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[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 22, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30351-30352]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-12378]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

Sec. 221 Public Private Partnerships Public Meeting

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is conducting a public meeting on May 30 to seek 
initial input from interested stakeholders about program design and 
implementation of an equipage incentives program for commercial 
aircraft and general aviation to equip their aircraft with Next 
Generation Air Transportation (NextGen) capabilities, pursuant to the 
FAA's authority in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (sec. 
221). The statute requires that such a program be based on public-
private partnership (PPP) principles and maximize the use of private 
sector capital. The purpose of this meeting is to serve as an 
information sharing session. The FAA is interested in engaging 
stakeholders and potential public-private partners in the process of 
developing an effective public-private partnership equipage incentive 
program.
    This notice is for the initial meeting. A subsequent meeting will 
be planned within 90 days of the May 30 meeting after FAA has assessed 
stakeholder comments and feedback and further solidified its policy on 
how to implement a PPP equipage incentives program.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ann Tedford, Office of Finance and 
Management: Telephone (202) 267-8930: Email: 9-AWA-APO-NextGenIncentives@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 granted authority for 
the Secretary of Transportation to establish an equipage incentive 
program to equip US registered aircraft operating in the National 
Airspace System (NAS) in the interest of achieving NextGen 
capabilities. The authority states a loan guarantee program could be 
established either using appropriated funds or by fees and premiums. 
The FAA is working to understand what options exist for establishing 
the most effective program possible even if it receives no additional 
appropriations to fund the incentive. In addition, the FAA must have 
the authority to enter into a loan guarantee program recognized in an 
appropriations Act in accordance with the Federal Credit Reform Act of 
1990.
    The goal for an equipage program would be to encourage deployment 
of NextGen capable aircraft in the NAS sooner than would have occurred 
otherwise. Specifically, FAA would aim to increase the speed of 
adoption of base levels of NextGen equipage (equipage bundles), which 
will accelerate delivery of NextGen benefits by reducing the time of 
mixed equipage operations. The FAA is examining various methods of 
reducing the Government's risk and determining the extent of industry 
interest in the program, but we need more information for our analysis. 
The May 30 meeting is therefore intended to share FAA's preliminary 
thinking and seek industry feedback about what factors are beneficial 
to the various stakeholders, if such a program were to be created.

[[Page 30352]]

Meeting Information

    Public meeting at FAA Headquarters (800 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20591) on May 30, 2012, from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm. The 
meeting will also be available to view live on-line. RSVPs will be 
required for meeting attendance as well as Web cast viewing. RSVP by 
May 25 to: 9-AWA-APO-NextGenIncentives@faa.gov. Background material, 
meeting agenda, and details of participation webcast for the May 30 
meeting can be obtained at: http://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/equipage_incentives/.
    As the financial authority granted to FAA in Section 221 of the FAA 
Modernization and Reform Act is new, the agency believes that 
stakeholder input is necessary in order to optimize the design of an 
effective equipage incentives plan. Input from interested stakeholders 
will help inform the direction the FAA should take and raise issues 
that the agency might not have considered internally. A list of 
questions FAA seeks comment on is on display at: http://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/equipage_incentives/.
    Comments specifically addressing these questions will be accepted 
through June 20 and should be submitted to: 9-AWA-APO-NextGenIncentives@faa.gov.
    The FAA will also provide the opportunity for private meetings and 
written responses. We recognize that some of the information we are 
seeking might be considered proprietary or commercially sensitive. We 
will take all steps needed to protect any information provided that is 
marked proprietary or commercially sensitive.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on May 14, 2012.
Julie Oettinger,
Assistant Administrator for Policy, International Affairs and 
Environment.
[FR Doc. 2012-12378 Filed 5-21-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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