105 
of a term collective-bargaining agreement, the par-
ties shall submit their issues in controversy to a pri-
vate arbitration board consisting of 3 members. 
‘‘(2) APPOINTMENT OF ARBITRATION BOARD.— 
‘‘(A) PREPARATION OF LIST OF ARBITRA-
TORS.—The Director of the Service shall pro-
vide for the appointment of the 3 members of 
an arbitration board by— 
‘‘(i) preparing a list of not fewer than 
15 names of arbitrators of nationwide rep-
utation and professional stature with at 
least 20 years of experience in labor-man-
agement arbitration and considerable expe-
rience in interest arbitration in major in-
dustries; and 
‘‘(ii) providing the list to the parties. 
‘‘(B) SELECTION
OF
ARBITRATORS
BY 
PARTIES.—Not later than 10 days after receiv-
ing a list of names under subparagraph (A), the 
parties shall each select one arbitrator. The ar-
bitrators selected by the parties do not need to 
be arbitrators whose names appear on the list. 
‘‘(C) 
SELECTION
OF
THIRD
ARBI-
TRATOR.—Not later than 7 days after the date 
on which the 2 arbitrators are selected by the 
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parties under subparagraph (B), the 2 arbitra-
tors, acting jointly, shall select a third person 
from the list prepared under subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(D) FAILURE TO ACT.—If either of the 
parties fails to select a person or if the 2 arbi-
trators are unable to agree on the third person 
in 7 days, the parties shall make the selection 
by alternately striking names on the list pre-
pared under subparagraph (A), beginning with 
the party chosen on a random basis, until one 
arbitrator remains. 
‘‘(3) FRAMING
ISSUES
IN
CONTROVERSY.—If 
the parties do not agree on the framing of the issues 
to be submitted for arbitration, the arbitration board 
shall frame the issues. 
‘‘(4) HEARINGS.—The arbitration board shall 
give the parties a full and fair hearing, including an 
opportunity to present evidence and witnesses in 
support of their claims and an opportunity to 
present their case in person, by counsel, or by other 
representative as they may elect. 
‘‘(5) DECISIONS.—The arbitration board shall 
render its written decision not later than 90 days 
after the date of its appointment. Decisions of the 
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arbitration board shall be conclusive and binding 
upon the parties. 
‘‘(6) EVIDENCE.—The arbitration board shall 
consider and afford the proper weight to all of the 
evidence presented by the parties. 
‘‘(7) COSTS.—The parties shall share costs of 
the arbitration equally. 
‘‘(c) RATIFICATION OF AGREEMENTS.—Upon reach-
ing a voluntary agreement or at the conclusion of the bind-
ing arbitration under subsection (b), the final agreement, 
except for those matters decided by a private arbitration 
board, shall be— 
‘‘(1) subject to ratification by the exclusive bar-
gaining representative of the employees, if so re-
quested by the bargaining representative; and 
‘‘(2) subject to approval by the head of the Cor-
poration in accordance with section 7114(c) of title 
5. 
‘‘(d) MID-TERM BARGAINING.— 
‘‘(1) PREPARATION
OF
LIST
OF
ARBITRA-
TORS.—If the mediation services of the Service 
under subsection (a) do not lead to the resolution of 
issues in controversy arising from the negotiation of 
a mid-term collective-bargaining agreement, the Di-
rector shall provide the parties a list of not fewer 
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than 10 names of arbitrators of nationwide reputa-
tion and professional stature with at least 20 years 
of experience in labor-management arbitration and 
considerable experience in interest arbitration in 
major industries. 
‘‘(2) SELECTION OF ARBITRATOR.—The parties 
shall alternately strike names on the list, beginning 
with the party chosen on a random basis, until one 
arbitrator remains. 
‘‘(3) DECISION.—The arbitrator shall hold a 
hearing, and not later than 90 days after date of the 
appointment of the arbitrator, issue a written deci-
sion resolving the issues in controversy. The decision 
shall be conclusive and binding upon the parties. 
‘‘(e) ENFORCEMENT.—To enforce this section, either 
party may bring suit in the United States District Court 
for the District of Columbia, which shall hear and resolve 
the enforcement action on an expedited basis. 
‘‘(f) 
APPLICATION.—Notwithstanding 
section 
90703(a), section 7119 of title 5 shall not apply to this 
chapter. 
‘‘§ 90708. Potential and pending grievances, arbitra-
tions, and settlements 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Corporation is deemed to be 
the employer referred to in any agreement or supplement 
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referred to in section 90705(c) for the purpose of any arbi-
tration proceeding or arbitration award. Any agreement 
concerning any employee that resolves a potential or filed 
grievance that is binding on the Agency shall, to the extent 
that the employee becomes an employee of the Corpora-
tion, become binding on the Corporation. 
‘‘(b) EXISTING BINDING AGREEMENTS.—Any agree-
ment or supplement referred to in section 90705(c) is 
binding on— 
‘‘(1) the Corporation as if it were the employer 
referred to in such agreement or supplement; 
‘‘(2) the bargaining representative that is a 
party to the agreement or supplement; and 
‘‘(3) the employees of the Corporation in the 
bargaining unit with respect to whom that bar-
gaining representative has been certified. 
