[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 115 (Monday, June 15, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36256-36257]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-12849]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

[Docket No. FAA-2019-0781]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Requests for Comments; 
Clearance of Renewed Approval of Information Collection: Automatic 
Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) Out Performance Requirements 
To Support Air Traffic Control (ATC) Service

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 our intention to request the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew a previously approved 
information collection. On May 28, 2010, the FAA published the final 
rule, entitled Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) 
Equipage Mandate To Support Air Traffic Control Service. 75 FR 30160. 
As of January 2, 2020, when operating in the airspace designated in 14 
CFR 91.225(a), (b) and (d), operators must be equipped with ADS-B Out 
avionics that meet the performance requirements of 14 CFR 91.227. ADS-B 
supports the aircraft surveillance needs of the FAA by requiring 
avionics equipment that meet the performance requirements of 14 CFR 
91.227 and continuously transmit aircraft information to be received by 
the FAA, via automation, for use in providing air traffic surveillance 
services. ADS-B is transforming all segments of aviation (e.g., real-
time precision shared situational awareness, and advanced applications 
for pilots and controllers alike).

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by July 15, 2020.

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 email 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further questions concerning this 
action, contact Ms. Ammyanna Williams, Group Manager (A), Surveillance 
and Broadcast Services, AJM-42, Air Traffic Organization, Federal 
Aviation Administration, by email at: [email protected] or 
(202) 267-4128.

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 the 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: 2120-0728.
    Title: Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out 
Performance Requirements to Support Air Traffic Control (ATC) Service.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Type of Review: Renewal of an information collection.
    Background: The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment 
period soliciting comments on the following collection of information 
was published on October 16, 2019. 84 FR 55370. The FAA received two 
non-substantive comments from the same individual that simply restated 
the docket and OMB Control Number. Neither of these comments required 
any action.
    Title 14 CFR part 91 includes requirements for certain avionics 
equipment on aircraft operating in specified classes of airspace within 
the United States National Airspace System (NAS). As of January 2, 
2020, unless otherwise authorized by ATC, all aircraft operating in the 
airspace identified in Sec.  91.225 must comply with the ADS-B Out 
equipage and performance requirements in Sec. Sec.  91.225 and 91.227.
    Title 14 CFR 91.225(f) requires that each person operating an 
aircraft equipped with ADS-B Out must always operate such equipment in 
the transmit mode unless certain conditions are met. As such, ADS-B 
equipment will continuously transmit aircraft information in ``real 
time'' to a dedicated network of FAA ground receivers. There are 
currently two types of ADS-B equipment approved for use within the 
United States: 1090-megahertz (MHz) Mode S extended squitter (ES) and 
978 MHz Universal Access Transceiver (UAT).\1\
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    \1\ Aircraft that only fly below 18,000 feet and only in the 
U.S. can opt instead of Mode S ES (1090ES) for a dedicated 978 MHz 
UAT. The 978 MHz UAT frequency will allow aircraft owners/operators 
to keep an existing Mode C or Mode S transponder.
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    ADS-B Out transmitters broadcast an equipped aircraft's position, 
altitude, heading, ground speed, vertical speed, call sign (flight 
identification), and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) 
24-bit aircraft address to dedicated ADS-B ground stations. As ADS-B 
data is automatically broadcasted by each equipped 
aircraft,2 3 to ADS-B ground stations, within range, the 
collected data is integrated with traditional radar targets and used by 
air traffic controllers to support separation assurance and traffic 
flow management.
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    \2\ These ADS-B data broadcasts can also be received by other 
aircraft, appropriate equipped for ADS-B In, to allow pilots 
knowledge of nearby air traffic.
    \3\ General aviation operators who equip with 978 MHz or UAT 
receivers can also benefit from having access to a variety of no-
cost flight information services, including near-real time composite 
weather radar images, winds, lightning, and terminal weather 
forecasts.
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    This network of dedicated ground stations receives and send ADS-B 
collected data to FAA automation systems to process and then relay 
information to ATC displays. ADS-B collected data is also used for 
enhanced safety alerting functions such as a minimum safe altitude 
warnings and traffic conflict alerts. Operationally, ADS-B collected 
information is continually integrated with radar returns to create a 
safer and more efficient NAS. ADS-B collected data is integrated into 
automation platforms at 24 FAA en route ATC facilities, which 
encompasses 20 continental U.S. En Route Automation Modernization 
(ERAM) \4\ sites, and 4 overseas Microprocessor-En Route Automated 
Radar Tracking System (MEARTS).\5\

