2120-0652 2016

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

2120-0652

Changes in Permissible Stage 2 Airplane Operations

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection.

On November 29, the President signed legislation (Section 231, PL 106-113) amending the Airport Noise and Capacity Act (ANCA) of 1990. The primary focus of ANCA was the prohibition on Stage 2 airplane flight in the contiguous United States after December 31, 1999.

The changes to ANCA give the FAA new authority to allow certain nonrevenue Stage 2 flights after the statutory compliance date. After December 31, operators will be allowed to bring Stage 2 airplanes into the United States in nonrevenue service for certain purposes. These purposes are enumerated in the statute.

One of the changes in the statue requires the FAA to establish and publish notice (64 FR 70571, December 17, 1999) of the procedure for allowing these flights. In order to ensure that the Stage 2 flights conducted after December 31 are those allowed by statute, the FAA needs to collect certain basic data in the form of an application for a special flight authorization.

More recent, Congress passed a new law that promulgates the prohibition of operations of certain aircraft weighing 75,000 pounds or less not complying with Stage 3 noise levels after December 31, 2015 under Section 506 in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. This statute outlines the similar requirement for FAA to collect certain basic data in the form of an application for a special flight authorization for certain aircraft weighting under 75,000 pounds. This collection will initiate after December 31, 2015.

This collection of information supports the Department of Transportation’s strategic goals for mobility and economic growth and trade.

2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. For revisions, extensions, and reinstatements of a currently approved collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.

This information is used by the FAA to issue special flight authorizations for nonrevenue operations of Stage 2 airplanes at U.S. airports. Since this information is voluntarily submitted, operators only need to provide information when they need a special flight authorization after 12/31/99. Only minimal amount of data is requested to identify the affected parties and determine whether the purpose for the flight is one of the ones enumerated in the law. A form was created to minimize operator and FAA workload; intended to get all the information at one time in most cases (avoid repeated contacts to issue one special flight authorization).

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decision for adopting this means of collection. Also describe any consideration of using information technology to reduce burden.

To simplify the application process, the FAA has available form 1050-8 for applicants for voluntary use and is available online at www.faa.gov. In compliance with the Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA), this information is 100% submitable by electronic means.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purpose(s) described in 2 above.

There are no known sources of this information. The information pertains to any actions that occur after 12/31/99.

5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities (Item 5 of OMB Form 83-1), describe the methods used to minimize burden.

The information required under this mandate is significantly less than that required by 14 CFR Part 11 and minimizes the burden on small entities.

6. Describe the consequences to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.

This information is voluntarily submitted on an as needed basis.

7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2)(i)-(viii).

There are no special circumstances.

8. If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the agency’s notice, required by 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB.

A notice was published in the Federal Register on November 11, 2015 (80 FR 69771) soliciting public comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB. No comments were received.

9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than re-enumeration of contractors or grantees.

There are no circumstances that involve payments or gifts to respondents.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.

If proprietary information is submitted, it will be kept confidentially in respondent’s file.

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs and other matters that are commonly considered private.

There are no questions of a sensitive nature.

12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information, and the cost to the respondents for that collection.

Number of respondents: 50 per year

Number of responses: 50 per year

Frequency of response: 1 per year per respondent

Annual burden: 12.5 hours (15 min. per response)

Public cost is estimated at $312.50 per year. This is based on 50 requests per year times 15 minutes per request at $25.00 per hour.

13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to respondents or recordkeepers.

There will be no additional cost burden to respondents not already reflected in Item 12.

14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal Government and to the respondents. Also provide a description of the method used to estimate costs, which should include qualification of hours, operational expenses (such as equipment, overhead, printing, and support staff), and any other expenses that would not have been incurred without the collection of information.

Government costs are estimated as $2,000 per year. This is based on 50 requests per year and 1 hour per response at $40.00 per hour.

15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustment reported in Items 13 or 14 of the OMB Form 83-1.

Since the previous submission, the number of former respondents of aircraft over 75,000 pounds has gradually decrease due to the retirement of old Stage 2 aircraft, yet the newly enacted law requiring collection for jet aircraft under 75,000 pounds is expected to increase and return the total responses per year back to the original estimate of 50 annually as a conservative approximation. Therefore, there are no changes.

16. For collection of information whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication. Address any complex analytical techniques that will be used. Provide the time schedule for the entire project, including beginning and ending dates of the collection of information, completion of reports, publication dates, and other actions.

The results will not be published and there is no statistical analysis. The collection of information does not employ statistical methods.

17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.

We are not seeking approval to not display the expiration date.

18. Explain each exception to the certification statement identified in Item 19, “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submission” of OMB Form 83-1.

There are no exceptions.