SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The ICR documentation will be available at www.reginfo.gov upon its submission to OMB. Therefore, in preparation for OMB review and approval of the following information collection, TSA is soliciting comments to—

(1) Evaluate whether the proposed information requirement is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden;

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including using appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Information Collection Requirement

OMB Control Number 1652-0021, Flight Training Security. Under 49 CFR part 1552, TSA conducts security threat assessments (STAs) for all aliens seeking flight instruction with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-certified flight training providers.^[1] The purpose of this requirement is to ensure flight training candidates do not pose a threat to aviation or national security and thus can be permitted to receive flight training. The collection of information required under 49 CFR part 1552 includes candidates' biographic information and fingerprints, which TSA uses to perform the STA.

Additionally, flight training providers are required to maintain records of security awareness training provided to their employees. See subpart B of 49 CFR part 1552. This training, which is intended to increase awareness of suspicious circumstances and activities of individuals enrolling in, or attending, flight training, must be provided to certain employees within 60 days of being hired and on a biennial basis. The flight training providers must maintain records of the training completed throughout the course of the individual's employment, and for no less than 1 year after the individual is no longer a flight training provider employee.

TSA estimates a total of 36,704 respondents annually: 18,103 flight training candidates and 18,601 flight training providers. Each candidate will ( printed page 56896) submit an application for a new STA, which may be valid for up to 5 years. TSA estimates an STA application burden of 9,052 hours per year (18,103 STA applications per year × 0.50 hours per application). Flight training providers must notify TSA of a candidate's proposed and actual training events, retain candidate training records and employee security awareness training records, and provide the names and contact information for security coordinators. TSA estimates providers will submit approximately 38,404 flight training notifications, per year, to TSA on behalf of candidates. TSA estimates a training event notification burden of 6,079 hours per year (38,404 flight training notifications × 0.1583 hours per notification). Flight training providers must also keep records for employee security awareness training. TSA estimates providers will maintain 23,699 records annually, resulting in an annual average recordkeeping burden of 396 hours (23,699 employee security awareness training records × 0.0167 hours per record). For new providers, and providers that name a new security coordinator, providers must submit such designation along with specific information to TSA. TSA estimates 3,125 new designations annually, resulting in an average annual designation burden of 782 per year (3,125 new security coordinator submissions × 0.25 hours per submission). Providers are also required to submit updated contact information for named security coordinators to TSA as such information changes. TSA estimates 2,209 reported contact information updates annually, resulting in an average information update burden of 199 hours per year (2,209 security coordinator contact information updates × 0.09 hours per update). TSA estimates the combined hour burden associated with this collection, for both flight training candidates and providers, to be 16,508 hours annually.

Applicants are also required to pay an application fee of $140.00 to cover the cost of their STA. TSA also designates a reduced fee of $125 for flight training candidates who hold a comparable STA issued by another Department of Homeland Security or TSA threat assessment program. TSA estimates the annual cost burden for fees to be $2,527,490 (17,641 standard applicants × $140 + 462 reduced applicants × $125).

91 FR 56895