(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.