Notice2026-10169
Agency Information Collection Activities: Requests for Comments; Clearance of Renewed Approval of Information Collection: for the Information Collection Entitled, Website for Frequency Coordination Request
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Published
May 21, 2026
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection via the FAA's deployed Web-based Frequency Coordination system (WebFCR), which collects certain broadcast and transmitter frequency information under OMB control number 2120-0786. The information collected is needed to perform the aeronautical studies, technical evaluations required, and to meet the specified requirements for the radio frequency engineering pursuant to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Order 6050.32.B, Chapter 3, Section 302. This FAA Order outlines the U.S. National Organizations and the role of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in assigning and coordinating the Aviation Assignment Group (AAG) radio spectrum used by the FAA to support aeronautical services. Hence, the FAA must "authorize" aeronautical frequencies of broadcast applications that impact the AAG bands.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 98 (Thursday, May 21, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 98 (Thursday, May 21, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30023-30024]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-10169]
[[Page 30023]]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
[Docket No. FAA-2026-2469]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Requests for Comments;
Clearance of Renewed Approval of Information Collection: for the
Information Collection Entitled, Website for Frequency Coordination
Request
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA
invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection
via the FAA's deployed Web-based Frequency Coordination system
(WebFCR), which collects certain broadcast and transmitter frequency
information under OMB control number 2120-0786. The information
collected is needed to perform the aeronautical studies, technical
evaluations required, and to meet the specified requirements for the
radio frequency engineering pursuant to the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) Order 6050.32.B, Chapter 3, Section 302. This FAA
Order outlines the U.S. National Organizations and the role of the
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in
assigning and coordinating the Aviation Assignment Group (AAG) radio
spectrum used by the FAA to support aeronautical services. Hence, the
FAA must ``authorize'' aeronautical frequencies of broadcast
applications that impact the AAG bands.
DATES: Written comments should be submitted by June 22, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of
this notice to <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>. Find this particular
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher S. Jones by email at:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#096a617b607a7d6679616c7b277a276366676c7a496f6868276e667f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="73101b011a00071c031b16015d005d191c1d1600331512125d141c05">[email protected]</span></a>; phone: (202) 256-5523.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of
this information collection, including (a) Whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary for FAA's performance; (b) the
accuracy of the estimated burden; (c) ways for FAA to enhance the
quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and (d)
ways that the burden could be minimized without reducing the quality of
the collected information.
OMB Control Number: 2120-0786.
Title: Website for Frequency Coordination Request (WebFCR)
<a href="http://webfcr.faa.gov">webfcr.faa.gov</a>.
Form Numbers: Historically related to FAA Form 7460-1.
Type of Review: Request for renewal of information collection.
Background: The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment
period soliciting comments on the following collection of information
was published on February 25, 2026 (91 FR 9323).
Response to Public Comments
One set of public comments was received in response to the 60-day
Federal Register Notice published on February 25, 2026 (91 FR 9323).
Comments were submitted by the Air Line Pilots Association,
International (ALPA), on April 27, 2026. The FAA has reviewed these
comments and provides the following responses.
Comment 1 (ALPA): Accuracy of the Estimated Burden. ALPA commented
that the FAA's burden estimate of 0.2 hours (12 minutes) per frequency
coordination request may not fully account for the pre-filing technical
activities required of engineers and consultants, including initial
engineering modeling and interference analysis. ALPA recommended that
the FAA clarify whether the burden estimate encompasses these
preparatory activities and that a more realistic estimate be developed
to assist industry in allocating resources for compliance.
FAA Response: The FAA acknowledges this comment and has reviewed
the burden estimate accordingly. The 0.2-hour estimate is intended to
reflect the time required to complete and submit the WebFCR portal
entry itself, consistent with the scope of the information collection
under OMB Control 2120-0786. Pre-filing engineering analysis and
interference modeling are activities conducted by the respondent prior
to initiating a WebFCR submission and vary significantly depending on
the complexity of the proposed frequency use. These pre-filing
activities are not components of the information collection burden,
which is limited to the time required to gather, prepare, and submit
the information requested through the WebFCR system. The FAA has
revised the burden estimate upward from 0.2 hours to 0.5 hours per
response to more accurately reflect the time required to complete all
steps associated with filling out a WebFCR submission, including
reviewing system requirements, entering technical parameters, and
confirming submission. The revised estimate is reflected in the updated
burden figures below.
