2016-15991. Agency Information Collection Activities: Requests for Comments; Clearance of Renewed Approval of Information Collection: Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) Program

AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew a previously approved information collection. Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) is a program for the routine collection and analysis of digital flight data from airline operations, including but not limited to digital flight data currently collected pursuant to existing regulatory provisions. The FAA requires certificate holders who voluntarily establish approved FOQA programs to periodically provide aggregate trend analysis information from such programs to the FAA.

DATES:

Written comments should be submitted by September 6, 2016.

ADDRESSES:

Send comments to the FAA at the following address: Ronda Thompson, Room 441, Federal Aviation Administration, ASP-110, 950 L'Enfant Plaza SW., Washington, DC 20024.

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 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ronda Thompson by email at: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control Number: 2120-0660.

Title: Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) Program.

Form Numbers: There are no FAA forms associated with this collection.

Type of Review: Renewal of an information collection.

Background: The purpose of collecting, analyzing, aggregating, and reporting this information is to identify potential threats to safety, and to enable early corrective action before such threats lead to accidents. FOQA can provide an objective source of information for FAA decision making, including identification of the need for new rulemaking based on observed trends in FOQA data. Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR), subpart 13.401, stipulates that the FAA does not use FOQA information in punitive enforcement action against an air carrier or its employees, when that air carrier has an FAA approved FOQA program. There are no legal or administrative requirements that necessitate this rule. The rule is intended to encourage the voluntary implementation of FOQA programs in the interest of safety enhancement.

Respondents: 60 airline operators.

Frequency: Information is collected monthly.

Estimated Average Burden per Response: 1 hour.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 720 hours.

Issued in Washington, DC, on June 29, 2016.

Ronda L. Thompson,

FAA Information Collection Clearance Officer, Performance, Policy, and Records Management Branch, ASP-110.