2120-0696 2008 A_revised

OMB 83-I Supporting Statement

2008-2011 Private Pilot Airplane Single Engine Land (ASEL):

Assessment of Instruction and Practical Test Experience

Submission Date: December 17, 2007

Resubmission Date: June 17, 2008

OMB 83-I Supporting Statement

2008-2011 Private Pilot Airplane Single Engine Land (ASEL):

Assessment of Instruction and Practical Test Experience

A. Justification

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of data necessary.

Objective two of the FAA’s 2007-2011 Strategic Plan (Flight Plan) Increased Safety Goal intends “to reduce the number of fatal accidents in general aviation.” In order to meet this objective, the FAA’s General Aviation and Commercial Division (AFS-800) plans to improve the Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) program. The DPE administers a practical test to evaluate the examinee’s (pilot) knowledge and skill to perform a task. The goal of the data collection is to identify areas of concern so that the FAA may affect corrections in FAA policy, guidance material, and FAA-sponsored programs in order to improve the overall quality of flight testing and the designated pilot examiner practical program.

This research requires that information be collected from the affected population—general aviation (GA) pilots newly certificated by the FAA for the Airplane Single-Engine Land (ASEL) class and rating.

The information collection directly supports the Department of Transportation goal of improved safety by developing and evaluating methods for improving the safety of general aviation operations.

2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used.

The FAA’s Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) will collect the information on behalf of Flight Standards (AFS). To accomplish the research objectives, a GA private pilot survey will be administered nationally. Newly certified GA ASEL pilots will receive an anonymous and voluntary survey via mail and be provided with two completion options: 1) to request and return the survey by postal mail or 2) to complete and submit the survey online. Local Flight Standards District Offices and CAMI will be responsible for the logistical details associated with mailing out surveys and maintaining internet access. CAMI will be responsible for collecting and processing the responses. This information will be used by AFS to help evaluate the current certification process.

3. Describe any consideration of the use of improved information technology...to reduce burden.

In an effort to utilize information technology and reduce burden, GA ASEL pilots will be provided with two optional response venues. In particular, a hard copy of the survey and a website link to the survey will be provided as options to each pilot. Inclusion of the website link provides two noteworthy benefits. First, it provides the respondents an alternative to hard copy submission and enables them to select a mode of response that is most convenient. Second, it reduces both a time and money burden on the part of the government as noted by the Government Paperwork Elimination Act (2003) and the recommendations of OMB (2006). For example, utilizing online responses reduces the amount of time and money needed for the collection and processing of responses without increasing the time needed to complete the survey. Although other methods of data collection were considered (e.g., telephone surveys, individual interviews), preliminary analysis indicates that mailing surveys and providing an optional website link would be the most efficient strategy for collecting data from the perspective of both the public and the government.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication.

No existing information of the type required for these studies, such as that available from the Aviation Safety Reporting System, exists in any other data repository.

5. If the collection of information involves small business, describe methods to minimize burden.

This effort involves individual pilots, not small business entities.

6. Describe consequences to Federal program if collection were conducted less frequently.

Given the natural decline of human recollection over time, assessment of respondent opinions and attitudes soon after their practical test is critical for ensuring data quality. To obtain accurate information regarding the Aviation Practical Test experience, it is necessary to conduct multiple data collections throughout the year to accommodate the ongoing nature of GA pilot certification testing. Despite the use of multiple data collections, each respondent will be asked for information only once

7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause the information collection to be conducted:

a. More often than quarterly. No participant will be asked to provide information more often than quarterly. Participation will be a one-time event.

b. Response in less than 30 days. No participant will be asked to give a response in less than 30 days.

c. More than original. No participant will be asked to submit more than the original copy of the data collection instrument.

d. Using records for more than three years. No participant will be asked to retain records for more than three years.

e. In connection with an invalid statistical survey. No invalid statistical survey is anticipated.

f. Requiring unapproved data classification. No unapproved data classification activities are anticipated.

g. Includes unsupported pledge of confidentiality. All data collection will be conducted anonymously.

h. Requires trade secret of confidential information. No trade secrets or items of similar confidential information will be requested.

