Title 14—Aeronautics and Space--Volume 1
PART 211—APPLICATIONS FOR PERMITS TO FOREIGN AIR CARRIERS
§ 211.1   Purpose.
This part sets forth the filing and evidence requirements for foreign air carriers applying for authority to engage in foreign air transportation under section 41301 of Title 49 of the United States Code (Transportation).
§ 211.2   Applicability.
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, this part applies to all foreign air carriers seeking initial foreign air carrier permits or the transfer, renewal, or amendment of an existing foreign air carrier permit.
(b) Canadian charter air taxi operators, foreign indirect air carriers of property, and foreign charter operators are not required to submit applications under this part. Instead, Canadian charter air taxi operators shall register under part 294 of this chapter, foreign indirect air carriers of property shall register under part 297 of this chapter, and foreign charter operators shall register under subpart E of part 380 of this chapter.
§ 211.10   Filing specifications.
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, applicants shall follow the requirements in § 302.3 of this chapter as to execution, number of copies, and formal specifications of papers.
(b) Mexican air taxi operators filing applications for foreign air carrier permits authorizing charter flights across the Mexico-United States border with small aircraft (a maximum passenger capacity of 60 seats or less, or a maximum payload capacity of 18,000 pounds or less) shall file an original and two copies of the application. The application shall conform to the instruction document available from the Foreign Air Carrier Licensing Division, Office of International Aviation, Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590.
(c) An application shall have consecutively numbered pages, and shall clearly describe and identify each exhibit by a separate number or symbol. All exhibits are part of the application to which they are attached.
(d) Applications shall state all weights, measures and monetary units in U.S. terms, and all text in English.
§ 211.11   Verification.
Applications shall be verified and subscribed and sworn to before a Notary Public or other officer authorized to administer oaths in the jurisdiction in which the application is executed. An application verified before a United States consular officer meets the requirements of this section.
§ 211.12   Filing and service.
All types of applications for foreign air carrier permits (initial, renewal, amendment, or transfer) are filed as of the date the applications are received at the Department's Docket Facility. Each applicant shall serve those persons as required in part 302, subpart B, of this chapter.
§ 211.13   Amendments to applications.
An applicant shall submit any information required by this part that is omitted from the original application, or any additional information, as an amendment to the original application. Applicants shall consecutively number amendments to applications and shall comply with the requirements of this subpart.
§ 211.14   Incorporation by reference.
Where two or more applications are filed by a single carrier, the applicant may incorporate lengthy exhibits, or other documents, attached to one application into others by reference. The applicant may not incorporate by reference and update any information from a previous docket unless submitted within the past 2 years. The applicant must identify the docket, and the page number or exhibit number being incorporated, and state that there has been no change in that information since submitting the original information.
§ 211.15   Statements of fact.
The applicant shall include only significant and relevant facts in an application. Each application shall contain adequate information with respect to the evidence required in subpart C of this part. The application may contain other information and data the applicant considers necessary to explain particular circumstances.
§ 211.16   Oral hearing.
If an oral evidentiary hearing is convened, the applicant must make available witnesses who are competent and able to testify to the accuracy of the statements and documents submitted.
§ 211.20   Initial foreign air carrier permit or transfer of a permit.
A person applying for an initial foreign air carrier permit or the transfer of a permit shall submit the information listed below. The applicant must fully comply with this requirement. If the applicant is unable to respond to an item, the application shall contain an explanation, and include substitute information most closely approximating the information requested. The Department may require an applicant to provide additional information as necessary.
(a) State the name and address of the applicant, the nature of its organization (individual, partnership, corporation, etc.), and, if other than an individual, the name of the country under the laws of which it is organized and the statutory citation of such laws, if any.
(b) State the name and official address of the government air transport authority of applicant's country of citizenship having regulatory jurisdiction over applicant.
(c) Supply the following information regarding the services proposed:
(1) A complete statement of the authority sought; and
(2) A description of the services proposed, specifying:
(i) The point or points in the United States proposed to be served;
(ii) The frequency of service planned at the start of operations, indicating any seasonal variations; whether the service proposed is to be scheduled, nonscheduled or charter; whether the service would be passenger, or property and mail, or a combination; and the type of equipment (and configuration) to be used; and
(iii) A service schedule stating the manner in which the service will be operated (e.g., nonstop or multi-stop, and the identity of proposed intermediate traffic and nontraffic points).
(d) Provide the names, addresses (both residence and business), and citizenship of all Directors, Officers and key management personnel, including the President, Vice Presidents, the Directors or Supervisors of Operations, Maintenance, and Finance, and the chief pilot and chief inspector. Indicate whether any of these persons are related by blood or marriage.
