Modernizing Aeronautical Standards Act

This Act may be cited as the “Modernizing Aeronautical Standards Act”.

(a) Study required.— The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), in consultation with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and representatives of relevant academic, industry, nonprofit, or standards organizations as the Administrator of NASA determines appropriate, shall conduct a study on the modernization of aeronautical standards.

(b) Designation.— The study conducted under subsection (a) shall be known as the “Modernization of Aeronautical Standards and Aircraft Performance Study” (in this section referred to as the “study”).

(c) Elements.— The study may include the following:

(1) An assessment of— including an assessment of significant variations between the conditions specified in subparagraphs (A) and (B).

(A) current atmospheric conditions, and

(B) corresponding atmospheric conditions over the immediately preceding 50 years,

(2) An assessment of the state of current predictions for, or mapping of, future trends or variations in atmospheric conditions in the 50 years beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(3) An analysis of the impacts to operation, maintenance, and sustainment costs of covered commercial aircraft as a result of any significant variations related to atmospheric conditions assessed pursuant to paragraph (1).

(4) An estimation of the number of weight restriction hours for covered commercial aircraft at covered commercial airports as a consequence of the assessment of atmospheric conditions pursuant to paragraph (1).

(5) An assessment of required infrastructure investment at covered commercial airports as a result of the assessments of atmospheric conditions pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2).

(6) An assessment of recommended considerations for design modifications for future aircraft to account for the assessments of atmospheric conditions pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2).

(7) An analysis of impacts to operation, maintenance, and sustainment costs and aircraft performance of aircraft as a result of the atmospheric conditions assessed pursuant to paragraph (1).

(8) Design requirements for aircraft owned by the Federal Government, or other equipment, which should be updated to account for atmospheric conditions.

(9) Assessments of United States aeronautical and atmospheric standards, as a result of the assessments of atmospheric conditions pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2).

(10) Criteria under which future updates or supplements to atmospheric standards should be made.

(d) Transmittal.— The Administrator NASA may transmit the results of the study to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(e) Definitions.— In this section:

(1) Aircraft performance.— The term “aircraft performance” includes the following:

(A) Range.

(B) Payload capacity.

(C) Runway length requirement.

(D) Climb rate.

(E) Turn rate.

(F) Operating altitude.

(G) Acceleration.

(2) Atmospheric standards.— The term “atmospheric standards” means the following:

(A) The United States Standard Atmosphere of 1976.

(B) Any other standard as determined by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

(3) Covered commercial aircraft.— The term “covered commercial aircraft” means the ten aircraft types still in production with the highest number of operations at covered commercial airports in the most recent calendar year ending before the date of the enactment of this Act.

(4) Covered commercial airports.— The term “covered commercial airports” means the following:

(A) The 30 commercial service airports (as such term is defined in section 47102(7) of title 49, United States Code) with the most passenger boardings (as such term is defined in section 47102(15) of title 49, United States Code) in the most recent calendar year ending before the date of the enactment of this Act.

(B) The five public airports (as such term is defined in section 47102(21) of title 49, United States Code) not described in subparagraph (A) with the highest all-cargo landed weight in the most recent calendar year ending before the date of the enactment of this Act.

(5) Weight restriction hour.— The term “weight restriction hour” means an hour when the maximum temperature for that hour matches or exceeds the weight-restriction temperature threshold for a specific aircraft.