Advisory Guidelines for Aircraft Onboard Wheelchairs; Reopening of Comment Period; Notice of Public Meeting

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board or Board), jointly with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), is hosting a virtual public meeting to obtain further information on the Access Board's proposed advisory guidelines for aircraft onboard wheelchairs (OBW) issued on August 20, 2019, and the portion of DOT's notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) issued on January 2, 2020 that relates to OBW performance standards. DOT's January 2, 2020 NPRM proposed OBW performance standards as one of various measures for improving accessibility of lavatories on single- aisle aircraft for passengers with disabilities. The Board's draft advisory guidelines provided technical specifications for an OBW that would serve as one means of complying with DOT's proposed performance standards for OBW. This public meeting will serve as a forum for the Access Board and DOT to jointly gather additional information on their respective proposed OBW advisory guidelines and proposed OBW performance standards. A proposed rule from DOT relating to this public meeting and reopening of the comment period on its NPRM containing OBW performance standards is published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.