
[Federal Register: March 12, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 47)]
[Proposed Rules]               
[Page 10689-10690]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12mr09-10]                         

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Proposed Rules
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.

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[[Page 10689]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Parts 65, 119, 121, 135, and 142

[Docket No. FAA-2008-0677; Notice No. 08-07]
RIN 2120-AJ00

 
Qualification, Service, and Use of Crewmembers and Aircraft 
Dispatchers

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of public meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FAA announces a public meeting on its proposal, published 
January 12, 2009, to amend the regulations for crewmember and aircraft 
dispatcher training programs in domestic, flag, and supplemental 
operations. The FAA has received requests from stakeholders for 
meetings during the comment period to clarify the proposal and respond 
to questions. In response to those requests, the FAA is holding a 
public meeting during the comment period. The purpose of the public 
meeting is to give an opportunity to those who may be most affected by 
the proposed rule to ask questions and seek information from the FAA 
regarding the intent of the proposal.

DATES: The public meeting will be held on April 7, 2009, from 9 a.m. 
EDT to 4 p.m. EDT. The FAA may adjourn the meeting early if all of the 
agenda items have been addressed. Comments on the proposed rule must be 
received on or before May 12, 2009.

ADDRESSES: The April 7, 2009, public meeting will be held at the 
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Training Center, 45065 
Riverside Parkway, Ashburn, Virginia 20147. You can find information 
regarding location, directions and nearby facilities on the NTSB Web 
site at: http://www.ntsb.gov/TC/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information related to 
this meeting, contact Nancy Lauck Claussen, Air Transportation Division 
(AFS-200), Flight Standards Service, Federal Aviation Administration, 
800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591; telephone (202) 
267-8166. For further information on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 
contact Ed Cook for flight crewmember information, Nancy Lauck Claussen 
for flight attendant information, and David Maloy for aircraft 
dispatcher information at 202-267-8166. For legal questions, contact 
Anne Bechdolt, Office of Chief Counsel (AGC-200), Federal Aviation 
Administration, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591; 
telephone 202-267-7230; e-mail: Anne.Bechdolt@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On January 12, 2009, the FAA published a Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking (NPRM) entitled ``Qualification, Service, and Use of 
Crewmembers and Aircraft Dispatchers'' (74 FR 1280). The proposed 
regulations enhance traditional training programs by requiring the use 
of flight simulation training devices for flight crewmembers and 
includes additional training requirements in areas that are critical to 
safety. The proposal also reorganizes and revises the qualification and 
training requirements. The proposed changes are intended to contribute 
significantly to reducing aviation accidents. The comment period closes 
May 12, 2009.

Purpose of the Public Meeting

    The purpose of the public meeting is to give an opportunity to 
those who may be most affected by the proposed rule to ask questions 
and seek information from the FAA regarding the intent of the proposal. 
This, in turn, will allow them to be more effective commenters. This 
meeting is not a substitute process for submitting comments to the 
docket. For all comments to the proposed rule to be considered, all 
commenters must submit their comments to the docket by May 12, 2009. 
You may send comments identified by Docket Number FAA-2008-0677 using 
any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://
www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for sending your 
comments electronically.
     Mail: Send comments to the Docket Management Facility, 
U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West 
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590.
     Fax: Fax comments to the Docket Management Facility at 
202-493-2251.
     Hand Delivery: Bring comments to the Docket Management 
Facility in Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    For more information on the rulemaking process, see the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.
    Privacy: We will post all comments we receive, without change, to 
http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you 
provide. Using the search function of our docket Web site, anyone can 
find and read the comments received into any of our dockets, including 
the name of the individual sending the comment (or signing the comment 
for an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's 
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on 
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78).
    Docket: To read background documents or comments received, go to 
http://www.regulations.gov at any time or to the Docket Management 
Facility in Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.

Public Meeting Procedures

    A panel of representatives from the FAA will lead the meeting. An 
FAA representative will facilitate the meetings in accordance with the 
following agenda and procedures:

                                 Agenda
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               Time                                 Topic
------------------------------------------------------------------------
0900-0915.........................  Opening Remarks
0915-1015.........................  General Overview/Review of NPRM
                                     Major Changes
                                       All
                                       Flight Crewmembers

[[Page 10690]]


                                       Flight Attendants
                                       Aircraft Dispatchers
1015-1030.........................   Break
1030-1045.........................   General Q&A
1045-1200.........................   Floor Questions
                                       Flight Crewmembers
1200-1300.........................   Lunch
1300-1415.........................   Floor Questions
                                       Flight Attendants
1415-1430.........................   Break
1430-1545.........................   Floor Questions
                                       Aircraft Dispatchers
1545-1600.........................   Wrap-Up/Exit
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (1) The meeting is designed to facilitate the public comment 
process by allowing commenters to ask questions and seek clarification 
regarding the proposed rule. The meeting will be informal and non-
adversarial. No individual will be subject to cross-examination by any 
other participant. Any statement made during the meeting by a panel 
member should not be construed as an official position of the 
government.
    (2) There will be no admission fees or other charges to attend or 
to participate in the public meeting. The meeting will be open to all 
persons, subject to availability of space in the meeting room. The FAA 
will make every effort to accommodate all persons wishing to attend.
    (3) The meeting will be recorded and a record will be included in 
the public docket. Information on how to purchase a recording will be 
available at the meeting.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 9, 2009.
Pamela Hamilton-Powell,
Director, Office of Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. E9-5362 Filed 3-11-09; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
