to questioning by any other participant. 
Government representatives on the panel may ask questions to clarify 
statements. Any statement made during the meetings by a panel member 
should not be construed as an official position of the government.
    a. One exception is that, time permitting, attendees may be allowed 
to ask questions following the FAA Air Traffic Control Organization's 
Briefing on the Flight Object Initiative.
    (2) There will be no admission fees or other charges to attend or 
to participate in the public meeting. The meeting will be open to all 
persons, subject to the capacity in the meeting room and the web-
conferencing system. Every effort will be made to accommodate all 
persons wishing to attend. The FAA and PHMSA will try to accommodate 
all speakers, subject to time constraints. The FAA and PHMSA reserve 
the right to exclude some speakers, if necessary, to obtain balanced 
viewpoints.
    (1) The FAA and PHMSA will review and consider all material 
presented by participants at the public meeting. If the speaker wishes 
to provide handouts to attendees, these materials shall be provided by 
speaker.
    (2) Presentations, supplemental data, and other information may be 
provided to FAA and PHMSA at the discretion of the participant.
    (3) Each person presenting comments is asked to submit data to 
support the comments. The FAA and PHMSA will protect from disclosure 
all proprietary data submitted in accordance with applicable laws.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on February 18, 2011.
Christopher Glasow,
Director, Office of Hazardous Materials.
[FR Doc. 2011-4237 Filed 2-28-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P