[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 71 (Friday, April 12, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15036-15038]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-06650]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

[Docket No. FAA-2019-0264]


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

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
FAA invites public comments about its intention to request Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) approval for a renewal of an information 
collection. The FAA has launched 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 is defraying costs associated with 
the ADS-B equipment and installation for eligible general aviation 
aircraft, and helps ensure that all general aviation aircraft are 
equipped by the compliance date.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by June 11, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Please send written comments:
    By Electronic Docket: www.regulations.gov (Enter docket number into 
search field)
    By mail: Gayle Thornton, ANG-M, 3rd Floor, 1250 Maryland Ave. SW, 
Washington, DC 20024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gayle Thornton by email at: 
[email protected]; phone: 202-267-7344.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    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.
    OMB Control Number: 2120-0769.
    Title: Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Rebate 
System.
    Form Numbers: Information is collected via a website specific to 
the ADS-B Rebate program.
    Type of Review: Renewal of an information collection.
    Background: 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 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

[[Page 15037]]

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 established an initiative (the ADS-B Rebate Program) to 
address 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 provides 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 are 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 is 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 is 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 
website 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 are permitted to 
reserve a rebate, validate their installation, and then claim their 
rebate through the ADS-B Rebate Program website. 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 website 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 
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 information 
as well as their name and aircraft number via the ADS-B Rebate Program 
website 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.

[[Page 15038]]

    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 April 2, 2019.
Tiffany Ottilia McCoy,
General Engineer, NextGen Office of Collaboration and Messaging, ANG-M, 
Office of the Assistant Administrator for NextGen, Federal Aviation 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2019-06650 Filed 4-11-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P