8. If applicable, identify date and page number of publication in Federal Register of agency notice required by 5 CFR 1320.8 and provide summary of comments and agency responses. Describe any efforts to consult with persons outside the agency.

A notice was published in the federal registry. See Appendix B to review a copy of the submitted Federal Register notice.

9. Explain decision to provide payment to respondents.

No payments will be made to respondents.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents.

The Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) adheres to World Medical Association ethical standards, public law, and federal policies for safeguarding the information submitted by participants in this survey. This information will be protected to the extent available under applicable laws and regulations and no individually identifiable information will be included in the published report. Additionally, identifying information will not be retained once the data collection is complete. All responses to survey items are anonymous. Only group statistics shall be used in any report. Participation in the survey is completely voluntary.

11. Provide justification for questions of a sensitive nature.

No questions of a sensitive nature relating to sexual behavior or religious attitudes will be used. All questions used in the information collection efforts will relate to flight training and testing experiences.

12. Provide estimates of burden to respondents.

Over a three-year time period, we expect to receive approximately 6,000 responses per year (n=18,000). Assuming a time investment of one hour per respondent, a total time investment of 18,000 hours is expected. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median hourly wage for a pilot is $28.00 per hour. Thus, the burden to each respondent is approximately $28.00.

13. Estimate total annual cost burden to respondents.

6,000 respondents per year X 1 hour X $28.00 = $168,000 per year

The annual cost burden to respondents is estimated at $168,000.

14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to Federal government and to respondents.

Federal Government Costs

The estimated cost (in dollars) to the government is less than $51,000. Research assistants and technicians, and data entry clerks from Xyant Technology will assist in this project. The tasks they will perform with cost estimates are as follows:

Task description Estimated cost

Survey development $3,960.80

Open & sort process, scan, & distribution $39,106.30

Database management $3,265.70

Quantitative report template $2,635.45

Quantitative report generation $1,948.70

_________

TOTAL $50,916.95

FAA Researcher time: The mission of the Human Resource Research Division employees at CAMI is to support FAA research projects which originate from requests made by various offices within the agency. The proposed questionnaire is such a project. No new employees will be hired to conduct this project. PC & B expenses will be incurred for current employees whether or not this project is undertaken. Thus, it is not necessary to include the cost of FAA employee time.

Respondent Costs

The package sent to respondents will include a perforated postage-paid postcard that can be returned to request a hard copy. The cost to the respondent will be limited to the time required to complete the questionnaire. Pilot testing indicates that the survey should take respondents approximately one hour to complete.

15. Explain reasons for any program changes or adjustments.

This is a request for a reinstatement, with change, on a previously approved collection (OMB#2120-0696) for which approval is scheduled to expire March 1, 2008. Changes and adjustments were made to the current program for three key reasons: 1) to more effectively articulate the information sought, 2) to improve the survey formatting and develop an online application, and 3) to more pointedly assess critical issues associated with the GA ASEL practical pilot test. A copy of the previously OMB approved 2005 P-ASEL survey and a detailed report of changes for the 2008 P-ASEL survey may be seen in Appendix C. The 2008 P-ASEL survey is available in Appendix D.

16. For collections whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulation, analysis, and publication.

One purpose of this study is scientific inquiry. CAMI will deliver summary data reports (i.e., item by item frequency distributions) for each FAA region that has at least eight respondents. CAMI will provide these reports on an annual basis if we meet the respondent criterion. CAMI will also provide an overall data summary report.

CAMI will deliver an Office of Aviation Medicine technical report summarizing the overall annual findings of the survey project. This report will be delivered six months following the delivery of the annual report.

17. If seeking approval to not display expiration date of OMB approval, explain why.

The expiration date of the OMB approval will be displayed on the cover letter and guide page of each survey distributed. The OMB number will also be displayed in the upper right corner of each survey page.

18. Explain each exception to certification statement identified in Item 19 of OMB Form 83-1.

There are no exceptions to the certification statement.

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P-ASEL 83-I SS