[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 1, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11308-11309]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-4237]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Notification of Pilot-in-Command; Notice of Public Meeting
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
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SUMMARY: The FAA's Office of Hazardous Materials and the Pipeline and
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's (PHMSA) Office of Hazardous
Materials Safety announce a public meeting on March 11, 2011 to hear
comments and gather information regarding Notification to Pilot in
Command (NOPICs) (see 49 CFR 175.33 and ICAO TI 7;4.1). The
International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Dangerous Goods
Panel has begun to examine this issue and consider the informational
needs of those who rely on this document. Statements by interested
parties will be considered as the U.S. develops its position on this
issue.
DATES: The public meeting will be held on March 11, 2011 from 9 a.m.
until 3:30 p.m. Web-conferencing capabilities will be provided. The
agenda for the meeting will be as follows:
8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.: Sign-in
9 a.m. to 10 a.m.: FAA Air Traffic Control Organization
Briefing on the Flight Object Initiative.
10 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Statements and information from air
carriers and their representatives.
12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Break
12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.: Statements and information from
airline pilots and their representatives.
1:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.: Statements and information from
emergency responders and their representatives.
2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Statements and information from
airports, air traffic controllers, stakeholders not referenced above,
as well as those unable to speak in their designated time frame.
The deadline to register for the meeting, submit a request to make
an oral statement and/or participate via web-conferencing is March 4,
2011. All participants are requested to register at the following Web
site: https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dExRVGF5WmtOSzZuZWxBSTdBQ2VCR1E6MQ.
Specific information will be provided on how to participate via
web-conferencing upon registration to FAA.
ADDRESSES: The March 11, 2011, public meeting will be held at FAA
Headquarters (FOB 10A), Bessie Coleman Conference Center, 2nd Floor,
800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC. For questions or
directions, please call the FAA's Office of Hazardous Materials, (202)
385-4900.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the meeting should
be directed to Ms. Janet McLaughlin, Division Manager, Office of
Hazardous Materials, International and Outreach Division, ADG-200,
Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue, SW,
Washington, DC 20591; telephone (202) 385-4900. E-mail: [email protected].
We are committed to providing equal access to this meeting for all
participants. If you need alternative formats or other reasonable
accommodations, please call (202) 385-4900 or e-mail: [email protected] with your request by close of business March 4, 2011.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose of the Public Meeting
The purpose of the public meeting is for the FAA and PHMSA to hear
the public's views and obtain relevant information on the Notification
to Pilot in Command (NOPIC), also referred to as Notification to
Capitan (NOTOC), processes described in 49 CFR 175.33. The United
States is in the process of formulating a position that will be offered
as the International Civil Aviation Organization's Dangerous
[[Page 11309]]
Goods Panel considers revisions to this document.\1\
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\1\ Corresponding, but non-identical requirements for NOTOCs can
be found in Part7;4.1 of the ICAO Technical Instructions for the
Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (ICAO TI). The Department
of Transportation has a history and statutory mandate to harmonize
with the ICAO TI when safety considerations and the public interest
are not compromised. 49 USC 5120(b).
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The FAA and PHMSA are interested in acquiring a comprehensive
understanding of the entire NOTOC system. Participants are encouraged
to address the following issues:
Processes
While recognizing variance between air carriers, what are
the process(es) leading to the generation of the NOTOC and its delivery
to the pilot in command?
What are the processes involved in providing emergency
responders the information they require?
What are each stakeholder's unique informational needs?
When an onboard incident/emergency occurs not caused by or
immediately associated with hazardous materials how does (or how could)
the information on the NOTOC impact a pilot's reaction? How does this
compare to when hazardous materials are the suspected cause of an
onboard incident?
Are there notable instances where the presence of
information or lack of information impacted an air carrier's, pilot's,
or emergency responder's course of action?
Should there be a distinction (i.e. format or information
included) between passenger and cargo-only air carriers?
General Questions
For hazardous materials required to be listed on NOTOCs,
is there additional information that would be useful? Is there certain
information extraneous to NOTOC users?
Are there certain excepted hazardous materials not
currently required to be on a NOTOC that should be included on the
NOTOC? Are there hazardous materials currently required to be on the
NOTOC that may not need to be included?
Can the format of the NOTOC be improved? Should different
versions be considered for different users?
Should consumer commodities be addressed in an alternative
manner?
When the NOTOC is provided to Flight Crews
49 CFR 175.33(a) requires ``accurate and legible written
information'' be provided to pilots in command, ``as early as
practicable before departure of the aircraft''. The FAA and PHMSA are
interested in investigating if current airline processes afford
sufficient time for pilots in command to review the NOTOC, particularly
taking into account the extensive demands of an aircrew prior to
departure. How do airlines implement this policy and how can it be
improved?
When the NOTOC is provided to Emergency Responders
49 CFR 175.33(c)(3) requires NOTOCs to be readily
accessible at the intended arrival airport. 49 CFR 175.33(c)(4)
requires NOTOCs (or the information contained within NOTOC's) to be
issued to emergency responders at reasonable times and locations. The
FAA, PHMSA, and relevant stakeholders are well aware of instances of
unacceptable delay in providing required information to emergency
responders. What improvements to this process have been made or are
being considered? How are airlines considering leveraging new
technologies where someday even ``unintended'' arrival airports would
be aware of an aircraft's hazardous materials?
Participation at the Public Meetings
Attendance is open to the public. Speakers should be prepared to
limit their oral remarks to 10 minutes in the event the number of
speakers exceeds the time allocated in the agenda.
Public Meeting Procedures
A panel of representatives from the FAA and PHMSA will be present.
An FAA representative will facilitate the meetings in accordance with
the following procedures:
(1) The meetings are designed to facilitate the public comment
process. The meetings will be informal and non-adversarial. No
individual will be subject to questioning by any other participant.
Government representatives on the panel may ask questions to clarify
statements. Any statement made during the meetings by a panel member
should not be construed as an official position of the government.
a. One exception is that, time permitting, attendees may be allowed
to ask questions following the FAA Air Traffic Control Organization's
Briefing on the Flight Object Initiative.
(2) There will be no admission fees or other charges to attend or
to participate in the public meeting. The meeting will be open to all
persons, subject to the capacity in the meeting room and the web-
conferencing system. Every effort will be made to accommodate all
persons wishing to attend. The FAA and PHMSA will try to accommodate
all speakers, subject to time constraints. The FAA and PHMSA reserve
the right to exclude some speakers, if necessary, to obtain balanced
viewpoints.
(1) The FAA and PHMSA will review and consider all material
presented by participants at the public meeting. If the speaker wishes
to provide handouts to attendees, these materials shall be provided by
speaker.
(2) Presentations, supplemental data, and other information may be
provided to FAA and PHMSA at the discretion of the participant.
(3) Each person presenting comments is asked to submit data to
support the comments. The FAA and PHMSA will protect from disclosure
all proprietary data submitted in accordance with applicable laws.
Issued in Washington, DC, on February 18, 2011.
Christopher Glasow,
Director, Office of Hazardous Materials.
[FR Doc. 2011-4237 Filed 2-28-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P