Supporting Statement B R2R Mitigations-FINAL

Supporting Statement B

Runway to Recovery Recommendations to Help Airports and Airlines Mitigate the Risks of COVID-19 Transmission

B. Statistical Methods

1. Describe the potential respondent universe.

Describe (including a numerical estimate) the potential respondent universe and any sampling or other respondent selection methods to be used. Data on the number of entities (e.g., establishments, State and local government units, households, or persons) in the universe covered by the collection and in the corresponding sample are to be provided in tabular form for the universe as a whole and for each of the strata in the proposed sample. Indicate expected response rates for the collection as a whole. If the collection had been conducted previously, include the actual response rate achieved during the last collection.

This is a new collection.

Part 139 Airports

The universe of potential respondents to the Part 139 airport survey is 520 U.S. airports certificated under 14 CFR part 139. The FAA will send the survey to all Part 139 airports with the goal of a 34- to 35-percent response rate (179 respondents). This will give us a 90-percent confidence level with a ±5 percent margin of error, which should be sufficient for the purpose of this survey.

Group	No. of Airports
Part 139 Airports	520

Part 121 Air Carriers

The universe of potential respondents to the part 121 air carriers survey is approximately 50 U.S. air carriers certificated under 14 CFR part 121 that provide passenger service, which is the focus of the National framework for airlines and airports to mitigate the public health risks of coronavirus. The FAA intends to invite these 50 Part 121 air carriers to participate in the survey with the goal of an 86-percent response rate (43 respondents). This will give us a 90-percent confidence level with a ±5 percent margin of error, which should be sufficient for this survey.

Group	No. of Potential Respondents
Part 121 Air Carriers	50

2. Describe the procedures for the collection of information.

Describe the procedures for the collection of information including:

* Statistical methodology for stratification and sample selection,

* Estimation procedure,

* Degree of accuracy needed for the purpose described in the justification,

* Unusual problems requiring specialized sampling procedures, and

* Any use of periodic (less frequent than annual) data collection cycles to reduce burden.

Statistical methodology for stratification and sample selection:

There will be no sample selections. The surveys will be open to the universe of potential respondents.

For the Part 139 airports, we will break down the data by hub type and FAA region.¹

Estimation procedure:

The estimated number of responses is based on the total population and chosen to achieve at minimum a 90-percent confidence level with a ±5 percent margin of error.

Degree of accuracy needed for the purpose described in the justification:

A margin of error of ±5 percent will meet the requirements of this project. The FAA intends to encourage potential respondents to participate. However, given the voluntary nature of the survey, it may be difficult to achieve the identified response rates. Based on the results of the first survey, the FAA will re-evaluate the methods described in question 3 below to determine if additional methods are needed to increase participation in subsequent surveys.

Unusual problems requiring specialized sampling procedures:

We anticipate no unusual problems.

Any use of periodic (less frequent than annual) data collection cycles to reduce burden:

Because of the time sensitive nature of this data collection, the FAA anticipates soliciting responses approximately every 2 months during the next 6 months for a total of three survey cycles. However, the FAA has designed the survey to reduce the burden as much as possible by using multiple choice responses for most questions, making the few open-ended questions optional, and making the survey available online. In addition, participation in the survey is voluntary.

3. Describe methods to maximize response rates.

Describe methods to maximize response rates and to deal with issues of non-response. The accuracy and reliability of information collected must be shown to be adequate for intended uses. For collections based on sampling, a special justification must be provided for any collection that will not yield "reliable" data that can be generalized to the universe studied.

Methods to maximize response rates:

• The FAA will meet with industry associations, airlines, and airports in advance of sending out the initial survey invitation to explain its intent, answer questions, and highlight benefits to respondents.

• The FAA will work with appropriate industry associations to encourage their members to participate in the survey.

• The FAA will send airports and airlines email invitations via GovDelivery. The FAA will use contact lists developed through the processes of certifying Part 139 airports and Part 121 air carriers. The FAA will direct the survey invitations to high-level executives (Airport Directors at airports and Vice Presidents of Operations at airlines) to ensure recipients have knowledge of their organizations’ response to COVID-19 and the authority to collect additional information as needed. Message branding will increase trust in the legitimacy of the invitation. Further, the invitation text will be designed to highlight the benefits of responding.

• The survey will be made available to respondents online.

• The survey will request (but not require) basic demographic data (see footnote 1 above) but no other identifying information. Further, survey introduction will inform respondents that data will be summarized. Before open-ended questions, they will be reminded not to include identifying information to ensure the anonymity of their responses.

• Additional email reminders (n=2) will be sent to airports and airlines encouraging participation during each survey cycle.

Methods to assess generalizability:

This collection will not be based on sampling.

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

Describe any tests of procedures or methods to be undertaken. Testing is encouraged as an effective means of refining collections of information to minimize burden and improve utility. Tests must be approved if they call for answers to identical questions from 10 or more respondents. A proposed test or set of test may be submitted for approval separately or in combination with the main collection of information.

The FAA will not employ any test procedures prior to collection because of the need to collect data quickly. The FAA is seeking an emergency approval of this collection due to COVID-19 public health emergency and the need to quickly assess recommended mitigation measures.

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

Provide the name and telephone number of individuals consulted on statistical aspects of the design and the name of the agency unit, contractor(s), grantee(s), or other person(s) who will actually collect and/or analyze the information for the agency.

The following FAA staff will be responsible for collecting and analyzing survey data:

Part 139 Airports

• Susan Gardner, Safety Analyst, Airport Safety and Operations Division (202) 267-4566

• Stephanie Austin, Program Analyst, Airport Safety and Operations Division (202) 267-8473

Part 121 Air Carriers

• Robert Gonzalez, Deputy Director, Office of Foundational Business, Flight Standards (404) 274-8802

• Tip Stinnette, Principal Advisor, Air Traffic Safety Oversight (202) 768-5642

1 One of the ways the FAA categorizes airports is by “hub type.” By law, hub type (large, medium, small and nonhub) is based on the number of annual commercial service enplanements. To classify as a large hub, for example, an airport must receive at least 1 percent of all annual commercial service enplanements within the previous calendar year. See https://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/categories/ for a full discussion. Most Part 139 airports have a hub type; however, the airport survey includes an “N/A” option for the nearly 25 percent of Part 139 airports that do not. Hub type and FAA region will help the FAA determine whether some mitigation measures are more or less likely to be implemented at larger airports that may have larger staff and financial resources. FAA region will help us identify a potential correlation between implementation of measures and regional differences in phased re-opening plans and fluctuations in the COVID-19 spread.