‘‘(c) JURISDICTION.—Subject to section 90703, the 
Authority shall retain jurisdiction over all matters arising 
before the date of transfer in relation to the interpretation 
and application of any agreement or supplement referred 
to in section 90705(c), whether or not such agreement or 
supplement has expired. 
‘‘(d) EXISTING GRIEVANCES OR ARBITRATIONS.— 
Grievances or arbitrations that were filed or commenced 
before the date of transfer with respect to any agreement 
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or supplement referred to in section 90705(c) shall be con-
tinued as though the Corporation were the employer re-
ferred to in the agreement or supplement. 
‘‘(e) PROCEEDINGS AFTER DATE OF TRANSFER.— 
Where events giving rise to a grievance under any agree-
ment or supplement referred to in section 90705(c) oc-
curred before the date of transfer but the proceedings had 
not commenced before that date, the proceedings may be 
commenced on or after the date of transfer in accordance 
with such agreement or supplement as though the Cor-
poration were the employer referred to in such agreement 
or supplement. 
‘‘(f) ACTIONS DEEMED TO BE BY CORPORATION.— 
For the purposes of subsections (c), (d), and (e), anything 
done, or not done, by the Agency is deemed to have been 
done, or to have not been done, as the case may be, by 
the Corporation. 
‘‘(g) EXCEPTIONS TO ARBITRAL AWARDS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding section 
90703, section 7122 of title 5 shall not apply to this 
chapter. 
‘‘(2) ACTIONS
TO
VACATE.—Either party to 
grievance arbitration under this chapter may file an 
action pursuant to section 90709(a) to enforce the 
arbitration process or to vacate or enforce an arbi-
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tration award. An arbitration award may only be va-
cated on the grounds, and pursuant to the stand-
ards, that would be applicable to an action to vacate 
an arbitration award brought in the Federal courts 
under section 301 of the Labor Management Rela-
tions Act, 1947 (29 U.S.C. 185). 
‘‘§ 90709. Legal action 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Consistent with the require-
ments of section 90313, actions to enforce the arbitration 
process or vacate or enforce an arbitral award under sec-
tion 90708(g)(2) between the Corporation and a labor or-
ganization representing Corporation employees, or be-
tween any such labor organizations, may be brought in 
any district court of the United States having jurisdiction 
of the parties, without respect to the amount in con-
troversy. 
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZED ACTS.—A labor organization rec-
ognized under section 90705 and the Corporation shall be 
bound by the authorized acts of their agents. Any labor 
organization may sue or be sued as an entity and on behalf 
of the employees whom it represents in the courts of the 
United States. Any money judgment against a labor orga-
nization in a district court of the United States shall be 
enforceable only against the organization as an entity and 
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against its assets, and shall not be enforceable against any 
individual member or his assets. 
‘‘(c) JURISDICTION.—Under this subtitle, for the 
purposes of actions and proceedings by or against labor 
organizations in the district courts of the United States, 
district courts shall be deemed to have jurisdiction of a 
labor organization— 
‘‘(1) in the district in which such organization 
maintains its principal offices; or 
‘‘(2) in any district in which its duly authorized 
officers or agents are engaged in representing or 
acting for employee members. 
‘‘(d) SUMMONS OR SUBPOENA.—The service of sum-
mons, subpoena, or other legal process of any court of the 
United States upon an officer or agent of a labor organiza-
tion, in his capacity as such, shall constitute service upon 
the labor organization. 
‘‘CHAPTER 909—OTHER MATTERS 
‘‘Sec. 
‘‘90901. Termination of Government functions. 
‘‘90902. Savings provisions. 
‘‘90903. Inspector General reports to Congress on transition. 
‘‘§ 90901. Termination of Government functions 
‘‘Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, when-
ever any function vested by law in the Secretary, Adminis-
trator, Department of Transportation, or FAA has been 
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transferred to the Corporation pursuant to this subtitle, 
it shall no longer be a function of the Government. 
‘‘§ 90902. Savings provisions 
‘‘(a) COMPLETED ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Completed administrative 
actions of the Department of Transportation or the 
FAA shall not be affected by the enactment of this 
subtitle, but shall continue in effect according to 
their terms until amended, modified, superseded, 
terminated, set aside, or revoked in accordance with 
law. 
‘‘(2) COMPLETED ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION DE-
FINED.—In paragraph (1), the term ‘completed ad-
ministrative action’ includes orders, determinations, 
rules, regulations, personnel actions, permits, agree-
ments, grants, contracts, certificates, licenses, reg-
istrations, and privileges. 
