Agency Information Collection; Activity Under OMB Review; Part 291 Domestic Cargo Transportation

Federal Register Notice
October 6, 1997
Volume 62, Number 193

AGENCY: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, (DOT).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) invites the general public, industry and other Federal Agencies to comment on the continuing need and usefulness of DOT requiring air carriers holding section 418 certificates, that do not submit Form 41 reports, to file Form 291-A ``Statement of Operations and Statistics Summary for Section 418 Operations'' pursuant to 14 CFR 291.42. Form 291-A is used to monitor air-cargo activity carried on strictly all-cargo flights.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by December 5, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be directed to: Office of Airline Information, K-25, Room 4125, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001.

COMMENTS: Comments should identify the OMB #2138-0023 and submit a duplicate copy to the address listed above. Commenters wishing the Department to acknowledge receipt of their comments must submit with those comments a self-addressed stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: Comments on OMB #2138-0023. The postcard will be date/time stamped and returned to the commenter.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bernie Stankus, Office of Airline Information, K-25, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001, (202) 366-4387.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Approval No. 2138-0023

Title: Domestic Cargo Transportation Part 291.

Form No.: 291-A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved requirement.

Respondents: Certificated domestic all-cargo carriers.

Number of Respondents: 3 domestic all-cargo carriers.

Total Annual Burden: 12 hours.

Needs and Uses: Form 291-A financial data are reviewed in connection with an air carrier's operations when concerns arise as to a carrier's financial condition as evidenced by reported losses and delinquency in payments to creditors. Data comparisons are made between current and past periods in order to assess the current financial positions. Financial trend lines are extended into the future to evaluate the continued viability of the carrier.

When an all-cargo carrier wishes to extend its operation to passenger service, the carrier's prior Form 291-A filings are examined as a source document to help determine the carrier's financial condition.

FAA's Safety Indicators Division is developing an integrated approach to exposure data (Form 291-A is a part of this data) in the aviation industry to support the Safety Indicators Program. FAA's National Safety Data Center is currently using Form 291-A in compiling annual year end flight hours, miles flown, and departures. Also, these activity data are used by the National Transportation Safety Board in determining the airline industry's annual safety indexes.

Commercial all-cargo activity data are used by the FAA in estimating the excise tax paid by shippers and held by the all-cargo air carriers. Although a precise tax figure cannot be computed from the Form 291-A reports (because some cargo movements are exempted from the excise tax), an estimation is possible for revenue budgeting purposes.

Timothy E. Carmody,
Director, Office of Airline Information, Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

[FR Doc. 97-26394 Filed 10-3-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-FE-P