[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 157 (Monday, August 15, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54179-54181]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-19427]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Requests for Comments; 
Clearance of Renewed Approval of Information Collection: Automatic 
Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) Rebate System

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA 
invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) approval for a new information collection. 
The FAA is launching a rebate program to emphasize the urgent need for 
pilots to comply with Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-
B) Out requirements ahead of the January 1, 2020, compliance deadline. 
This program will defray costs associated with the ADS-B equipment and 
installation for eligible general aviation aircraft, and help ensure 
that all general aviation aircraft are equipped by the compliance date.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by September 14, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on 
the proposed information collection to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget. Comments should be 
addressed to the attention of the Desk Officer, Department of 
Transportation/FAA, and sent via electronic mail to 
[email protected], or faxed to (202) 395-6974, or mailed to 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management 
and Budget, Docket Library, Room 10102, 725 17th Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20503.
Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of this 
information collection, including: (a) Whether the proposed collection 
of information is necessary for FAA's performance; (b) the accuracy of 
the estimated burden; (c) ways for FAA to enhance the quality, utility 
and clarity of the information collection; and (d) ways that the burden 
could be minimized without reducing the quality of the collected 
information. The agency will summarize and/or include your comments in 
the request for OMB's clearance of this information collection.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ronda Thompson at (202) 267-1416, or 
by email at: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    OMB Control Number: Not assigned.
    Title: Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) Rebate 
System.
    Form Numbers: There are no FAA forms associated with this 
collection.
    Type of Review: New information collection.
    Background: The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment 
period soliciting comments on the following collection of information 
was published on June 8, 2016 (81FR36985). There were 3 comments 
received from the public. On May 21, 2010, the FAA issued a final rule 
requiring Automatic Dependence Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out 
avionics on aircraft operating in Classes A, B, and C airspace, as well 
as certain other classes of airspace within the National Airspace 
System (NAS), no later than January 1, 2020 (75 FR 30160). ADS-B Out 
equipage is a critical step in achieving the benefits of NextGen, in 
that it transforms aircraft surveillance with satellite-based 
precision. When properly equipped with ADS-B, both pilots and 
controllers can, for the first time, see the same real-time displays of 
air traffic, and pilots will be able to receive air traffic services in 
places where it has not been previously available.
    To meet this deadline for compliance, the FAA estimated that as 
many as 160,000 general aviation aircraft would need to be equipped 
with ADS-B by January 1, 2020. In developing the ADS-B Out final rule, 
the FAA assumed that these aircraft owners would begin equipping new 
aircraft with ADS-B equipment in 2012, and begin retrofitting the 
existing aircraft in 2013, to minimize costs associated with 
retrofitting outside of the aircraft's heavy maintenance cycle. In any 
given year, avionics installers are capable of completing approximately 
35,000-50,000 installations. In order to guarantee that general 
aviation aircraft that will operate in ADS-B airspace are equipped by 
January 1, 2020, approximately 23,000 aircraft would have needed to 
equip each year beginning in early 2013. This would have ensured there 
would be a balance

[[Page 54180]]

