14 C.F.R. Subpart E—Rules of Practice for Hearings Under Subpart D
Title 14 - Aeronautics and Space
This subpart applies to hearings held by the FAA under titles I, III, and X of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (49 U.S.C. subchapters I, III, and X), on proposed construction or alteration that affects the use of navigable airspace. Sections 4, 5, 7, and 8 of the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 1003, 1004, 1006, and 1007) do not apply to hearings held on proposed construction or alteration to determine its effect on the safety of aircraft and the efficient use of navigable airspace because those hearings are factfinding in nature. As a factfinding procedure, each hearing is nonadversary and there are no formal pleadings or adverse parties. (a) If, under §79.37, the Administrator grants a public hearing on any proposed construction or alteration covered by this part, the Director, Air Traffic Operations Service designates an FAA employee to be the presiding officer at the hearing. (b) The presiding officer may: (1) Give notice of the date and location of the hearing and any prehearing conference that may be held; (2) Administer oaths and affirmations; (3) Examine witnesses; (4) Issue subpoenas and take depositions or have them taken; (5) Obtain, in the form of a public record, all pertinent and relevant facts relating to the subject matter of the hearing; (6) Rule, with the assistance of the legal officer, upon the admissibility of evidence; (7) Regulate the course and conduct of the hearing; and (8) Designate parties to the hearing and revoke those designations. [Doc. No. 1882, 30 FR 1839, Feb. 10, 1965, as amended by Amdt. 77–11, 54 FR 39292, Sept. 25, 1989] The Chief Counsel designates a member of his staff to serve as legal officer at each hearing under this subpart. The legal officer may examine witnesses and assist and advise the presiding officer on questions of evidence or other legal questions arising during the hearing. [Doc. No. 1882, 30 FR 1839, Feb. 10, 1965, as amended at 38 FR 26444, Sept. 17, 1973] In designating a time and place for a hearing under this subpart the presiding officer considers the needs of the FAA and the convenience of the parties and witnesses. The time and place of each hearing is published in the “Notices” section of the The presiding officer designates the following as parties to the hearing— (a) The proponent of the proposed construction or alteration. (b) Those persons whose activities would be substantially affected by the proposed construction or alteration. (a) The presiding officer may, in his discretion, hold a prehearing conference with the parties to the hearing and the legal officer before the hearing. (b) At the direction of the presiding officer, each party to a prehearing conference shall submit a brief written statement of the evidence he intends to provide through his witnesses and by questioning other witnesses at the hearing, and shall provide enough copies of the statement so that the presiding officer may keep three for the FAA and give one to each other party. (c) At the prehearing conference, the presiding officer reduces and simplifies the subject matter of the hearing so far as possible and advises the parties of the probable order of presenting the evidence. (a) Each witness at a hearing under this subpart shall, after being sworn by the presiding officer, give his testimony under oath. (b) The party for whom a witness, other than an employee of the FAA, is testifying shall examine that witness. After that examination, other parties to the hearing may examine the witness, in the order fixed by the presiding officer. The presiding officer and the legal officer may then examine the witness. The presiding officer may grant any party an additional opportunity to examine any witness, if that party adequately justifies the additional examination. (c) The legal officer examines each FAA employee who is a witness, before the other parties examine him. After that examination, the order prescribed in paragraph (b) of this section applies. An FAA employee may testify only as to facts within his personal knowledge and the application of FAA regulations, standards, and policies. (a) The presiding officer receives all testimony and exhibits that are relevant to the issues of the hearing. So far as possible, each party shall submit enough copies of his exhibits that the presiding officer may keep three copies for the FAA and give one to each other party. (b) The presiding officer excludes any testimony that is irrelevant, unduly repetitious, or consists of statements made during an aeronautical study in an effort to reconcile or compromise aviation or construction or alteration requirements. A party to the hearing may object to the admission of evidence only on the ground that it is irrelevant. (a) The presiding officer of a hearing may issue subpoenas for any witness or exhibit that he determines may be material and relevant to the issues of the hearing. So far as possible, each party to the hearing shall provide the witnesses and exhibits that he intends to present at the hearing. (b) If any party to the hearing is unable to provide his necessary witnesses and exhibits, he shall advise the presiding officer far enough in advance that the presiding officer can determine whether he should issue subpoenas for the desired witnesses or exhibits. (a) The sponsor of any proposed construction or alteration covered by this part may revise his proposal at any time before or during the hearing. If he revises it, the presiding officer decides whether the revision affects the proposal to the extent that he should send it to the Administrator for a redetermination of the need for a hearing. (b) If the presiding officer decides that it does not need to be resubmitted to the Administrator, he advises the parties of the revised proposal and takes the action necessary to allow all parties to effectively participate in the hearing on the revised proposal. Without limiting his discretion, the presiding officer may recess and reconvene the hearing, or hold another prehearing conference. (a) Each hearing is recorded verbatim by an official reporter under an FAA contract. The transcript, and all exhibits, become a part of the record of the hearing. (b) Any person may buy a copy of the transcript of the hearing from the reporter at the price fixed for it. (c) The presiding officer may allow any party to withdraw an original document if he submits authenticated copies of it. (d) Any person may buy, from the FAA, photostatic copies of any exhibit by paying the copying costs. (e) A change in the official transcript of a hearing may be made only if it involves an error of substance. Any recommendation to correct the transcript must be filed with the presiding officer within 5 days after the hearing closes. The presiding officer reviews each request for a correction to the extent he considers appropriate and shall make any revisions that he finds appropriate as a result of that review. Within 20 days after the mailing of the record of hearing by the official reporter, or as otherwise directed by the presiding officer, each party may submit to the presiding officer five copies of his recommendations for a final decision to be made by the Administrator. After reviewing the evidence relevant to the questions of fact in a hearing, including the official transcript and the exhibits, The Administrator resolves all these questions, based on the weight of evidence, and makes his determination, stating the basis and reasons for it. He then issues an appropriate order to be served on each of the parties. (a) A former officer or employee of the FAA may not appear on behalf of, or represent, any party before the FAA in connection with any matter to which this part applies, if he considered or passed on that matter while he was an officer or employee of the FAA. (b) A person appearing before the FAA on any matter to which this part applies may not, in connection with that appearance, knowingly accept assistance from, or share fees with, any person who is prohibited by paragraph (a) of this section, from appearing himself on that matter. (c) A former official or employee of the FAA may not, within 6 months after he ceases to be such an officer or employee, appear before the FAA on behalf of, or represent, any party in connection with any proceeding that was pending under this part while he was an officer or employee of the FAA, unless he obtains written consent from an appropriate officer of the FAA, based on a verified showing that he did not personally consider the matter concerned or gain particular knowledge of it while he was an officer or employee of the FAA.
Title 14: Aeronautics and Space
PART 77—OBJECTS AFFECTING NAVIGABLE AIRSPACE
Subpart E—Rules of Practice for Hearings Under Subpart D
§ 77.41 Scope.
§ 77.43 Nature of hearing.
§ 77.45 Presiding officer.
§ 77.47 Legal officer.
§ 77.49 Notice of hearing.
§ 77.51 Parties to the hearing.
§ 77.53 Prehearing conference.
§ 77.55 Examination of witnesses.
§ 77.57 Evidence.
§ 77.59 Subpoenas of witnesses and exhibits.
§ 77.61 Revision of construction or alteration proposal.
§ 77.63 Record of hearing.
§ 77.65 Recommendations by parties.
§ 77.67 Final decision of the Administrator.
§ 77.69 Limitations on appearance and representation.
