92 STAT. 1738
Application.
Notice and hearing.
PUBLIC LAW 95-504—OCT. 24, 1978 the appropriate State agency or agencies, and the communities affected such notice (not to exceed 30 days), as the Board shall by regulation prescribe. "(8)(A) After January 1, 1983, any air carrier may file an application with the Board seeking to have the compensation provided under this subsection to the air carrier then serving an eligible point, and which has been serving such eligible point for at least 2 years preceding the date on which such application is filed, terminated in order to allow the applicant air carrier to provide essential air transportation to such eligible point for compensation under this subsection. The Board shall grant such application, after notice and a hearing if requested by an air carrier receiving compensation under this section, taking into consideration the objectives specified in subparagraphs (A)(i) and (ii) of paragraph (5) of this subsection, if the applicant can show that termination of the compensation being provided to the air carrier then serving such eligible point, and that the provision of essential air transportation for compensation under this subsection by the applicant, will result in a substantial— " (i) improvement in the air transportation being provided such eligible point with no increase in the amount of compensation then being paid; or "(ii) decrease in the amount of compensation that Avill be required to continue essential air transportation to that eligible point. "(B) In disposing of each application filed under this paragraph, the Board shall, in addition to considering the objectives specified in subparagraphs (A)(i) and (ii) of paragraph (5), solicit and give great weight to the opinions of the communities affected by the proposed replacement of an air carrier under this subsection. u LEVEL o r
"Commuter air carrier." Ante, p. 1732. Compensation and service, conditions.
Safety standard regulations.
SAFETY
"(c)(1) For purposes of this subsection the term 'commuter air carrier' means an air carrier exempt from any requirement of this Act under section 416(b)(3) of this title. "(2) Notwithstanding section 416(b) of this title, the Board shall not provide an;^ compensation under this section to any commuter air carrier to provide service to any eligible point, and the Board shall prohibit any commuter air carrier from providing service to any eligible point, unless the Board determines that such commuter air carrier— "(A) is fit, willing, and able to perform such service; and " (B) that all aircraft which will be used to perform such service and all operations relating to such service will conform to the safety standards established by the Administrator under paragraph (3) of this subsection. "(3) Not later than the one-hundred-eightieth day after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Administrator, by regulation, shall establish safety standards (A) for aircraft being used by commuter air carriers to provide any service described in paragraph (2) of this subsection, and (B) for all operations relating to such service. Such safety standards shall become effective not later than the last day of the eighteenth month which begins after such date of enactment and shall impose requirements upon such commuter air carriers to assure that the level of safety provided to persons traveling on such commuter
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