‘‘(b) CONTINUED EFFECTIVENESS OF PENDING AC-
TIONS.— 
‘‘(1) PENDING ACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS.— 
The provisions of this subtitle shall not affect any 
proceedings of the Department of Transportation or 
the FAA pending on the date of transfer, includ-
ing— 
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‘‘(A) notices of proposed rulemaking re-
lated to activities of the FAA not transferred to 
the Corporation; 
‘‘(B) an application for a license, a permit, 
a certificate, or financial assistance pending on 
the date of transfer before the Department of 
Transportation or the FAA, or any officer 
thereof, with respect to activities not trans-
ferred by this subtitle; or 
‘‘(C) an application for a license, a permit, 
a certificate, or financial assistance pending on 
the date of transfer before the Department of 
Transportation or the FAA, or any officer 
thereof, with respect to activities transferred by 
this subtitle. 
‘‘(2) EFFECT
OF
ORDERS.—Orders issued in 
any proceedings referred to in paragraph (1) shall 
continue in effect until modified, terminated, super-
seded, or revoked in accordance with law. Nothing in 
this subsection prohibits the discontinuance or modi-
fication of any such proceeding under the same 
terms and conditions and to the same extent that 
such proceeding could have been discontinued or 
modified if this subtitle had not been enacted. 
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‘‘(c) CONTINUED EFFECTIVENESS OF ADMINISTRA-
TIVE AND JUDICIAL ACTIONS.—No causes of action or ac-
tions by or against the Department of Transportation or 
the FAA arising from acts or omissions occurring before 
the date of transfer shall abate by reason of the enactment 
of this subtitle. 
‘‘(d) SUBSTITUTION OR ADDITION OF PARTIES TO 
JUDICIAL ACTIONS.—Except as provided by subsection 
(e)(2), if, on the date of transfer, the Department of 
Transportation or the FAA, or any officer thereof in the 
officer’s capacity, is a party to an action and, under this 
subtitle, the performance of that activity of the Depart-
ment, FAA, or officer is transferred to the Corporation, 
such action shall be continued with the CEO substituted 
or added as a party. 
‘‘(e) AIR TRAFFIC SERVICE LIABILITIES AND OBLI-
GATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) ASSUMPTION OF OBLIGATIONS.—Except as 
provided in paragraph (2), the Corporation shall as-
sume— 
‘‘(A) all obligations (tangible and incorpo-
real, present, and executory) associated with the 
air traffic services transferred under this sub-
title on the date of transfer, including leases, 
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permits, licenses, contracts, agreements, ac-
counts receivable, and accounts payable; and 
‘‘(B) all claims and liabilities associated 
with the air traffic services transferred under 
this subtitle pending on the date of transfer. 
‘‘(2) CLAIMS AND ACTIONS THAT REMAIN LI-
ABILITIES OF UNITED STATES.— 
‘‘(A) CLAIMS
AND
ACTIONS
ARISING
IN 
TORT.—All claims and actions arising in tort 
pending on the date of transfer and arising out 
of the alleged acts or omissions of employees of 
the FAA who transfer to the Corporation shall 
remain liabilities of the United States. 
‘‘(B) CONTINGENT LIABILITIES.—All con-
tingent liabilities existing on the date of trans-
fer shall remain with the United States, includ-
ing (without limitation) environmental and in-
tellectual property infringement claims. 
‘‘(C) OTHER CLAIMS AND LIABILITIES.— 
All other claims and liabilities arising out of the 
alleged acts or omissions of the United States 
before the date of transfer (including those aris-
ing under an agreement referred to in section 
90705(c)) whose remedy is financial or mone-
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tary in nature shall remain liabilities of the 
United States. 
‘‘(D) ACCESS OF FEDERAL REPRESENTA-
TIVES
TO
EMPLOYEES
AND
RECORDS.—The 
Secretary shall ensure that, before the date of 
transfer, the Corporation has agreed to allow 
representatives of the Secretary and the Attor-
ney General such access as they may require to 
employees and records of the Corporation for 
all purposes relating to the handling of such 
claims under this paragraph. 
‘‘§ 90903. Inspector General reports to Congress on 
transition 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Before the date of transfer, the 
Inspector General of the Department of Transportation 
shall submit regular reports to Congress on the progress 
of the preparation of the Department of Transportation 
and of the Corporation for the transfer of operational con-
trol of air traffic services under this subtitle. 
‘‘(b) TIMING.—The reports described in subsection 
(a) shall be submitted, at a minimum, on a quarterly basis 
until the date of transfer. 
‘‘(c) SUNSET.—This section shall expire on the date 
of transfer. 
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‘‘(d) STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this 
section may be construed to limit the authority of the In-
spector General of the Department of Transportation to 
conduct oversight of the Department of Transportation’s 
interactions with the Corporation after the date of trans-
fer.’’. 
(b) ANALYSIS FOR TITLE 49.—The analysis for title 
49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘XI. ATC Corporation ......................................................................90101’’. 
Subtitle B—Amendments to 
Federal Aviation Laws 
SEC. 221. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 40102(a) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(48) ‘ATC Corporation’ means the ATC Cor-
poration established by subtitle XI.’’. 
SEC. 222. SUNSET OF FAA AIR TRAFFIC ENTITIES AND OFFI-
CERS. 
