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###### Department of Transportation

###### Bureau of Transportation Statistics

          - [Docket ID Number DOT-OST-2014-0031]

# AGENCY:

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R), Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), DOT.

# ACTION:

Notice.

# SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics invites the general public, industry and other governmental parties to comment on the continuing need for and usefulness of BTS collecting financial data from large certificated air carriers. Large certificated air carriers are carriers that operate aircraft with 61 seats or more, aircraft with 18,001 pounds of payload capacity or more, or operate international air services.

# DATES:

Written comments should be submitted by March 26, 2018.

# FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

                        Jeff Gorham, Office of Airline Information, RTS-42, Room E34, OST-R, BTS, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001, Telephone Number (202) 366-4406, Fax Number (202) 366-3383 or EMAIL                         *jeff.gorham@dot.gov.*

*Comments:*                         Comments should identify the associated OMB approval # 2138-0013 and Docket ID Number DOT-OST-2014-0031. Persons wishing the Department to acknowledge receipt of their comments must submit with those comments a self-addressed stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: Comments on OMB # 2138-0013, Docket—DOT-OST-2014-0031. The postcard will be date/time stamped and returned.                    

# ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID Number DOT-OST-2014-0031 by any of the following methods:

*Federal eRulemaking Portal:*                         Go to                         *http://www.regulations.gov.*                         Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.                    

*Mail:*                         Docket Services: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.                    

*Hand Delivery or Courier:*                         West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.                    

*Fax:*                         202-366-3383.                    

*Instructions:*                         Identify docket number, DOT-OST-2014-0031, at the beginning of your comments, and send two copies. To receive confirmation that DOT received your comments, include a self-addressed stamped postcard. Internet users may access all comments received by DOT at                         *http://www.regulations.gov.*                         All comments are posted electronically without charge or edits, including any personal information provided.                    

*Privacy Act:*                         Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all comments                               ( print page 3257)                            received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of 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) or you may visit                         *http://DocketInfo.dot.gov.*

*Docket:*                         For access to the docket to read background documents or comments received, go to                         *http://www.regulations.gov.*                         or the street address listed above. Follow the online instructions for accessing the dockets.                    

### Electronic Access

                    You may access comments received for this notice at                     *http://www.regulations.gov,*                     by searching docket DOT-OST-2014-0031.                

# SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

*OMB Approval No.*                     2138-0013.                

*Title:*                     Report of Financial and Operating Statistics for Large Certificated Air Carriers.                

*Form No.:*                     BTS Form 41.                

*Type of Review:*                     Extension of a currently approved collection.                

*Respondents:*                     Large certificated air carriers.                

*Number of Respondents:*                     60.                

*Estimated Time per Response:*                     4 hours per schedule, an average carrier may submit 90 schedules in one year.                

*Total Annual Burden:*                     13,910 hours.                

*Needs and Uses:*                     Program uses for Form 41 data are as follows:                

## Mail Rates

The Department of Transportation sets and updates the international and mainline Alaska mail rates based on carrier aircraft operating expense, traffic and operational data. Form 41 cost data, especially fuel costs, terminal expenses, and line haul expenses are used in arriving at rate levels. DOT revises the established rates based on the percentage of unit cost changes in the carriers' operations. These updating procedures have resulted in the carriers receiving rates of compensation that more closely parallel their costs of providing mail service and contribute to the carriers' economic well-being.

## Submission of U.S. Carrier Data to ICAO

As a party to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, the United States is obligated to provide the International Civil Aviation Organization with financial and statistical data on operations of U.S. air carriers. Over 99 percent of the data filed with ICAO is extracted from the carriers' Form 41 reports.

## Carrier Fitness

Fitness determinations are made for both new entrants and established U.S. domestic carriers proposing a substantial change in operations. A portion of these applications consists of an operating plan for the first year (14 CFR part 204) and an associated projection of revenues and expenses. The carrier's operating costs, included in these projections, are compared against the cost data in Form 41 for a carrier or carriers with the same aircraft type and similar operating characteristics. Such a review validates the reasonableness of the carrier's operating plan.

Form 41 reports, particularly balance sheet reports and cash flow statements play a major role in the identification of vulnerable carriers. Data comparisons are made between current and past periods in order to assess the current financial position of the carrier. Financial trend lines are extended into the future to analyze the continued viability of the carrier. DOT reviews three areas of a carrier's operation: (1) The qualifications of its management team, (2) its disposition to comply with laws and regulations, and (3) its financial posture. DOT must determine whether or not a carrier has sufficient financial resources to conduct its operations without imposing undue risk on the traveling public. Moreover, once a carrier is operating, DOT is required to monitor its continuing fitness.

Senior DOT officials must be kept fully informed as to all current and developing economic issues affecting the airline industry. In preparing financial conditions reports or status reports on a particular airline, financial and traffic data are analyzed. Briefing papers may use the same information.

The Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (44 U.S.C. 3501 note), requires a statistical agency to clearly identify information it collects for non-statistical purposes. BTS hereby notifies the respondents and the public that BTS uses the information it collects under this OMB approval for non-statistical purposes including, but not limited to, publication of both Respondent's identity and its data, submission of the information to agencies outside BTS for review, analysis and possible use in regulatory and other administrative matters.

Issued in Washington, DC, on January 18, 2018.

William Chadwick, Jr.,

Director, Office of Airline Information, Bureau of Transportation Statistics .

[FR Doc. 2018-01184 Filed 1-22-18; 8:45 am]

 BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P