[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 148 (Wednesday, August 3, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47437-47439]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-16626]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2021-0827]


Use of Wing-in-Ground Craft in Logistical Support of Offshore 
Platform Operations

AGENCY: Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

ACTION: Request for information.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Coast Guard seeks input from the public on wing-in-
ground (WIG) craft. This information will support the Coast Guard's 
compliance with Section 8431 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. In addition, 
public input will help in assessing the current state of WIG craft 
development and the technology to provide transportation support to 
offshore energy facilities on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf. 
Finally, public input will aid in developing a plan to demonstrate WIG 
craft capability to conduct such operations.

DATES: Comments must be received by the Coast Guard on or before 
November 1, 2022.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments using the Federal Decision Making 
Portal at https://www.regulations.gov. See the ``Public Participation 
and Request for Comments'' portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
section for

[[Page 47438]]

further instructions on submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about this document, 
call or email Lieutenant Commander Dimitri Wiener, U.S. Coast Guard; 
telephone 202-372-1414, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Public Participation and Comments

    The Coast Guard views public participation as essential to 
understanding the current state of wing-in-ground (WIG) craft 
development and technology, their potential ability to operate on 
coastwise and offshore routes, and the Coast Guard's role with regard 
to such technologies. The Coast Guard will consider all information, 
comments, and material received during the comment period. If you 
submit a comment, please include the docket number for this notice, 
indicate the specific section of this document to which each comment 
applies, and provide a reason for each suggestion or recommendation.
    Methods for submitting comments. We encourage you to submit 
comments through the Federal Decision Making Portal at 
www.regulations.gov. To do so, go to www.regulations.gov, type USCG-
2021-0827 in the search box and click ``Search.'' Next, look for this 
document in the Search Results column, and click on it. Then click on 
the Comment option. If your material cannot be submitted using 
www.regulations.gov, contact the person in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT section of this document for alternate instructions. Public 
comments will be in our online docket at www.regulations.gov and can be 
viewed by following that website's instructions, provided on its 
Frequently Asked Questions page. We review all comments received, but 
we will only post comments that address the topic of this request for 
information. We may choose not to post off-topic, inappropriate, or 
duplicate comments that we receive.
    The Coast Guard will not issue a separate response to the comments 
received. We will carefully consider all comments and may use them to 
form recommendations to Congress. The Coast Guard is not currently 
contemplating regulatory changes on this topic; if the Coast Guard were 
to undertake any regulatory changes as a result of comments received, 
that change would be separately announced in the Federal Register.
    Personal information. We accept anonymous comments. Comments we 
post to www.regulations.gov will include any personal information you 
have provided. For more about privacy and submissions to the docket in 
response to this document, see the Department of Homeland Security's 
(DHS) eRulemaking System of Records notice (85 FR 14226, March 11, 
2020).

II. Abbreviations

FAA Federal Aviation Administration
FR Federal Register
NDAA William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act
OCS U.S. Outer Continental Shelf
RFI Request for information
U.S.C. United States Code
WIG Wing-in-ground

III. Purpose

    The Coast Guard is issuing this request for information (RFI) in 
response to Section 8431 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National 
Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021, Public Law 116-
283. In that section, Congress required the Coast Guard, in 
coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), to develop 
plans for a demonstration program that will determine whether a WIG 
craft, carrying at least one individual, is capable of the following:
    (1) Providing transportation in areas in which energy exploration, 
development, or production activity takes place on the Outer 
Continental Shelf; and
    (2) Safely reaching helidecks or platforms located on offshore 
energy facilities under the WIG craft's own power.
    Congress directed that Coast Guard and the FAA report on, among 
other things, any regulatory changes with regard to inspections or 
manning that would be necessary to allow for craft operation between 
onshore and offshore facilities, any regulatory changes with regard to 
airspace and other aircraft operations necessary to allow for safe 
operations on or near helidecks and platforms on offshore energy 
facilities, and any other statutory or regulatory changes related to 
FAA authority over craft operation.
    The Coast Guard will use the public comments received in response 
to this RFI as the first step in developing a WIG craft demonstration 
program, and to better understand the state of WIG craft development.

IV. Background--Wing-in-Ground (WIG) Craft

    As statutorily defined in 46 U.S.C. 2101(54), a WIG craft is ``a 
vessel that is capable of operating completely above the surface of the 
water on a dynamic air cushion created by aerodynamic lift, due to the 
ground effect between the vessel and the water's surface.'' As defined 
in 46 U.S.C. 2101(45), WIG craft that can carry one or more passengers 
for hire are ``small passenger vessels,'' and are regulated as such by 
the Coast Guard.
    A WIG craft relies on ground effect, an aerodynamic effect that 
creates an air cushion between the craft's wings and the surface. When 
a WIG craft is operating very close to the surface and under the 
influence of ground effect, there is a reduction in the upwash, 
downwash, and wingtip vortices generated by its wing that results in a 
condition of improved performance. As a result of the reduced wingtip 
vortices, there is a reduction in induced drag. Operating within ground 
effect significantly improves a craft's performance when its wing is at 
a height of about one-half its wingspan or less above the surface. 
Accordingly, a WIG craft cannot fly very far above the surface before 
it loses the advantage of ground effect. It may also not be able to 
maintain sustained flight at higher altitudes.
    When operating within ground effect, the reduced drag allows WIG 
craft to carry a payload with less propulsion energy than would be 
required by an aircraft operating out of ground effect. Operating 
within ground effect and not in contact with the surface also permits a 
WIG craft to operate at higher speeds than conventional watercraft. 
This makes WIG craft particularly attractive for passenger service on 
waterway routes.
    Because WIG craft can operate very close to the surface, and 
because waterways provide an effective operational route for WIG craft, 
Congress has made the legislative choice to designate WIG craft as 
vessels when operating in the maritime domain. Accordingly, the Coast 
Guard has statutory responsibility for the certification and regulation 
of WIG craft that operate on U.S. waters. This authority, however, is 
not exclusive, and does not restrict the ability of any other agency, 
such as the FAA, from regulating these craft when their operation falls 
within its statutory jurisdiction.