(a) AIR TRAFFIC SERVICES COMMITTEE.—Section 
106(p) of title 49, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (7) by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(I) SUNSET.—The Committee shall termi-
nate and this paragraph shall cease to be effec-
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119 
tive beginning on the date of transfer (as de-
fined in section 90101(a)).’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(9) SUNSET
OF
AIR
TRAFFIC
ADVISORY 
ROLE.—Beginning on the date of transfer (as de-
fined in section 90101(a)), the Council shall not de-
velop or submit comments, recommended modifica-
tions, or dissenting views directly regarding the ATC 
Corporation or air traffic services.’’. 
(b) 
AIRCRAFT
NOISE
OMBUDSMAN.—Section 
106(q)(2)(C) of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
by inserting ‘‘before the date of transfer (as defined in 
section 90101(a)),’’ before ‘‘be consulted’’. 
(c) CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER.—Section 106(r) of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘(6) SUNSET.—The position of Chief Operating 
Officer shall terminate and this subsection shall 
cease to be effective beginning on the date of trans-
fer (as defined in section 90101(a)).’’. 
(d) CHIEF NEXTGEN OFFICER.—Section 106(s) of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘(8) SUNSET.—The position of Chief NextGen 
Officer shall terminate and this subsection shall 
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cease to be effective beginning on the date of trans-
fer (as defined in section 90101(a)).’’. 
SEC. 223. ROLE OF ADMINISTRATOR. 
Section 40103(b) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘The Adminis-
trator’’ and inserting ‘‘Before the date of transfer 
(as defined in section 90101(a)), the Adminis-
trator’’; 
(2) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(2) The Administrator shall— 
‘‘(A) before the date of transfer (as defined in 
section 90101(a)), prescribe air traffic regulations 
on the flight of aircraft (including regulations on 
safe altitudes) for— 
‘‘(i) navigating, protecting, and identifying 
aircraft; 
‘‘(ii) protecting individuals and property on 
the ground; 
‘‘(iii) using the navigable airspace effi-
ciently; and 
‘‘(iv) preventing collision between aircraft, 
between aircraft and land or water vehicles, and 
between aircraft and airborne objects; and 
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‘‘(B) on and after the date of transfer (as de-
fined in section 90101(a)), prescribe safety regula-
tions on the flight of aircraft (including regulations 
on safe altitudes) for— 
‘‘(i) navigating, protecting, and identifying 
aircraft; 
‘‘(ii) protecting individuals and property on 
the ground; and 
‘‘(iii) preventing collision between aircraft, 
between aircraft and land or water vehicles, and 
between aircraft and airborne objects.’’; and 
(3) in paragraph (3) by striking ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘Sec-
retary’’. 
SEC. 224. EMERGENCY POWERS. 
Section 40106(a) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by 
striking ‘‘air traffic’’; 
(2) in paragraph (1) by inserting ‘‘and the ATC 
Corporation’’ after ‘‘Administration’’; and 
(3) in paragraph (2) by inserting ‘‘and the ATC 
Corporation’’ after ‘‘Administrator’’. 
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SEC. 225. PRESIDENTIAL TRANSFERS IN TIME OF WAR. 
Section 40107(b) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(b) DURING WAR.—If war occurs, the President by 
Executive order may temporarily transfer to the Secretary 
of Defense a duty, power, activity, or facility of the Ad-
ministrator or the ATC Corporation. In making the trans-
fer, the President may temporarily transfer records, prop-
erty, officers, and employees of the Administration or the 
ATC Corporation to the Department of Defense.’’. 
SEC. 226. AIRWAY CAPITAL INVESTMENT PLAN BEFORE 
DATE OF TRANSFER. 
Section 44501(b) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in the first sentence by striking ‘‘The Ad-
ministrator’’ and inserting ‘‘Before the date of 
transfer (as defined in section 90101(a)), the Ad-
ministrator’’; 
(2) in paragraph (4)(B) by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(3) in paragraph (5) by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(6) for fiscal years 2016 through 2019, a 
process under which the Administrator shall con-
tinue to comply with the requirements of this section 
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before the date of transfer (as defined in section 
90101(a)).’’. 
SEC. 227. AVIATION FACILITIES BEFORE DATE OF TRANS-
FER. 
(a) GENERAL AUTHORITY.—Section 44502(a) of title 
49, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘The Adminis-
trator of the Federal Aviation Administration may’’ 
and inserting ‘‘Before the date of transfer (as de-
fined in section 90101(a)), the Secretary of Trans-
portation may’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2) by striking ‘‘The cost’’ 
and inserting ‘‘Before the date of transfer (as de-
fined in section 90101(a)), the cost’’; 
(3) in paragraph (3) by striking ‘‘The Sec-
retary’’ and inserting ‘‘Before the date of transfer 
(as defined in section 90101(a)), the Secretary’’; 
(4) by striking paragraph (4); 
(5) by redesignating paragraph (5) as para-
graph (4); and 
(6) in paragraph (4) (as so redesignated) by 
striking ‘‘The Administrator’’ and inserting ‘‘Before 
the date of transfer (as defined in section 90101(a)), 
the Secretary of Transportation’’. 
