21846 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 85 / Wednesday, May 3, 1995 / Notices

completed, we will carefully consider

any comments that are received.

Study of Gambling on Commercial

Aircraft

Background

Section 205 of the Federal Aviation

Administration Authorization Act of

1994 (the ‘‘Act’’), P.L. No. 103–305

(August 23, 1994) added section 41311

to Title 49 of the U.S. Code. Under 49

U.S.C. 41311(a), ‘‘an air carrier or

foreign air carrier may not install,

transport, or operate, or permit the use

of any gambling device on board an

aircraft in foreign air transportation.’’

Section 41311(a) was designed to clarify

current statutory prohibitions and to

ensure equal treatment of U.S.-flag air

carriers with foreign flag carriers with

regard to in-flight gambling on

commercial aircraft while the

Department of Transportation studied

the issue and recommended whether a

different approach might be appropriate.

Moreover, there was some concern that

at some future time a different rule

might be more appropriate. See 140

Cong. Rec. S6664 (June 9, 1994).

Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 41311(b), the

Secretary of Transportation is required

to complete a study not later than one

year (August 23, 1995) after the date of

the enactment of the Federal Aviation

Administration Authorization Act of

1994.

The study must have three

components outlined as follows:

(1) the aviation safety effects of gambling

applications on electronic interactive video

systems installed on board aircraft for

passenger use, including an evaluation of the

effect of such systems on the navigational

and other electronic equipment of the

aircraft, on the passengers and crew of the

aircraft and on issues relating to the method

of payment;

(2) the competitive implications of

permitting foreign air carriers only, but not

United States air carriers, to install, transport,

and operate gambling applications on

electronic interactive video systems on board

aircraft in the foreign commerce of the

United States on flights over international

waters, or in fifth freedom city-pair markets;

and

(3) whether gambling should be allowed on

international flights, including proposed

legislation to effectuate any recommended

changes in existing law.

Within five days after completion of

the study, the Secretary of

Transportation must submit a report to

the Committee on Commerce, Science,

and Transportation of the Senate and

the Committee on Transportation and

Infrastructure of the House of

Representatives on the results of the

study.

Interested parties are invited to

participate in this study of gambling on

aircraft by submitting such written data,

views, or arguments as they may desire.

Comments that provide the factual basis

supporting the views and suggestions

presented are particularly helpful in

developing reasonable responses to the

congressional issues raised. Comments

are specifically invited regarding:

(a) Effects on safety of allowing

gambling devices, including payment

methods, to be installed and/or operated

onboard aircraft including the effects

on: (1) Navigational and other electronic

equipment, and (2) passengers and

crew. Regarding payment methods, at a

minimum, the following issues are of

particular interest—payments that

require an air-to-surface interface, and

whether payments/losses will interfere

with passenger safety and duties of the

crew.

(b) Competitive effects of retaining,

lifting, or modifying the current

restrictions on U.S. carriers with respect

to (1) foreign air transportation, (2)

code-share arrangements, and (3) flights

involving fifth freedom markets.

(c) Whether gambling should be

allowed in foreign air transportation by

U.S. and/or foreign air carriers.

(Authority Citation: 49 U.S.C. 41311)

Dated: April 27, 1995.

Patrick V. Murphy

Acting Assistant Secretary for Aviation and

International Affairs, Department of

Transportation.

[FR Doc. 95–10909 Filed 5–2–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–62–P

Federal Aviation Administration

Airborne Ground Proximity Warning

Equipment; Proposed Technical

Standard Order

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability for public

comment.

SUMMARY: This notice announces the

availability of and request comments on

a proposed technical standard order

(TSO) pertaining to airborne ground

proximity equipment. The proposed

TSO prescribes the minimum

performance standards that airborne

ground proximity equipment must meet

to be identified with the marking ‘‘TSO–

C92c.’’.

