(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.