(e) Provide the names and citizenship of all persons holding five percent (5%) or more of the capital stock or capital of the applicant. Also indicate the number and percentage of shares of stock or percentage of capital held by each. If five percent or more of the applicant's stock is held by a corporation or partnership, set forth the name and citizenship of each person holding five percent or more of the entire capital stock or capital of that corporation or partnership and the respective interest of each. If any shares are held for the benefit of another person, give the name and citizenship of that person.
(f) If the applicant is not wholly owned by its homeland government, state whether the applicant (each officer, director, manager, or holder of five percent or more of the capital stock) holds any interest directly or indirectly (through brokers or holding companies) in any of the entities listed below. If no interest is held, so state.
(1) Any U.S. carrier;
(2) Any other foreign air carrier;
(3) Any persons engaged in the business of aeronautics; and
(4) Any common carrier, or any person whose principal business is the holding of stock in, or control of, any air carrier.
(g) Indicate the relationship between the applicant and its homeland government. If the applicant is wholly owned or substantially owned by the government, indicate which governmental department has responsibility for managerial decisions.
(h) State whether the applicant's insurance coverage meets or exceeds the liability limits of 14 CFR part 205. State the name(s) of its insurance carrier(s).
(i) Supply certified evidence, in English, of the applicant's operating authority issued by its government that relates to the operations proposed. This evidence must include a description of the applicant's present authority, the expiration date of this authority, and the manner in which it is expected to be renewed.
(j) Summarize the operating history of the applicant. Include the types of transportation services rendered, points served, etc., from the beginning of operations to the present. Also, if the applicant is a new airline ( i.e. , an airline that began direct air services within the past 12 months), briefly summarize the business experience of each officer, director and key management personnel, emphasizing any air transportation experience.
(k) Provide a list of the aircraft owned, leased and operated by the applicant. State each aircraft registration number and the country of registration. If leased, state the address and citizenship of each lessor. Describe any plans for the acquisition or lease of additional aircraft if the present permit application is granted as proposed. If any of the listed aircraft will not be used exclusively by the applicant, explain its proposed use. State whether any aircraft are or will be wet-leased.
(l) State where and by whom the maintenance of the aircraft is or will be performed. State whether the applicant's maintenance program complies with the provisions of ICAO Pilots and Airmen Annexes 1, 6 (Part 1) and 7. Also state whether the applicant's home country is a contracting State to the Convention on International Civil Aviation.
(m) Briefly describe any agreements or cooperative working arrangements (e.g., block-space, wet-lease), both oral and written, entered with and between the applicant, or on behalf of the applicant, and any U.S. or foreign air carrier, affecting the proposed services to the United States that are not on file with the Department. If there are no such agreements, so state.
(n) Supply financial data summaries, setting forth in U.S. dollars the applicant's profit and loss statements and balance sheets for the 2 most recent available years (calendar or fiscal). These summaries must be accompanied by a statement from the applicant's official responsible for preparation of the summaries that the submissions are complete and accurate. These summaries must include the following data, but need not be more detailed than the financial data summaries published by ICAO:
(1) The profit and loss summary shall identify:
(i) Total air transport operating revenues (separated into three categories: passenger, cargo, and other transport revenues);
(ii) Total air transport operating expenses;
(iii) Operating result (difference between (i) and (ii));
(iv) Non-operating items; and
(v) Profit or loss after income taxes.
(2) The balance sheet summary shall state and identify:
(i) Current assets;
(ii) Flight equipment (after depreciation);
(iii) Other assets;
(iv) Total assets (sum of (i) through (iii));
(v) Current liabilities;
(vi) Other liabilities;
(vii) Long-term debt;
(viii) Capital stock;
(ix) Retained earnings (balance including capital surplus); and
(x) Total liabilities and equity (sum of (v) through (ix)).
(o) Describe the amount, type and reason for financial assistance received or expected from the applicant's home government, if any.
(p) Submit an estimate showing the total traffic and the financial results of the proposed services for the first full year of normal operations and the supporting data employed to calculate the financial forecast.
(q) If the air transportation proposed is not covered by an air transport agreement, state in narrative form each of the elements of reciprocity or comity relied upon for the requested authority. If the authority requested is governed by an agreement, state whether the applicant has been formally designated by its homeland government, and, if so, cite the diplomatic note.
(r) To the extent not described in paragraph (q), state the policy of the applicant's homeland government with respect to U.S. carriers' applications for scheduled and charter authority. Specifically state whether the homeland government grants Fifth Freedom traffic rights to U.S. carriers.
(s) For the preceding 5 years, state whether the applicant has been involved in any safety or tariff violations or any fatal accidents. If so, furnish details.
(t) Submit 3 completed copies of OST Form 4523 (Waiver of liability limits under the Warsaw Convention).
§ 211.21   Amendments or renewal of foreign air carrier permits.
A person applying for an amendment or renewal of a foreign air carrier permit shall submit the information listed below. The applicant must comply fully with this requirement. If the applicant is unable to respond to an item, the application shall contain an explanation and include substitute information most closely approximating the information requested. The Department may require an applicant to provide any additional information necessary.
