81 FR 66716 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Requests for Comments; Clearance of Renewed Approval of Information Collection: Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) Program

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 188 (September 28, 2016)

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 an 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.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 188 (Wednesday, September 28, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66716-66717]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23419]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


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.

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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 an 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 October 28, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on 
the proposed information collection to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget. Comments should be 
addressed to the attention of the Desk Officer, Department of 
Transportation/FAA, and sent via electronic mail to 
[email protected], or faxed to (202) 395-6974, or mailed to 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management 
and Budget, Docket Library, Room 10102, 725 17th Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20503.
    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: 
[email protected].

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 Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment 
period soliciting comments on the following collection of information 
was published on July 6, 2016 (81 FR 44087). There were no comments. 
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.

[[Page 66717]]

    Estimated Average Burden per Response: 1 hour.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 720 hours.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 21, 2016.
Ronda Thompson,
FAA Information Collection Clearance Officer, Performance, Policy & 
Records Management Branch, ASP-110.
[FR Doc. 2016-23419 Filed 9-27-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P