[[Page 36257]]

ADS-B collected data is also fused into flight tracker automation at 
155 Terminal Radar Approach Control Facilities (TRACONs).\6\
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    \4\ En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) is used at FAA high 
altitude en-route centers. ERAM processes flight and surveillance 
data, provides communications and generates display data to air 
traffic controllers.
    \5\ Microprocessor-En Route Automated Radar Tracking System 
(MEARTS) is an automated radar and radar beacon tracking system 
capable of employing both short-range (airport surveillance radar) 
and long range (air route surveillance radar) radars. Install at 4 
overseas MEARTS facilities to include Anchorage, Honolulu, San Jan 
and Guam.
    \6\ Terminal Radar Approach Control Facilities (TRACONs) are 
facilities where air traffic controllers use integrated radar, ADS-B 
and Wide-Area Multilateration (WAM) data to guide aircraft 
approaching and departing airports generally within a 30- to 50-mile 
radius up to 10,000 feet, as well as aircraft that may be flying 
over that airspace.
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    ADS-B collected data provides (ATC) with a more accurate and 
timelier surveillance picture allowing ATC to make more-informed 
decisions, quickly and effectively. The use of ADS-B collected data has 
enabled more efficient aircraft separation and increased aircraft 
capacity in the NAS. In many areas of the NAS, ADS-B collected data 
provides better surveillance at lower altitudes and in areas that 
previously had limited-to-no radar coverage.
    This collection of ADS-B broadcasted data supports the aircraft 
surveillance needs of the FAA. ADS-B Out moves ATC from a radar-based 
system to a satellite-derived aircraft location system with 
capabilities for reducing lateral and longitudinal separation 
standards. Aircraft equipped with ADS-B Out enhance the air traffic 
controller's awareness of aircraft in the airspace. Radars used today 
can take anywhere from 5 to 12 seconds to update an aircraft's 
position. ADS-B equipment provides ATC with updated aircraft 
information almost every second. This ``real time'' information 
collection enables controllers to quickly and effectively identify and 
resolve potentially hazardous situations. Moreover, ADS-B coverage 
exists at lower altitudes than some current ATC radars.
    ATC is currently using ADS-B collected data to control air traffic 
across the nation. The collection of ADS-B Out broadcasted information 
from an aircraft via an automated receiver on the ground is solely done 
through electronic means. The ADS-B ground stations are small and 
easily maintained and can be placed in areas where radar use is not 
possible. New, state-of-the-art computer systems have been deployed to 
ATC facilities across the country. These systems, the Standard Terminal 
Automation Replacement System (STARS) and the En Route Automation 
Modernization (ERAM), are enabling ADS-B capabilities for FAA air 
traffic controllers.
    As part of the renewal process, OMB requests an estimate of the 
hour burden imposed to the public for the collection of information. 
ADS-B equipment is automatic because it periodically transmits position 
information with no pilot or operator involvement required. ADS-B data 
is collected electronically, without input by a human operator. 
Subsequently, a 1-second burden is submitted as a placeholder to allow 
entry in OMB's burden inventory.
    Respondents: As of May 1, 2020, FAA network has detected 122,051 
\7\ aircraft as having successfully installed ADS-B Out equipment. The 
FAA anticipates approximately another 57,000 General Aviation (GA) 
aircraft [19,000 as a placeholder] over the next three years, will 
eventually be equipping with ADS-B Out equipment and automatically 
broadcasting data to be collected and used by ATC to support separation 
assurance and traffic flow management.
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    \7\ 6,527 air carrier, 103,140 general aviation (GA), 3,037 
International Air Carrier, 6,431 International GA and 2,916 U.S. 
Military and U.S. Special Use.
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    Frequency: ADS-B information is collected automatically by a 
dedicated network of FAA ground receivers each time an aircraft, 
continuously and in almost real-time, transmits its identity and GPS-
derived navigational information. Title 14 CFR 91.225(f) requires that 
each person operating an aircraft equipped with ADS-B Out must always 
operate such equipment in the transmit mode unless certain conditions 
are met.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: 1 second (placeholder).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 39 hour 
(placeholder).

    Issued in Washington, DC, on June 10, 2020.
James C. Tertocha,
Service Performance and Sustainment Program Manager (AJM-422), 
Surveillance and Broadcast Services (SBS), Program Management 
Organization, Air Traffic Organization, Federal Aviation 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2020-12849 Filed 6-12-20; 8:45 am]
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