Reports, Forms and Recordkeeping Requirements; Activity Under OMB Review; Report of Financial and Reporting Statistics for Small Aircraft Operators
Federal Register Notice
May 17, 2002
Volume 67, Number 96
AGENCY: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), DOT.
ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) , this notice announces that the Information
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for extension of currently
approved collections. The ICR describes the nature of the information
collection and its expected burden. The Federal Register Notice with a
60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection
of information was published on January 16, 2002 (67 FR 2281).
DATES: Written comments should be submitted by June 17, 2002.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bernie Stankus, Office of Airline
Information, K-14, Room 4125, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 400
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001, Telephone Number (202)
366-4387, Fax Number (202) 366-3383 or e-mail bernard.stankus@bts.gov.
Comments: Comments are invited on whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Department, including whether the information will have practical utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimate of burden of the proposed information collections; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information on respondents, in including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention: BTS Desk Officer.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)
Title: Report of Financial and Operating Statistics for Small Aircraft Operators.
Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
OMB Control Number: 2138-0009.
Forms: BTS Form 298-C.
Affected Public: Small certificated and commuter air carriers.
Number of Respondents: 94.
Estimated Time per Response: 9 hours per quarter for a commuter air
carrier, 16 hours per quarter for a small certificated air carrier.
Total Annual Burden: 4,728 hours.
Needs and Uses: Program uses for Form 298-C data are as follows:
Mail Rates
The Department of Transportation sets and updates the Intra-Alaska
Bush mail rates based on carrier aircraft operating expense, traffic,
and operational data. Form 298-C cost data, especially fuel costs,
terminal expenses, and line haul expenses are used in arriving at rate
levels. DOT revises the established rates based on the percentage of
unit cost changes in the carriers' operations. These updating
procedures have resulted in the carriers receiving rates of
compensation that more closely parallel their costs of providing mail
service and contribute to the carriers' economic well-being.
Essential Air Service
DOT often has to select a carrier to provide a community's
essential air service. The selection criteria include historic presence
in the community, reliability of service, financial stability and cost
structure of the air carrier.
Carrier Fitness
Fitness determinations are made for both new entrants and
established U.S. domestic carriers proposing a substantial change in
operations. A portion of these applications consists of an operating
plan for the first year (14 CFR part 204) and an associated projection
of revenues and expenses. The carrier's operating costs, included in
these projections, are compared against the cost data in Form 298-C for
a carrier or carriers with the same aircraft type and similar operating
characteristics. Such a review validates the reasonableness of the
carrier's operating plan.
The quarterly financial submissions by commuter and small
certificated air carriers are used in determining each carrier's
continuing fitness to operate. Section 41738 of Title 49 of the United
States Code requires DOT to find all commuter and small certificated
air carriers fit, willing, and able to conduct passenger service as a
prerequisite to providing such service to an eligible essential air
service point. In making a fitness determination, DOT reviews three
areas of a carrier's operation: (1) The qualifications of its
management team, (2) its disposition to comply with laws and
regulations, and (3) its financial posture. DOT must determine whether
or not a carrier has sufficient financial resources to conduct its
operations without imposing undue risk on the traveling public.
Moreover, once a carrier begins conducting flight operations, DOT is
required to monitor its continuing fitness.
Senior DOT officials must be kept fully informed and advised of all
current and developing economic issues affecting the airline industry.
In preparing financial condition reports or status reports on a
particular airline, financial and traffic data are analyzed. Briefing
papers prepared for senior DOT officials may use the same information.
Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act
DOT is using financial data reported by small certificated and commuter air carriers to establish benchmarks to assess the reasonableness of air carrier claims under the Stabilization Act.
Bernard Stankus,
Acting Assistant Director, Airline Information, Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
[FR Doc. 02-12374 Filed 5-16-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-FE-P
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