Comment 2 (ALPA): Integration with ``Digital-First'' Modernization.
ALPA recommended that the WebFCR system be evolved from a standalone
portal into an Application Programming Interface (API)-driven platform
that would allow engineering firms and federal agencies to submit
coordination data directly from proprietary modeling software, thereby
reducing manual data entry errors and accelerating the coordination
process consistent with the FAA's digital modernization goals.
FAA Response: The FAA appreciates this recommendation and
recognizes the value of API-driven integration as part of broader
digital modernization efforts. The current Paperwork Reduction Act
(PRA) renewal action is limited in scope to renewing the existing
information collection under OMB Control 2120-0786 and does not serve
as a vehicle for system architecture changes. However, the FAA notes
this recommendation for consideration in future WebFCR development
planning and system modernization initiatives. The FAA remains
committed to exploring opportunities to reduce respondent burden and
improve data submission efficiency consistent with applicable federal
IT and data governance requirements.
Comment 3 (ALPA): Support for New Entrants and Spectrum
Coexistence. ALPA noted that the rapid growth of Advanced Air Mobility
(AAM) and commercial space operations is increasing demand for
aviation-grade spectrum and recommended that the FAA enhance the WebFCR
portal to support more complex coexistence modeling for emerging
technologies, including satellite-to-phone services and unmanned aerial
vehicles (UAVs).
FAA Response: The FAA agrees that the evolving spectrum
environment, including the emergence of AAM, UAV operations, and
satellite-based services, presents increasing complexity for
aeronautical frequency coordination. The WebFCR system, as an
information collection instrument, captures the technical parameters
necessary for the FAA to conduct the required aeronautical studies and
engineering evaluations under FAA Order 6050.32B and 49 U.S.C.
44718(c). The FAA acknowledges that the analytical
[[Page 30024]]
methodologies supporting those evaluations may need to evolve to
address new entrant technologies and notes this recommendation for
consideration in future system and process development activities. The
current renewal action does not modify the scope or technical
requirements of the underlying information collection.
The 49 U.S.C. 44718(c) under Broadcast Applications and Tower
Studies states, `In carrying out laws related to a broadcast
application--the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration
and the Federal Communications Commission shall take action necessary
to coordinate efficiently--(1) The receipt and consideration of, and
action on, the application; and (2) The completion of any associated
aeronautical study.
Currently, transmitter broadcast radio frequency data is collected
via OMB Control 2120-0786 to address non-Federal, military, U.S.
federal agency, state, and municipalities broadcast applications which
require consideration, analysis, or aeronautical studies pursuant to 49
U.S.C. 44718(c).
Respondents: Approximately 4800 annually. The Respondents are
engineers, analysts, consultants, stakeholders, or federal agency
managers, including military services, who need to transmit on a radio
frequency that is within the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration's (NTIA) Aviation Assignment Group (AAG)
frequency band, which is assigned to the FAA for civil aviation use.
The response to this data collection is required for the proponent to
obtain FAA concurrence to use a radio frequency that impacts civil
aviation. The information collected through the WebFCR portal supports
the engineering, modeling, validation, and workflow management of the
request to evaluate if the request interferes or impacts civil aviation
operations pursuant to FAA Order 6050.32B.
Frequency: Information is collected on occasion.
Estimated Average Burden per Response: 0.5 Hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 2,400 Hours.
Issued in Washington, DC, on May 19, 2026.
Christopher S. Jones,
FAA Frequency Assignment Subcommittee Representative Group, Spectrum
Engineering and Assignment, AJW-1910.
[FR Doc. 2026-10169 Filed 5-20-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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