Your Comments, Please

SUMMARY: This proposal would amend the instrument and equipment requirements for airplanes operated in domestic, flag, and supplemental operations. Specifically, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes to require affected airplanes to have the capability to help assure immediate activation of the designated air traffic control (ATC) hijack alert code, and continuous transmission of that code to ATC during a hijack situation. The FAA is proposing this action in response to the heightened threat to U.S. civil aviation. The FAA believes that this capability would help provide ATC personnel with more time to initiate a national security response to a potential airplane hijack situation.

Please note: "The FAA invites interested persons to comment on the applicability of these requirements to aircraft operated under 14 CFR parts 91, 125, 129, or 135. If the FAA determines that additional aircraft should be included, a separate proposal will be issued." [It does not hurt to voice your concerns about the future reach of such a proposal, even if your personal flying is not affected --ed.]

DATES: Send your comments on or before March 17, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Address your comments to the Docket Management System, U.S. Department of Transportation, Room Plaza 401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. You must identify the docket number FAA-2002-14081 at the beginning of your comments. You may also submit comments through the Internet.

FMI: proposal; response: http://dms.dot.gov