(a) The information required in paragraphs (a), (b), (i), (o), (q), (r), and (s), of § 211.20.
(b) Except if seeking renewal of existing authority, the information specified in paragraphs (c) and (p) of § 211.20 regarding the new or altered services proposed to be operated.
(c) If the financial material for the applicant on file with the Department is more than 2 years old, financial summaries setting forth, in U.S. dollars, the applicant's profit and loss statements and balance sheets for the 2 most recent available years (calendar or fiscal) as required in paragraph (n) of § 211.20, together with the statement of completeness and accuracy required by that paragraph. If the financial material on file with the Department is 2 years old or less, the applicant may incorporate that information by reference as described in § 211.14 of this part.
(d) If the ownership and control of the applicant are substantially unchanged, so state. If a change has occurred, the applicant shall respond to the paragraph in § 211.20 that most closely relates to the change that has taken place.
(e) A statement that applicant's maintenance program continues to comply with the provisions of ICAO Pilots and Airmen Annexes 1, 6 (Part 1) and 7.
§ 211.30   Eligibility.
Foreign carriers owned and controlled by citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Palau and/or the United States may, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 5(b) of Article IX of the Federal Programs and Services Agreement, implementing section 221(a)(5) of the Compact of Free Association between the United States and those governments, apply for authority as “Freely Associated State Air Carriers.” The permit application for such authority shall be labeled on the front page, “Application for Freely Associated State Foreign Air Carrier Permit.”
§ 211.31   Application.
The application shall include, in addition to other requirements of this part, documentation clearly establishing:
(a) That the carrier is organized under the laws of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Palau or the United States;
(b) That substantial ownership and effective control of the carrier are held by citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Palau and/or the United States;
(c) That citizens of other countries do not have interests in the carrier sufficient to permit them substantially to influence its actions, or that substantial justification exists for a temporary waiver of this requirement;
(d) That the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration has determined that the carrier complies with such safety standards as the Administrator considers to be required; and
(e) That the government or governments of the Freely Associated States concerned have consented to the carrier's operation as a “Freely Associated State Air Carrier.”
§ 211.32   Issuance of permit.
If the Department is satisfied that the applicant meets the requirements of § 211.31 (a) through (e), and that grant of all or part of the requested authority would otherwise be in the public interest, the Department may, subject to Presidential review under 49 U.S.C. 41307, issue a “Freely Associated State Foreign Air Carrier Permit” to the applicant, including such terms, conditions or limitations as the Department may find to be in the public interest.
§ 211.33   Interstate and interstate authority.
(a) An application under this subpart may include a request, in addition to other foreign air transportation, for authority to engage in interstate air transportation between Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Honolulu, Hawaii, and interstate air transportation within the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. A request for all or part of such limited interstate air transportation authority shall be supported by documentation establishing:
(1) The impact of such interstate air transportation services on the economic projections of the carrier's proposed operations;
(2) The need for such proposed interstate air transportation by the affected U.S. points;
(3) The economic impact of such interstate air transportation on services provided by other carriers providing essential air transportation services to eligible Freely Associated State points within the scope of part 272 of this chapter.
(b) The Department may grant a Freely Associated State Air Carrier authority to engage in all or part of the interstate air transportation requested in paragraph (a) of this section provided that the Department finds:
(1) That grant of such interstate air transportation authority would be in furtherance of the objectives of the Compact of Free Association and related agreements between the United States and the Freely Associated States, and would otherwise be in the public interest; and
(2) That grant of such interstate air transportation authority would not significantly impair the economic viability of existing services providing essential air transportation to any eligible Freely Associated State point within the scope of part 272 of this chapter, or significantly increase compensation that may be required to maintain any such essential air transportation.
(c) The Department may, at any time, subject to Presidential review under section 41307, suspend, modify, or revoke such interstate authority if it concludes that the requirements specified in paragraph (b) of this section are not then being met.
§ 211.34   Other permits.
Nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting the authority of the Department to issue a foreign air carrier permit, other than a Freely Associated State Foreign Air Carrier Permit, to a carrier owned or controlled, in whole or in part, by citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands or Palau, that does not meet the requirements of this section.
§ 211.35   Termination of eligibility.
The eligibility of a carrier owned or controlled, in whole or in part, by citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands or Palau, respectively, for issuance of a Freely Associated State Foreign Air Carrier Permit under this subpart shall exist only for such period as subparagraphs (a), (d), and (e) (eligibility for Freely Associated State essential air transportation subsidy compensation), or subparagraph (c) (limited interstate air transportation authority), of paragraph (5) of the Agreement on Civil Aviation Economic Services and Related Programs (Article IX of the Federal Programs and Services Agreement) remain in effect between the Government of those States and the Government of the United States, insofar as authority is conferred by such permits for purposes specified in those subparagraphs.