between the expected demand for avionics installations and the capacity 
of avionics installers. Owners of general aviation aircraft who are 
particularly price sensitive are postponing their installations. This 
trend demonstrates that there is a near-term need to accelerate 
equipage, to ensure that pilots, manufacturers, and retail facilities 
have adequate time and capacity to equip aircraft by the January 1, 
2020, compliance deadline. It is necessary to take advantage of the 
installation capacity available now in order to avoid back-end capacity 
constraints that could result in some aircraft being unable to receive 
their upgrades ahead of the compliance deadline, which will, in turn, 
lead to denial of access to ADS-B airspace once the ADS-B equipage 
mandate is in effect. This limited-time rebate will provide an 
incentive for early retrofitting, but it is intended to emphasize the 
urgent need for pilots to comply with ADS-B Out requirements ahead of 
2020.
    Section 221 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 
provided the FAA with the authority to establish an incentive program 
for equipping general aviation and commercial aircraft with 
communications, surveillance, navigation, and other avionics equipment. 
Thus, the FAA is establishing an initiative (the ADS-B Rebate Program) 
to addresses the rate of general aviation equipage by incentivizing 
those aircraft owners who are affected by the ADS-B Out requirements 
and are the most price sensitive to the cost of avionics and the 
associated installation. The ADS-B Rebate Program will provide a one-
time $500 rebate to an aircraft owner to defray some of the cost of an 
ADS-B Out system meeting the program eligibility requirements. The 
rebates will be available on a first come first served basis.
    The FAA, with input from industry partners (Aircraft Electronics 
Association, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, and General 
Aircraft Manufacturers Association), designed this rebate program 
targeting specific eligibility requirements for avionics, aircraft 
types, and aircraft owners. The eligibility requirements are as 
follows:
    Eligible Avionics--Technical Standard Order (TSO)-certified Version 
2 ADS-B Out system, purchased on or after June 8, 2016. Such equipment 
must have a TSO marking for TSO-C154c, or TSO-C166b, or both. Eligible 
ADS-B Out system equipment may have an embedded position source 
compliant with one of the following TSOs: TSO-C-145c (or subsequent 
versions), TSO-C146c (or subsequent versions), or may be connected to a 
separate position source compliant with TSO-C-145c (or subsequent 
versions) or TSO-C146c (or subsequent versions). Any separate position 
source must comply with the guidance published in FAA Advisory Circular 
(AC) 20-165B. ADS-B In/Out systems compliant with TSO-C154c, TSO-C166b, 
or both, are also eligible.
    Eligible Aircraft--Only U.S.-registered, fixed-wing single-engine 
piston aircraft first registered before January 1, 2016 are eligible 
for the program. This eligibility will be determined via the FAA Civil 
Aircraft Registry. Program eligibility also requires permanent 
installation of new avionics equipment in a single aircraft in 
compliance with applicable FAA regulations and guidance material.
    Aircraft Owner--Program eligibility is limited to one rebate per 
aircraft owner. An aircraft owner means either a single individual 
owner or any owning entity (any legal ownership entity including but 
not limited to an LLC, corporation, partnership or joint venture) 
identified as the owner of the eligible aircraft in the FAA Civil 
Aviation Registry.
    Exclusions--All aircraft for which FAA has already paid or 
previously committed to upgrade to meet the ADS-B Out mandate. Software 
upgrades to existing equipment are not eligible. Aircraft that already 
have a Version 2 ADS-B Out system prior to the launch of the data 
collection system are not eligible. New aircraft produced after January 
1, 2016, are not eligible.
    For reimbursement under this program, the FAA Civil Aircraft 
Registry information regarding ownership is controlling and the rebate 
program will be using the publically available database to determine 
eligibility requirements based on the aircraft information. The 
aircraft owner is responsible for ensuring that the FAA Civil Aircraft 
Registry information is accurate before a claim for the rebate is 
submitted; rebates will only be mailed to the registered owner and 
address as indicated in the Civil Aircraft Registry.
    To request a rebate, the applicant must provide via the program Web 
site a valid email address for official correspondence and 
notifications and aircraft-specific information such as the aircraft 
registration number, TSO-certified equipment purchased, and scheduled 
installation date. Once the information is submitted, the FAA will 
validate eligibility for the program with the official records 
regarding aircraft ownership contained in the publically available 
Civil Aircraft Registry. Additionally, anyone requesting a rebate will 
need to accept legal notices electronically by acknowledging their 
agreement and acceptance and providing the name of the person 
submitting the information on the individual web application.
    Through the ADS-B Rebate Program, aircraft owners will be permitted 
to reserve a rebate, validate their installation, and then claim their 
rebate through the ADS-B Rebate Program Web site. The program steps and 
timeline requirements are as follows:
    [1] Decide: The aircraft owner arranges for purchase and schedules 
installation of TSO-certified avionics for an eligible aircraft.
    [2] Reserve: Before avionics installation occurs, the aircraft 
owner must go to the ADS-B Rebate Program Web site to submit 
information for a rebate reservation. Upon successful submission, the 
system will generate an email with a Rebate Reservation Code. During 
the rebate reservation process, the eligible aircraft's information is 
validated against the FAA Civil Aircraft Registry, including ownership 
information. If there are discrepancies, the aircraft owner may 
continue with the reservation process; but before a valid Incentive 
Code can be obtained in step [5], the aircraft owner must ensure that 
the FAA Civil Aircraft Registry data for their eligible aircraft is 
corrected.
    [3] Install: TSO-certified ADS-B avionics are installed in the 
eligible aircraft.
    [4] Fly & Validate: Only after the prior steps are completed, the 
eligible aircraft must be flown in the airspace defined in 14 CFR 
91.225 for at least 30 minutes, with at least 10 aggregate minutes of 
maneuvering flight, per the guidance in AC 20-165B http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/advisory_circulars/index.cfm/go/document.information/documentID/1028666, sections 4.3.2 and 4.3.2.3-
4.3.2.6 for Part 23 aircraft. After flight, the ADS-B data is used to 
generate a Public Compliance Report (PCR) and General Aviation 
Incentive Requirements Status (GAIRS) Report, which is how the 
performance of the eligible aircraft's ADS-B installation is validated. 
Note that it may be necessary to repeat this step more than once, until 
the GAIRS Report indicates PASS for all fields and provides an 
Incentive Code in the Rebate Status section. Once proper installation 
and operation of the ADS-B is validated the FAA will notify the 
applicant using the email address provided at the time of rebate 
request.
    [5] Claim: Within 60 days of the scheduled installation date, the 
aircraft owner gathers their Rebate Reservation Code (from step [2]) 
and their Incentive Code (from step [4]) and submits this

[[Page 54181]]

information as well as their name and aircraft number via the ADS-B 
Rebate Program Web site to complete the claim for their rebate.
    The FAA is seeking comments from the public regarding the 
information we collect for the program and how we collect it. The 
information provided in this notice is solely to identify and collect 
information from the public on the potential burden to an individual 
that would result from this program.
    Respondents: Approximately 20,000 rebates.
    Frequency: Information is collected only during the times the user 
is submitting their reservation and claiming their rebate after proof 
of meeting the eligibility requirements.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: Approximately 6 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: Approximately 2,000 hours.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 9, 2016.
Ronda Thompson,
FAA Information Collection Clearance Officer Performance, Policy & 
Records Management Branch, ASP-110.
[FR Doc. 2016-19427 Filed 8-12-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P