[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 102 (Friday, May 28, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28926-28927]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-11300]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

[Docket No. FAA-2020-0661]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Requests for Comments; 
Clearance of Renewed Approval of Information Collection: General 
Operating and Flight Rules FAR 91 and FAR 107

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 Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information 
collection. The collection involves information required to process a 
request for a Minimum Equipment List (MEL) Letter of Authorization 
(LOA) in accordance with certain regulations prescribing general 
operating and flight rules. The information to be collected is 
necessary because a written request is required to obtain an MEL LOA. 
The information collected includes only those details essential to 
evaluate the request, approve the MEL, and issue the LOA.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by June 28, 2021.

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 
oira_submission@omb.eop.gov, 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Attebury by email at: 
john.h.attebury@faa.gov; phone: 281-443-5862.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    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

[[Page 28927]]

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.
    OMB Control Number: 2120-0005.
    Title: General Operating and Flight Rules FAR 91 and FAR 107.
    Form Numbers: FAA Form 8130-6.
    Type of Review: Renewal.
    Background: The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment 
period soliciting comments on the following collection of information 
was published on July 10, 2020 (85 FR 41669). A person who desires to 
operate an aircraft with inoperative instruments or equipment under the 
provisions of 14 CFR 91.213(a) must receive approval for their minimum 
equipment list and be issued an LOA to use that MEL. The person must 
submit the MEL for approval along with a written request for an LOA to 
the responsible Flight Standards office. The information collected 
includes only those details essential to evaluate the request, approve 
the MEL, and issue the LOA. This information includes the aircraft 
operator's name and address, the name and telephone number or email 
address of the person responsible for aircraft operations, aircraft 
make, model, series, aircraft registration number, aircraft serial 
number, the proposed MEL, and nonessential equipment and furnishings 
list, if applicable.
    The FAA currently issues MEL approvals under the provisions of 
Sec.  91.213(a) through two methods: (1) D095 LOA and (2) D195 LOA. The 
FAA is simplifying Sec.  91.213(a) MEL approvals by transitioning to 
one method of approval, LOA D195, and streamlining the application and 
approval process to reduce regulatory costs, burdens, and delays. While 
developing this new Sec.  91.213(a) LOA policy, the FAA discovered that 
approval for information collection was inadvertently overlooked during 
the Sec.  91.213 rulemaking process. We now seek to remedy that 
omission.
    Additionally, the FAA is revising this collection request to remove 
sections 14 CFR 91.9 and 91.215(a), as the FAA has determined that 
those sections do not contain collections covered by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act.
    Respondents: Approximately 2,638 aircraft operators of U.S.-
registered aircraft who desire to operate under 14 CFR 91.213(a).
    Frequency: One time for the initial request for MEL approval and 
LOA issuance, and thereafter for MEL revision.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: 20 hours for initial 
approval; 4 hours for revision.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: We estimate the average annual 
burden for the first 10 years will be 38,792 hours. Due to 
implementation of new MEL policy, we anticipate an annual burden of 
55,392 hours for the first 5 years and 22,192 hours thereafter, 
resulting in a 10-year average of 38,792 hours per year. Our rationale 
follows:
    The FAA Aerospace Forecast for Fiscal Years 2020-2040 projects the 
general aviation fleet to decline slightly, rounded up to an average of 
0% change annually. Therefore, we will use the current average of 1308 
part 91 MEL LOAs issued per year. Over the past 4 years, 81% of these 
LOAs were for initial MEL approval and 19% were for MEL revision. We 
estimate a 20 hour burden for an initial MEL request and a 4 hour 
burden for an MEL revision. This results in an annual burden of 22,192 
hours.

1,308 x 81% = 1,060; 1,060 x 20 hours = 21,200 hours
1,308 x 19% = 248; 248 x 4 hours = 992 hours
21,200 hours + 992 hours = 22,192 hours

    Additionally, there are 8,300 active D095 LOAs. The new FAA policy 
will phase out the use of D095 over five years. Holders of D095 LOAs 
who wish to operate under Sec.  91.213(a) must request D195 LOA 
issuance. Therefore, on average, for the first 5 years, we anticipate 
an additional 1,660 MEL LOA requests. These would all be initial MEL 
requests and result in an additional 33,200 hours each year for the 
first 5 years.

1,660 x 20 hours = 33,200 hours

    Therefore, for the first 5 years, we anticipate an annual burden of 
55,392 hours (22,192 + 33,200) and 22,192 hours thereafter, resulting 
in an average of 38,792 hours per year.
    As a result of this addition, and the removal of sections 14 CFR 
91.9 and 91.215(a), the FAA estimates that the total annual burden in 
this Information Collection Request is 282,129 hours and 1,772,836 
responses.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on May 24, 2021.
Dwayne C. Morris,
Project Manager, Flight Standards Service, General Aviation and 
Commercial Division.
[FR Doc. 2021-11300 Filed 5-27-21; 8:45 am]
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