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(B) by striking ‘‘that the Administrator’’ 
and inserting ‘‘that the Secretary’’. 
(d) TRANSFERS
OF INSTRUMENT LANDING SYS-
TEMS.—Section 44502(e) of title 49, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ‘‘An airport may transfer’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Before the date of transfer (as defined in section 
90101(a)), an airport may transfer’’. 
SEC. 228. JUDICIAL REVIEW. 
Section 46110(a) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘or subsection (l) or (s) of section 
114’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (l) or (s) of section 114, 
or section 90501’’. 
SEC. 229. CIVIL PENALTIES. 
Section 46301(a)(1)(A) of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by striking ‘‘or section 47133’’ and in-
serting ‘‘, section 47133, or section 90503(c)’’. 
Subtitle C—Other Matters 
SEC. 241. USE OF FEDERAL TECHNICAL FACILITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Federal 
Aviation Administration shall make Administration tech-
nical facilities available to the ATC Corporation for air 
traffic control research and development projects. 
(b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—To ensure the safe transi-
tion of air traffic services, not later than 180 days 
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prior to the date of transfer (as defined in section 
90101(a) of title 49, United States Code, as added 
by this Act), the Administrator shall enter into an 
agreement with the ATC Corporation, for a period 
of not less than 5 years, concerning services that 
could be provided at the Federal Aviation Adminis-
tration technical center, including the integrated air 
traffic control laboratories. 
(2) SERVICES
DEFINED.—In this subsection, 
the term ‘‘services’’ includes— 
(A) activities associated with the approval 
of a safety management system under chapter 
905 of title 49, United States Code, as added 
by this Act; and 
(B) any other activity the Secretary con-
siders necessary to promote safety in air traffic 
services, including verification of the safety 
functions of new air traffic control technologies. 
(c) STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this 
title, or the amendments made by this title, may be con-
strued to limit the safety regulatory authority of the De-
partment of Transportation, including the research and 
development functions of the Department. 
(d) SAFETY.—Before the date of transfer (as defined 
by section 90101(a) of title 49, United States Code, as 
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added by this Act) all operational testing and integration 
of air traffic control systems conducted by the Administra-
tion shall continue. 
SEC. 242. SEVERABILITY. 
If a provision of this title (including any amendment 
made by this title) or its application to any person or cir-
cumstance is held invalid, neither the remainder of this 
title nor the application of the provision to other persons 
or circumstances shall be affected. 
TITLE III—FAA SAFETY 
CERTIFICATION REFORM 
Subtitle A—General Provisions 
SEC. 301. DEFINITIONS. 
In this title, the following definitions apply: 
(1) FAA.—The term ‘‘FAA’’ means the Fed-
eral Aviation Administration. 
(2) SAFETY
OVERSIGHT
AND
CERTIFICATION 
ADVISORY
COMMITTEE.—The term ‘‘Safety Over-
sight and Certification Advisory Committee’’ means 
the Safety Oversight and Certification Advisory 
Committee established under section 302. 
(3) SYSTEMS
SAFETY
APPROACH.—The term 
‘‘systems safety approach’’ means the application of 
specialized technical and managerial skills to the 
systematic, forward-looking identification and con-
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trol of hazards throughout the lifecycle of a project, 
program, or activity. 
SEC. 302. SAFETY OVERSIGHT AND CERTIFICATION ADVI-
SORY COMMITTEE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall establish a Safety Oversight and Certification 
Advisory Committee (in this section referred to as the 
‘‘Advisory Committee’’). 
(b) DUTIES.—The Advisory Committee shall provide 
advice to the Secretary on policy-level issues facing the 
aviation community that are related to FAA safety certifi-
cation and oversight programs and activities, including, at 
a minimum, the following: 
(1) Aircraft and flight standards certification 
processes, including efforts to streamline those proc-
esses. 
(2) Implementation and oversight of safety 
management systems. 
(3) Risk-based oversight efforts. 
(4) Utilization of delegation and designation au-
thorities. 
(5) Regulatory interpretation standardization 
efforts. 
(6) Training programs. 
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(7) Expediting the rulemaking process and giv-
ing priority to rules related to safety. 
(c) FUNCTIONS.—The Advisory Committee shall 
carry out the following functions (as the functions relate 
to FAA safety certification and oversight programs and 
activities): 
(1) Foster industry collaboration in an open 
and transparent manner. 
(2) Consult with, and ensure participation by— 
(A) the private sector, including represent-
atives of— 
(i) general aviation; 
(ii) commercial aviation; 
(iii) aviation labor; 
(iv) aviation, aerospace, and avionics 
manufacturing; 
(v) unmanned aircraft systems opera-
tors and manufacturers; and 
(vi) the commercial space transpor-
tation industry; 
(B) members of the public; and 
(C) other interested parties. 
(3) Establish consensus national goals, strategic 
objectives, and priorities for the most efficient, 
streamlined, and cost-effective certification and over-
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sight processes in order to maintain the safety of the 
aviation system and, at the same time, allow the 
FAA to meet future needs and ensure that aviation 
stakeholders remain competitive in the global mar-
ketplace. 
