428 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 2 / Wednesday, January 3, 2024 / Notices 

ADDRESSES: Written comments and 

recommendations for the proposed 

information collection should be sent 

within 30 days of publication of this 

notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/ 

PRAMain. Find this particular 

information collection by selecting 

‘‘Currently under 30-day Review—Open 

for Public Comments’’ or by using the 

search function. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Sandy Liu by email at: sandy.liu@

faa.gov; phone: 202–267–4748. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

collection involves the noise 

certification regulations of 14 CFR part 

36 for aircraft. This includes 

information collection requirements for 

the noise certification of subsonic 

aircraft—jet airplanes and subsonic 

transport category large airplanes, small 

propeller driven airplanes and 

rotorcraft. The information collected are 

the results of noise certification tests 

that demonstrate compliance with 14 

CFR part 36. The original information 

collection was implemented to show 

compliance in accordance with the 

Aircraft Noise Abatement Act of 1968; 

that statute is now part of the overall 

codification of the FAA’s regulatory 

authority over aircraft noise in 49 U.S.C. 

44715. The noise compliance report is 

used by the FAA in making a finding 

that the airplane is in noise compliance 

with the regulations. These compliance 

reports are required only once when an 

applicant wants to certificate an aircraft 

type. Without this data collection, the 

FAA would be unable to make the 

required noise certification compliance 

finding. 

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 

minimized without reducing the quality 

of the collected information. 

OMB Control Number: 2120–0659. 

Title: Noise Certification Standards 

for Subsonic Jet Airplanes and Subsonic 

Transport Category Large Airplanes. 

Form Numbers: None. 

Type of Review: Renewal of an 

information collection. 

Background: The Federal Register 

Notice with a 60-day comment period 

soliciting comments on the following 

collection of information was published 

on May 8, 2023 (FR 29801). The aircraft 

noise information collected are the 

results of noise certification tests that 

demonstrate compliance with 14 CFR 

part 36. The original information 

collection was implemented to show 

compliance in accordance with the 

Aircraft Noise Abatement Act of 1968; 

that statute is now part of the overall 

codification of the FAA’s regulatory 

authority over aircraft noise in 49 U.S.C. 

44715. For this renewal, the FAA 

proposes to maintain this PRA 

collection at 14 total noise certification 

projects per year. Each applicant’s 

collected information is incorporated 

into a noise compliance report that is 

provided to and approved by the FAA. 

The noise compliance report is used by 

the FAA in making a finding that the 

airplane is in noise compliance with the 

regulations. These compliance reports 

are required only once when an 

applicant wants to certificate an aircraft 

type. Without this data collection, the 

FAA would be unable to make the 

required noise certification compliance 

finding. 

Respondents: Aircraft manufacturer/ 

applicant seeking type certification; 

Frequency: Estimated 15 total 

applicants per year; 

Estimated Average Burden per 

Response: Estimated 200 hours per 

applicant for the compliance report; 

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 

$20,160 per applicant or cumulative 

total $302,400 per year for 15 

applicants. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on December 

28, 2023. 

Sandy Liu, 

Engineer, Office of Environment and Energy, 

Noise Division (AEE–100). 

[FR Doc. 2023–28897 Filed 1–2–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

[Docket No.: FAA–2022–0547; Summary 

Notice No.–2023–48] 

Petition for Exemption; Summary of 

Petition Received; Equinox Innovative 

Systems 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice; extension of comment 

period. 

SUMMARY: On December 14, 2023, the 

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 

published a notice in the Federal 

Register containing a summary of a 

petition from Equinox Innovative 

Systems seeking relief from specified 

requirements of Federal Aviation 

Regulations. The FAA is extending the 

comment period for this petition for 

exemption to allow commenters 

additional time to analyze the petition 

and prepare a response. 

DATES: The comment period for the 

notice published December 14, 2023 at 

88 FR 86718 and scheduled to close on 

January 3, 2024, is extended until 

January 10, 2024. Comments on this 

petition must identify the petition 

docket number. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified 

by docket number FAA–2022–0547 

using any of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

https://www.regulations.gov and follow 

the online instructions for sending your 

comments electronically. 

• Mail: Send comments to Docket 

Operations, M–30; U.S. Department of 

Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE, Room W12–140, West 

Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC 

20590–0001. 

• Hand Delivery or Courier: Take 

comments to Docket Operations in 

Room W12–140 of the West Building 

Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590– 

0001, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. 

• Fax: Fax comments to Docket 

Operations at (202) 493–2251. 

Privacy: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 

553(c), DOT solicits comments from the 

public to better inform its rulemaking 

process. DOT posts these comments, 

without edit, including any personal 

information the commenter provides, to 

https://www.regulations.gov, as 

described in the system of records 

notice (DOT/ALL–14 FDMS), which can 

be reviewed at https://www.dot.gov/ 

privacy. 

Docket: Background documents or 

comments received may be read at 

https://www.regulations.gov at any time. 

Follow the online instructions for 

accessing the docket or go to the Docket 

Operations in Room W12–140 of the 

West Building Ground Floor at 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 

20590–0001, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Alexander Kem at (202) 267–7571, 

Office of Rulemaking, Federal Aviation 

Administration, 800 Independence 

Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591. 

This notice is published pursuant to 

14 CFR 11.85. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 2 / Wednesday, January 3, 2024 / Notices 429 

Issued in Washington, DC, on December 

28, 2023. 

Brandon Roberts, 

Executive Director, Office of Rulemaking. 

Petition for Exemption 

Docket No.: FAA–2022–0547. 

Petitioner: Equinox Innovative 

Systems. 