DATES: Comments must identify the

TSO file number and be received on or

before August 4, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Send all comments on the

proposed technical standard order to:

Technical Programs and Continued

Airworthiness Branch, AIR–120,

Aircraft Engineering Division, Aircraft

Certification Service—File No. TSO–

C92c, Federal Aviation Administration,

800 Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20591. Or deliver

comments to: Federal Aviation

Administration, Room 804, 800

Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20591.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.

Bobbie J. Smith, Technical Programs

and Continued Airworthiness Branch,

AIR–120, Aircraft Engineering Division,

Aircraft Certification Service, Federal

Aviation Administration, 800

Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20591, Telephone (202)

267–9546.

Comments Invited

Interested persons are invited to

comment on the proposed TSO listed in

this notice by submitting such written

data, views, or arguments as they desire

to the above specified address.

Comments received on the proposed

technical standard order may be

examined, before and after the comment

closing date, in Room 804, FAA

Headquarters Building (FOB–10A), 800

Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20591, weekdays

except Federal holidays, between 8:30

a.m. and 4:30 p.m. All communications

received on or before the closing date

for comments specified above will be

considered by the Director of the

Aircraft Certification Service before

issuing the final TSO.

Background

The FAA has reviewed TSO–C92b

and the referenced RTCA, Inc.,

Document No. DO–161A and finds that

there is a need to revise this TSO to

address NTSB Safety Recommendations

A–92–39 through A–92–42 and to

update the computer software and

environmental requirements.

Proposed TSO–C92c would add two

new requirements: Each aural warning

shall identify the reason for a GPWS

warning, and each approved equipment

would include airspeed in the logic that

determines GPWS warning times. These

requirements should satisfy Safety

recommendations A–92–39 and A–92–

40. The proposal adds a new paragraph

which will allow added features, such

as altitude callouts during nonprecision

approaches and warnings based on

airport location and aircraft position

data. This paragraph addresses Safety

Recommendations A–92–41 and A–92–

42. Additionally, the FAA proposes to

include RTCA DO–178B as the

computer software requirement (none

specified in TSO–C92b) and to update
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 85 / Wednesday, May 3, 1995 / Notices 21847

the environmental standard with RTCA

DO–160C.

How To Obtain Copies

A copy of the proposed TSO–C92c

may be obtained by contacting ‘‘For

Further Information Contact.’’ Copies of

RTCA Document No. DO–161A,

‘‘Minimum Performance Standards for

Airborne Ground Proximity Warning

Equipment,’’ may be purchased from the

RTCA Inc., 1140 Connecticut Avenue,

NW., Suite 1020, Washington, DC

20036.

Issued in Washington, DC, on April 18,

1995.

Abbas A. Rizvi,

Acting Manager, Aircraft Engineering

Division, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 95–10766 Filed 5–2–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–M

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

[Docket No. 95–21, Notice No. 01]

Availability and Request for Comment

on Draft Report to Congress on the

Benefits of Safety Belts and

Motorcycle Helmets

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA),

Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Notice of availability and

request for comment on draft report to

Congress on the benefits of safety belts

and motorcycle helmets required by the

Intermodal Surface Transportation

Efficiency Act of 1991.

SUMMARY: This notice announces the

availability of the draft of the report to

Congress on the benefits of safety belts

and motorcycle helmets generated from

the Crash Outcome Data Evaluation

System (CODES) Project. The Report

was mandated by Section 1031(b) of the

Intermodal Surface Transportation

Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA). As

required in the ISTEA, the agency seeks

comments on the draft report. The

comments will be evaluated and

incorporated, as appropriate, into the

final report which will be provided to

the Congress in February, 1996.

DATES: Comments on the draft report are

due no later than August 1, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons may

obtain a copy of the draft report, free of

charge, from NHTSA’s Docket Section at

the address below. Written comments

should refer to the docket and notice

number of this notice and should be

submitted to: Docket Section, Room

5109, NASSIF Building, 400 Seventh

Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590.

