Supporting Statement B - Form 1800-31_Dec 2019

B. Statistical Methods

1. Describe the potential respondent universe.

The FAA knows the respondent universe because we oversee air carriers and airports as part of the integrated, regulated air system in the United States.

This FAA form is used by small non-scheduled on demand air taxi operators certificated under 14 CFR 135 (air taxis) that are subject to the passenger transportation tax to report their annual enplanements numbers. This data is not collected by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Approximately 190 operators receive a copy of the form and are asked to voluntarily submit their data. This non-scheduled revenue passenger data is not collected or made available through any other source. There is no assurance of confidentiality given to respondents. The data collected each year is not publicly posted but is considered public information.

2. Describe the procedures for the collection of information.

Historically, the FAA Airports Organization has had our database contractor (Booz Allen Hamilton, (BAH)) send the FAA Form 1800-31 to active Part 135 operators (list of operators supplied by FAA Flight Standards) that have reported data in any of the last three years. The form was sent in February and respondents were given until April to complete the form and mail it back in the self-addressed stamped envelope. The form was also available online (FAA Form 1800-31) and an operator could print the form and submit the completed form to the FAA. The operator could also email the signed and scanned form to the FAA.

Submitted forms are reviewed to ensure that the operator submitting data was valid and the form was complete. The data is entered in FAA’s System of Airports Reporting (SOAR) database and reviewed by FAA personnel. It also contains enplanement data collected by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics from certified and commuter air carriers and foreign air carriers. Enplanement data are consolidated into a report for each airport that lists each air carrier and their annual enplanements. In July, each airport manager receives his/her airport’s report and is asked to review the data. If an air carrier is missing or appears not to have reported accurately, the airport notifies the FAA and we follow-up with BTS or the non-scheduled air taxi. Approximately 650 airports receive this preliminary report. FAA spends the summer working with airports, air carriers, and BTS to resolve issues and on October 1 the data is considered final. The final validated enplanement data is used by FAA to calculate Airport Improvement Program funding.

The FAA will begin accepting data electronically in 2020. The FAA Airports Organization is actively working to meet the OMB terms of clearance to allow electronic submission, including the use of e-signature. This new process will be in place for the submission of calendar year 2019 data that will begin in February 2020. Third party e-signature software will be in place by December 30, 2019 for use in voluntary submission of FAA Form 1800-31 data. We will continue to accept hard copies for those operators unable or unwilling to submit data electronically.

The enplanement data collected through FAA 1800-31 (which does not contain personal identifying information) reside in the FAA’s SOAR database. A Privacy Threshold Assessment was adjudicated for SOAR in 2018. A Privacy Impact Assessment is underway for SOAR and will include the FAA Form 1800-31 electronic submission using third party e-signature software. It will be submitted for adjudication by DOT by December 30, 2019.

2. Describe methods to maximize response rates.

• FAA uses a list of active Part 135 operators that have reported in any of the last three years.

• FAA sends the Form to active operators and posts the Form on the FAA public website.

• The Form is also available for download on the Airports External Portal (AEP) (https://aep.airports.faa.gov/Default.aspx).

• Airports tend to know which operators are flying in and out of their airport and if they do not see the operator on the FAA report they contact the operator and ask them to submit the form which is also available on FAA website.

2. Describe tests of procedures and methods to be undertaken.

This procedure has been in place for approximately 20 years.

2. Provide the names of consultants and the person who will collect and analyze the information.

FAA Airports Organization has their database contractor, BAH, send out the form, receive and review the responses, and enter the data into the database. A Senior FAA Airport Planner oversees this process and is the point of contact for the respondents and the contractor. FAA staff analyzes the data before it is distributed to approximately 650 airports.

Luis Loarte Sharon Glasgow

Senior Airport Planner Senior Airport Planner

FAA FAA

Washington, DC Washington, DC

Luisa Medrano Cheryl Thorpe

Analyst Program Manager

BAH BAH

Washington, DC Washington, DC