[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 47 (Friday, March 8, 2024)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 16709-16710]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-04966]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 21

[Docket No. FAA-2023-2316]


Restricted Category Special Purpose Operation of Humanitarian, 
Emergency, and Disaster Aerial Delivery

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This document is requesting comments on the addition of a 
restricted category special purpose operation of Humanitarian, 
Emergency, and Disaster Aerial Delivery, pursuant to Title 14 of the 
Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 21.25(b)(7).

DATES: Send comments on or before April 8, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2023-2316 
using any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for sending your 
comments electronically.
     Mail: Send comments to Docket Operations, M-30; U.S. 
Department of Transportation (DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room 
W12-140, West Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: Take comments to Docket 
Operations in Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 
New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Fax: Fax comments to Docket Operations at 202-493-2251.
     Docket: Background documents or comments received may be 
read at https://www.regulations.gov/ at any time. Follow the online 
instructions for accessing the docket or go to Docket Operations in 
Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Graham Long, Design and Maintenance 
Systems Section (AIR-631),

[[Page 16710]]

Organization and System Policy Branch, Policy and Standards Division, 
Aircraft Certification Service, by email at [email protected] or by 
phone at (202) 267-1624.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Comments Invited

    The FAA invites interested persons to participate by submitting 
written comments, data, or views. To ensure the docket does not contain 
duplicate comments, commenters should submit only one time if comments 
are filed electronically, or commenters should send only one copy of 
written comments if comments are filed in writing.
    The FAA will file in the docket all comments it receives, as well 
as a report summarizing each substantive public contact with FAA 
personnel concerning this notice. Before acting on this proposal, the 
FAA will consider all comments it receives on or before the closing 
date for comments. The FAA will consider comments filed after the 
comment period has closed if it is possible to do so without incurring 
expense or delay. The FAA may change this proposal in light of the 
comments it receives.

B. Privacy

    Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in 
the following paragraph, and other information as described in title 
14, Code of Federal regulations (14 CFR) 11.35, the FAA will post all 
comments received without change to http://www.regulations.gov, 
including any personal information you provide.

C. Confidential Business Information

    Confidential Business Information (CBI) is commercial or financial 
information that is both customarily and actually treated as private by 
its owner. Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), 
CBI is exempt from public disclosure. If your comments responsive to 
this document contain commercial or financial information that is 
customarily treated as private, that you actually treat as private, and 
that is relevant or responsive to this document, it is important that 
you clearly designate the submitted comments as CBI. Please mark each 
page of your submission containing CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will 
treat such marked submissions as confidential under the FOIA, and the 
indicated comments will not be placed in the public docket of this 
document. Send submissions containing CBI to the information contact 
person listed above. Comments the FAA receives, which are not 
specifically designated as CBI, will be placed in the public docket for 
this document.

Background

    The FAA is considering a new restricted category special purpose 
operation of Humanitarian, Emergency, and Disaster Aerial Delivery, 
pursuant to 14 CFR 21.25(b)(7). Recent natural disasters in the United 
States have prompted the FAA to consider making available additional 
aviation resources to deliver material for humanitarian, emergency, and 
disaster relief activities. The proposed special purpose operation 
involves aerial delivery of materials and supplies to the affected 
area.
    Approval of this new special purpose operation would expand the 
usability of restricted category aircraft and support the public 
welfare. It is in the public interest to support remote communities and 
areas that are otherwise inaccessible to provide humanitarian, 
emergency, and disaster relief. These activities can provide support 
for the World Food Program, International Red Cross, Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, and other governmental or non-governmental 
organizations throughout the United States and the world.
    The FAA is considering limiting this approval to periods when a 
government agency has made a declaration of a state of emergency, or a 
similar declaration. Note that the operating limitations pursuant to 
Sec.  91.313, and the noise requirements pursuant to 14 CFR part 36, 
would apply to this restricted category special purpose operation, 
unless otherwise waived.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 5, 2024.
Brian E. Cable,
Manager, Organization and System Policy Branch, Policy and Standards 
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-04966 Filed 3-7-24; 8:45 am]
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