(4) Provide policy guidance for the FAA’s cer-
tification and safety oversight efforts. 
(5) Provide ongoing policy reviews of the FAA’s 
certification and safety oversight efforts. 
(6) Make appropriate legislative, regulatory, 
and guidance recommendations for the air transpor-
tation system and the aviation safety regulatory en-
vironment. 
(7) Establish performance objectives for the 
FAA and industry. 
(8) Establish performance metrics and goals for 
the FAA and the regulated aviation industry to be 
tracked and reviewed as streamlining and certifi-
cation reform and regulation standardization efforts 
progress. 
(9) Provide a venue for tracking progress to-
ward national goals and sustaining joint commit-
ments. 
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(10) Develop recruiting, hiring, training, and 
continuing education objectives for FAA aviation 
safety engineers and aviation safety inspectors. 
(11) Provide advice and recommendations to 
the FAA on how to prioritize safety rulemaking 
projects. 
(12) Improve the development of FAA regula-
tions by providing information, advice, and rec-
ommendations related to aviation issues. 
(13) Facilitate the validation of United States 
products abroad. 
(d) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Advisory Committee 
shall be composed of the following members: 
(A) The Administrator of the FAA (or the 
Administrator’s designee). 
(B) Individuals appointed by the Secretary 
to represent the following interests: 
(i) Aircraft manufacturers. 
(ii) Avionics manufacturers. 
(iii) Labor organizations, including 
collective bargaining representatives of 
FAA aviation safety inspectors and avia-
tion safety engineers. 
(iv) General aviation operators. 
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(v) Air carriers. 
(vi) Business aviation operators. 
(vii) Unmanned aircraft systems man-
ufacturers and operators. 
(viii) Aviation safety management ex-
pertise. 
(2) NONVOTING MEMBERS.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—In addition to the 
members appointed under paragraph (1), the 
Advisory Committee shall be composed of non-
voting members appointed by the Secretary 
from among individuals representing FAA safe-
ty oversight program offices. 
(B) DUTIES.—The nonvoting members 
shall— 
(i) take part in deliberations of the 
Advisory Committee; and 
(ii) provide input with respect to any 
final reports or recommendations of the 
Advisory Committee. 
(C) LIMITATION.—The nonvoting members 
may not represent any stakeholder interest 
other than FAA safety oversight program of-
fices. 
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(3) TERMS.—Each member and nonvoting 
member of the Advisory Committee appointed by the 
Secretary shall be appointed for a term of 2 years. 
(4) COMMITTEE CHARACTERISTICS.—The Advi-
sory Committee shall have the following characteris-
tics: 
(A) An executive-level membership, with 
members who can represent and enter into com-
mitments for their organizations. 
(B) The ability to obtain necessary infor-
mation from experts in the aviation and aero-
space communities. 
(C) A membership size that enables the 
Committee to have substantive discussions and 
reach consensus on issues in a timely manner. 
(D) Appropriate expertise, including exper-
tise in certification and risked-based safety 
oversight processes, operations, policy, tech-
nology, labor relations, training, and finance. 
(5) LIMITATION
ON
STATUTORY
CONSTRUC-
TION.—Public Law 104–65 (2 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) 
may not be construed to prohibit or otherwise limit 
the appointment of any individual as a member of 
the Advisory Committee. 
(e) CHAIRPERSON.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The Chairperson of the Ad-
visory Committee shall be appointed by the Sec-
retary from among those members of the Advisory 
Committee that are executive-level members of the 
aviation industry. 
(2) TERM.—Each member appointed under 
paragraph (1) shall serve a term of 1 year as Chair-
person. 
(f) MEETINGS.— 
(1) FREQUENCY.—The Advisory Committee 
shall meet at least twice each year at the call of the 
Chairperson. 
(2) PUBLIC
ATTENDANCE.—The meetings of 
the Advisory Committee shall be open to the public. 
(g) SPECIAL COMMITTEES.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Advisory Com-
mittee may establish special committees composed of 
private sector representatives, members of the pub-
lic, labor representatives, and other interested par-
ties in complying with consultation and participation 
requirements under this section. 
(2) RULEMAKING
ADVICE.—A special com-
mittee established by the Advisory Committee may— 
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(A) provide rulemaking advice and rec-
ommendations to the Administrator with re-
spect to aviation-related issues; 
(B) afford the FAA additional opportuni-
ties to obtain firsthand information and insight 
from those parties that are most affected by ex-
isting and proposed regulations; and 
(C) expedite the development, revision, or 
elimination of rules without circumventing pub-
lic rulemaking processes and procedures. 
(3) APPLICABLE
LAW.—Public Law 92–463 
shall not apply to a special committee established by 
the Advisory Committee. 
(h) SUNSET.—The Advisory Committee shall termi-
nate on the last day of the 6-year period beginning on 
the date of the initial appointment of the members of the 
Advisory Committee. 