Section(s) of 14 CFR Affected: §§ 21 

Subpart H, 61.3(a)(1)(i), 91.103(b)(2), 

91.105, 91.107, 91.119, 91.121, 

91.151(b), 91.405(a), 91.407(a)(1), 

91.409(a)(1), 91.409(a)(2), 91.417(a), and 

91.417(b). 

Description of Relief Sought: On 

December 14, 2023, the FAA published 

in the Federal Register a notice seeking 

comment regarding a petition for 

exemption from Equinox Innovative 

Systems (88 FR 86718). The petitioner 

seeks an exemption to conduct 

commercial flight operations with the 

Falcon Heavy tethered unmanned 

aircraft system (UAS). The comment 

period for this petition for exemption 

was to close January 3, 2024. 

Subsequently, the FAA received a 

request from the Transport Workers 

Union of America (TWU) to extend the 

comment period. The TWU noted its 

vested interest in this petition for 

exemption, and further noted the 

upcoming Federal holidays during 

which its offices would be closed. Given 

that this petition could be precedent 

setting and lead to similar exemption 

requests from other petitioners, the 

TWU requested an extension to ensure 

ample time to scrutinize and respond to 

this petition. 

The FAA grants the petitioner’s 

request for an extension of the comment 

period. The FAA recognizes the 

precedent-setting potential of the 

petition for exemption and that an 

extension would help commenters craft 

complete and thoughtful responses. The 

FAA agrees that a one-week extension is 

appropriate. With this extension, the 

comment period will now close on 

January 10, 2024. The FAA will not 

grant any additional requests to further 

extend the comment period for this 

petition for exemption. 

Extension of Comment Period 

This notice extends the comment 

period for Notice No. 23–48, published 

December 14, 2023, at 88 FR 86718 from 

January 3, 2024 until January 10, 2024. 

[FR Doc. 2023–28952 Filed 1–2–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration 

[Docket No. FMCSA–2023–0025] 

Qualification of Drivers; Exemption 

Applications; Hearing 

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration (FMCSA), Department 

of Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of final disposition. 

SUMMARY: FMCSA announces its 

decision to exempt 10 individuals from 

the hearing requirement in the Federal 

Motor Carrier Safety Regulations 

(FMCSRs) to operate a commercial 

motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate 

commerce. The exemptions enable these 

hard of hearing and deaf individuals to 

operate CMVs in interstate commerce. 

DATES: The exemptions are applicable 

on January 3, 2024. The exemptions 

expire on January 3, 2026. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Christine A. Hydock, Chief, Medical 

Programs Division, FMCSA, DOT, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W64–224, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001, (202) 366– 

4001, fmcsamedical@dot.gov. Office 

hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. If you have questions 

regarding viewing or submitting 

material to the docket, contact Dockets 

Operations, (202) 366–9826. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Public Participation 

A. Viewing Comments 

To view comments go to 

www.regulations.gov. Insert the docket 

number (FMCSA–2023–0025) in the 

keyword box and click ‘‘Search.’’ Next, 

sort the results by ‘‘Posted (OlderNewer),’’ choose the first notice listed, 

and click ‘‘Browse Comments.’’ If you 

do not have access to the internet, you 

may view the docket online by visiting 

Dockets Operations in on the ground 

floor of the DOT West Building, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 

20590–0001, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. 

ET Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. To be sure someone is 

there to help you, please call (202) 366– 

9317 or (202) 366–9826 before visiting 

Dockets Operations. 

B. Privacy Act 

In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 

31315(b)(6), DOT solicits comments 

from the public on the exemption 

requests. DOT posts these comments, 

without edit, including any personal 

information the commenter provides, to 

www.regulations.gov. As described in 

the system of records notice DOT/ALL 

14 (Federal Docket Management 

System), which can be reviewed at 

https://www.transportation.gov/ 

individuals/privacy/privacy-act-systemrecords-notices, the comments are 

searchable by the name of the submitter. 

II. Background 

On November 24, 2023, FMCSA 

published a notice announcing receipt 

of applications from 10 individuals 

requesting an exemption from the 

hearing requirement in 49 CFR 

391.41(b)(11) to operate a CMV in 

interstate commerce and requested 

comments from the public (88 FR 

82499). The public comment period 

ended on December 26, 2023, and one 

comment was received. 

FMCSA has evaluated the eligibility 

of these applicants and determined that 

granting exemptions to these 

individuals would likely achieve a level 

of safety that is equivalent to, or greater 

than, the level that would be achieved 

by complying with § 391.41(b)(11). 

The physical qualification standard 

for drivers regarding hearing found in 

§ 391.41(b)(11) states that a person is 

physically qualified to drive a CMV if 

that person first perceives a forced 

whispered voice in the better ear at not 

less than 5 feet with or without the use 

of a hearing aid or, if tested by use of 

an audiometric device, does not have an 

average hearing loss in the better ear 

greater than 40 decibels at 500 Hz, 1,000 

Hz, and 2,000 Hz with or without a 

hearing aid when the audiometric 

device is calibrated to American 

National Standard (formerly ASA 

Standard) Z24.5—1951. 

This standard was adopted in 1970 

and was revised in 1971 to allow drivers 

to be qualified under this standard 

while wearing a hearing aid (35 FR 

6458, 6463 (Apr. 22, 1970) and 36 FR 

12857 (July 8, 1971), respectively). 

III. Discussion of Comments 

FMCSA received one comment in this 

proceeding. An anonymous individual 

commented in favor granting the 

individuals listed in this notice a 

hearing exemption as they believe being 

deaf should not negatively impact an 

individual’s ability to drive 

commercially. 

IV. Basis for Exemption Determination 

Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 

31315(b), FMCSA may grant an 

exemption from the FMCSRs for no 

longer than a 5-year period if it finds 

such exemption would likely achieve a 

level of safety that is equivalent to, or 

greater than, the level that would be 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1