V. Request for Information

    The Coast Guard requests relevant comments and information from the 
public, and particularly from offshore facility operators, including 
gas and oil facility operators, wind farm operators, the WIG craft 
community (designers, manufacturers, and operators), and persons 
conducting operations in airspace that may be affected by the operation 
of WIG craft.

[[Page 47439]]

    When considering your comments and suggestions, we ask that you 
keep in mind the Coast Guard's mission to ensure a safe, secure, and 
resilient marine transportation system that facilitates commerce and 
protects national security interests. Commenters should feel free to 
answer as many questions as they would like, but also provide 
specificity, detail, and the logic behind any finding or numerical 
estimates.
    The following information is requested; please provide as much 
detail as possible:
    (1) From offshore facility operators:
    (a) What interest is there in participating in a WIG craft 
demonstration?
    (b) What are the potential advantages, drawbacks, and concerns, 
cost-related or otherwise, with respect to using WIG craft for 
transportation support?
    (c) What is the feasibility of a WIG craft to safely land and take 
off from a helideck (airborne mode), or to taxi up to an offshore 
platform (afloat mode)?
    (d) What modifications to offshore platforms would be required in 
order to enable such operations?
    (2) From the WIG craft community:
    (a) What is the current state of WIG craft development, both 
domestic and foreign?
    (b) What WIG craft are currently available, or will be available 
within 1 year, for an operational demonstration to an offshore 
platform?
    (c) What are the capabilities of existing WIG craft to reach 
helidecks or platforms located on offshore energy facilities, and how 
many existing WIG craft are operational for any route, or working 
prototypes under test and evaluation, or designs in progress?
    (d) What are the dimensions and operational characteristics of WIG 
craft; for example, speed, range, ground effect altitude, and passenger 
and cargo capacity?
    (e) What are the weather and other factors that might limit WIG 
craft operations on exposed offshore routes?
    (f) What are the costs and time estimates to manufacture WIG craft, 
and what resources are needed to manufacture them; for example, 
personnel, equipment, and raw material?
    (3) In general, from both offshore facility operators and the WIG 
craft communities:
    (a) What are the resources needed to plan and conduct a 
demonstration of offshore WIG craft operations?
    (b) What would be the milestones and timeframe to conduct such a 
demonstration?
    (4) Should current aircraft, airman, air carrier, and commercial 
operator requirements, as set forth in 49 U.S.C. and Title 14 of the 
Code of Federal Regulations apply to the certification and operation of 
WIG craft? (Note: 49 U.S.C. 40102(a)(6) defines an ``aircraft'' as 
``any contrivance invented, used, or designed to navigate, or fly in, 
the air.'') If current requirements should be revised, please indicate 
what changes would be considered necessary.
    (5) Are any additional regulatory, guidance, or policy changes 
needed to facilitate development of a domestic WIG industry? Where 
appropriate, please include why the changes are necessary.
    (6) What is the predicted growth and scope of the WIG craft 
technology in terms of its domestic deployment in industry?
    (7) Regarding credentialing:
    (a) Should WIG operators be required to hold a Merchant Mariner 
Credential with the appropriate route and tonnage limitations for the 
vessel?
    (b) Should current airman certification requirements apply to the 
operation of WIG craft? If current requirements should be revised, 
please indicate what changes would be considered necessary (e.g. 
category and class ratings, aeronautical knowledge, flight proficiency, 
aeronautical experience).
    (c) Should WIG credentials be one endorsement that covers both the 
maritime and aviation aspects, or should there be individual 
certificates or endorsements for each aspect?
    (d) Should aviation or maritime simulation training be required to 
obtain certification or an endorsement to conduct WIG operations?
    (f) Should aeronautical experience be credited toward any service 
requirements to qualify for a WIG endorsement?
    (g) If credit for aeronautical experience is to be given, what is 
the appropriate conversion of flight time to maritime service time?
    (8) Finally, the Coast Guard seeks public comments on WIG craft 
development and technology and their potential ability to operate on 
coastwise and offshore routes that may not be covered in the questions 
above.

    Dated: July 29, 2022.
W.R. Arguin,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Assistant Commandant for Prevention 
Policy.
[FR Doc. 2022-16626 Filed 8-2-22; 8:45 am]
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