(i) TERMINATION OF AIR TRAFFIC PROCEDURES AD-
VISORY COMMITTEE.—The Air Traffic Procedures Advi-
sory Committee established by the FAA shall terminate 
on the date of the initial appointment of the members of 
the Advisory Committee. 
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Subtitle B—Aircraft Certification 
Reform 
SEC. 311. AIRCRAFT CERTIFICATION PERFORMANCE OB-
JECTIVES AND METRICS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the 
date on which the Safety Oversight and Certification Advi-
sory Committee is established under section 302, the Ad-
ministrator of the FAA shall establish performance objec-
tives and apply and track metrics for the FAA and the 
aviation industry relating to aircraft certification in ac-
cordance with this section. 
(b) COLLABORATION.—The Administrator shall carry 
out this section in collaboration with the Safety Oversight 
and Certification Advisory Committee. 
(c) PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES.—In carrying out 
subsection (a), the Administrator shall establish perform-
ance objectives for the FAA and the aviation industry to 
ensure that, with respect to aircraft certification, progress 
is made toward, at a minimum— 
(1) eliminating certification delays and improv-
ing cycle times; 
(2) increasing accountability for both FAA and 
industry entities; 
(3) achieving full utilization of FAA delegation 
and designation authorities; 
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(4) fully implementing risk management prin-
ciples and a systems safety approach; 
(5) reducing duplication of effort; 
(6) increasing transparency; 
(7) establishing and providing training, includ-
ing recurrent training, in auditing and a systems 
safety approach to certification oversight; 
(8) improving the process for approving or ac-
cepting the certification actions of bilateral partners; 
(9) maintaining and improving safety; and 
(10) maintaining the leadership of the United 
States in international aviation and aerospace. 
(d) PERFORMANCE METRICS.—In carrying out sub-
section (a), the Administrator shall apply and track per-
formance metrics for the FAA and the regulated aviation 
industry established by the Safety Oversight and Certifi-
cation Advisory Committee. 
(e) DATA GENERATION.— 
(1) BASELINES.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date on which the Safety Oversight and Certifi-
cation Advisory Committee establishes initial per-
formance metrics for the FAA and the regulated 
aviation industry under section 302, the Adminis-
trator shall generate initial data with respect to each 
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of the metrics applied and tracked under this sec-
tion. 
(2) MEASURING PROGRESS TOWARD GOALS.— 
The Administrator shall use the metrics applied and 
tracked under this section to generate data on an 
ongoing basis and to measure progress toward the 
achievement of national goals established by the 
Safety Oversight and Certification Advisory Com-
mittee. 
(f) PUBLICATION.—The Administrator shall make 
data generated using the metrics applied and tracked 
under this section available to the public in a searchable, 
sortable, and downloadable format through the Internet 
Web site of the FAA and other appropriate methods and 
shall ensure that the data is made available in a manner 
that— 
(1) does not provide identifying information re-
garding an individual or entity; and 
(2) protects proprietary information. 
SEC. 312. ORGANIZATION DESIGNATION AUTHORIZATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 447 of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘§ 44736. Organization designation authorizations 
‘‘(a) DELEGATIONS OF FUNCTIONS.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (3), when overseeing an ODA holder, the Ad-
ministrator of the FAA shall— 
‘‘(A) require, based on an application sub-
mitted by the ODA holder and approved by the 
Administrator (or the Administrator’s des-
ignee), a procedures manual that addresses all 
procedures and limitations regarding the func-
tions to be performed by the ODA holder in ac-
cordance with regulations issued by the Admin-
istrator; 
‘‘(B) delegate fully to the ODA holder each 
of the functions to be performed as specified in 
the procedures manual, unless the Adminis-
trator determines, after the date of the delega-
tion and as a result of an inspection or other 
investigation, that the public interest and safety 
of air commerce requires a limitation with re-
spect to 1 or more of the functions; and 
‘‘(C) conduct regular oversight activities by 
inspecting the ODA holder and taking action 
based on validated inspection findings. 
‘‘(2) DUTIES
OF
ODA
HOLDERS.—An ODA 
holder shall— 
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‘‘(A) perform each function delegated to 
the ODA holder in accordance with the ap-
proved procedures manual for the delegation; 
‘‘(B) make the procedures manual avail-
able to each member of the appropriate ODA 
unit; and 
‘‘(C) cooperate fully with oversight activi-
ties conducted by the Administrator in connec-
tion with the delegation. 
‘‘(3) EXISTING
ODA
HOLDERS.—When over-
seeing an ODA holder operating under an approved 
procedures manual as of the date of enactment of 
this section, the Administrator shall— 
‘‘(A) at the request of the ODA holder and 
in a timely manner, approve revisions to the 
ODA holder’s procedures manual; 
‘‘(B) delegate fully to the ODA holder each 
of the functions to be performed as specified in 
the procedures manual, unless the Adminis-
trator determines, after the date of the delega-
tion and as a result of an inspection or other 
investigation, that the public interest and safety 
of air commerce requires a limitation with re-
spect to one or more of the functions; and 
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‘‘(C) conduct regular oversight activities by 
inspecting the ODA holder and taking action 
based on validated inspection findings. 
