The FAA has begun soliciting responses to its 42nd Annual General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey. Opened on February 24, the survey will continue through July 10 as the agency seeks to gauge the size, primary use, and flight hours of the 2019 general aviation fleet in the U.S.

According to the FAA, this voluntary survey enables the agency to monitor the success of its safety initiatives and evaluate the services and equipment that are necessary for the general aviation community, the agency said. The survey was distributed by mail to a representative sampling of general aviation and Part 135 owners and operators.

Independent research firm Tetra Tech is conducting the survey on behalf of the FAA and will process responses and analyze results. Responses will be kept confidential to the extent permitted by law, the FAA said. The four-page survey, which can be completed either through mail or online, will take between 10 and 30 minutes, the agency estimated. Results are expected to be posted by January 2021.