Telephone: 202–366–4949. Docket

hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.,

Monday through Friday.

SUBMISSION OF COMMENTS: Interested

persons are invited to submit comments

on the draft report. It is requested, but

not required, that 10 copies be

submitted. All comments must not

exceed 10 pages in length. (49 CFR

553.21). Necessary attachments may be

appended to these submissions without

regard to the 10 page limit. This

limitation is intended to encourage

commenters to detail their arguments in

a concise fashion. All comments

received before the close of business on

the comment closing date indicated

above for the draft report will be

considered, and will be available for

examination in the docket at the above

address both before and after that date.

To the extent possible, comments filed

after the closing date also will be

considered. Those persons desiring to

be notified upon receipt of their

comments in the docket should enclose

a self-addressed, stamped postcard in

the envelope with their comments.

Upon receiving the comments, the

docket supervisor will return the

postcard by mail.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Dennis Utter, National Center for

Statistics and Analysis NRD–31,

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration, 400 Seventh Street SW.,

Washington, DC 20590: Telephone 202–

366–5351.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Report to Congress on the benefits of

safety belts and motorcycle helmets was

mandated by Section 1031(b) of the

Intermodal Surface Transportation

Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA). Grants

were awarded to entities in Hawaii,

Maine, Missouri, New York,

Pennsylvania, Utah, and Wisconsin to

obtain the data and perform the analyses

upon which this report is based.

NHTSA entitled the project the Crash

Outcome Data Evaluation System

(CODES) Project. These CODES grantee

states linked statewide motor vehicle

crash report data and computerized

emergency medical service, emergency

department, hospital discharge, and

rehabilitative/long-term care data, so

that those people injured in motor

vehicle crashes could be followed

through the health care system. The

medical and financial outcome

information was then used to determine

the benefits of the protective devices in

crashes. The grantees have provided

NHTSA with the results of analyses

using these data, and NHTSA has

summarized the results of the

individual state studies to produce the

draft report to Congress. After the close

of the comment period, NHTSA will

review any comments received and

make appropriate modifications to the

report. The final version is to be

delivered to Congress by February,

1996.

The draft report provides an overview

of the study, the databases used, and the

methodology used to link and analyze

the data. The effectiveness rates

presented in the report show that safety

belts are highly effective in preventing

injury and fatality in motor vehicle

traffic crashes, particularly the more

serious injuries. Motorcycle helmets

also are effective in preventing fatalities

and serious injuries, but not as effective

in preventing minor injuries. Average

inpatient charges are compared for

belted and unbelted passenger vehicle

drivers and for helmeted and

unhelmeted motorcycle riders. Because

the estimates of safety belt effectiveness

are higher than NHTSA’s current

estimates, a discussion is presented

about the potential effect of overreporting of safety belt use on the study

results. However, the results support

NHTSA’s belief that safety belts and

motorcycle helmets are effective in

reducing mortality and morbidity and

showed, for the first time, that costs

(inpatient charges) were significantly

higher for unbelted hospitalized drivers

compared to those who used their safety

belts.

The CODES project had other

benefits. The project demonstrated the

efficacy of linking crash data files with

medical outcome data files. Through the

cooperation of the highway safety and

medical communities, CODES was the

first project to link state highway safety

and injury-related databases using a

probabilistic linkage algorithm, whereby

statewide data from police crash reports,

emergency medical services, hospital

emergency departments, hospital

discharge files, claims, and other

sources were linked, without in most

states the benefit of personal identifiers.

The project also showed examples of the

value of the linked data. Several of the

CODES states have used their data to

support highway safety initiatives and

to produce research articles. Because the

linked data are permanent and state

specific, they can continue to be used

now and in the future at minimal cost

to support state and local highway

safety initiatives.

Issued On: April 27, 1995.

Ricardo Martinez,

Administrator, National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration.

[FR Doc. 95–10840 Filed 5–2–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–M