‘‘(b) ODA OFFICE.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of enactment of this section, the Ad-
ministrator of the FAA shall identify, within the 
FAA Office of Aviation Safety, a centralized policy 
office to be known as the Organization Designation 
Authorization Office or the ODA Office. 
‘‘(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the ODA Of-
fice shall be to oversee and ensure the consistency of 
the FAA’s audit functions under the ODA program 
across the FAA. 
‘‘(3) FUNCTIONS.—The ODA Office shall— 
‘‘(A) improve performance and ensure full 
utilization of the authorities delegated under 
the ODA program; 
‘‘(B) create a more consistent approach to 
audit priorities, procedures, and training under 
the ODA program; 
‘‘(C) review, in a timely fashion, a random 
sample of limitations on delegated authorities 
under the ODA program to determine if the 
limitations are appropriate; and 
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‘‘(D) ensure national consistency in the in-
terpretation and application of the requirements 
of the ODA program and in the performance of 
the ODA program. 
‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following 
definitions apply: 
‘‘(1) FAA.—The term ‘FAA’ means the Fed-
eral Aviation Administration. 
‘‘(2) ODA HOLDER.—The term ‘ODA holder’ 
means an organization— 
‘‘(A) to which the FAA grants an ODA; 
and 
‘‘(B) that is responsible for administering 
1 or more ODA units. 
‘‘(3) ODA 
UNIT.—The term ‘‘ODA unit’’ 
means a group of 2 or more individuals within an 
ODA holder that performs authorized functions 
under an ODA. 
‘‘(4) ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘‘organization’’ 
means a firm, partnership, corporation, company, 
association, joint-stock association, or governmental 
entity. 
‘‘(5) ORGANIZATION DESIGNATION AUTHORIZA-
TION; ODA.—The term ‘Organization Designation 
Authorization’ or ‘ODA’ means an authorization by 
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the FAA under section 44702(d) for an organization 
comprised of 1 or more ODA units to perform ap-
proved functions on behalf of the FAA.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The analysis for such 
chapter is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘44736. Organization designation authorizations.’’. 
SEC. 313. ODA REVIEW. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF EXPERT REVIEW PANEL.— 
(1) EXPERT PANEL.—Not later than 60 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Adminis-
trator of the FAA shall convene a multidisciplinary 
expert review panel (in this section referred to as the 
‘‘Panel’’). 
(2) COMPOSITION OF PANEL.— 
(A) APPOINTMENT
OF
MEMBERS.—The 
Panel shall be composed of not more than 20 
members appointed by the Administrator. 
(B) QUALIFICATIONS.—The members ap-
pointed to the Panel shall— 
(i) each have a minimum of 5 years of 
experience in processes and procedures 
under the ODA program; and 
(ii) represent, at a minimum, ODA 
holders, aviation manufacturers, safety ex-
perts, and FAA labor organizations, in-
cluding labor representatives of FAA avia-
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tion safety inspectors and aviation safety 
engineers. 
(b) SURVEY.—The Panel shall conduct a survey of 
ODA holders and ODA program applicants to document 
and assess FAA certification and oversight activities, in-
cluding use of the ODA program and the timeliness and 
efficiency of the certification process. 
(c) ASSESSMENT
AND
RECOMMENDATIONS.—The 
Panel shall assess and make recommendations con-
cerning— 
(1) the FAA’s processes and procedures under 
the ODA program and whether the processes and 
procedures function as intended; 
(2) the best practices of and lessons learned by 
ODA holders and individuals who provide oversight 
of ODA holders; 
(3) performance incentive policies related to the 
ODA program for FAA personnel; 
(4) training activities related to the ODA pro-
gram for FAA personnel and ODA holders; 
(5) the impact, if any, that oversight of the 
ODA program has on FAA resources and the FAA’s 
ability to process applications for certifications out-
side of the ODA program; and 
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(6) the results of the survey conducted under 
subsection (b). 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 6 months after the date 
the Panel is convened under subsection (a), the Panel shall 
submit to the Administrator, the Safety Oversight and 
Certification Advisory Committee, the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Rep-
resentatives, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate a report on the findings 
and recommendations of the Panel. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—The definitions contained in sec-
tion 44736 of title 49, United States Code, as added by 
this Act, apply to this section. 
(f) APPLICABLE LAW.—Public Law 92–463 shall not 
apply to the Panel. 
(g) SUNSET.—The Panel shall terminate on the date 
of submission of the report under subsection (d), or on 
the date that is 1 year after the Panel is convened under 
subsection (a), whichever occurs first. 
SEC. 314. TYPE CERTIFICATION RESOLUTION PROCESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 44704(a) of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(6) TYPE CERTIFICATION RESOLUTION PROC-
ESS.— 
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‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 15 
months after the date of enactment of this 
paragraph, the Administrator shall establish an 
effective, timely, and milestone-based issue reso-
lution process for type certification activities 
under this subsection. 
‘‘(B) PROCESS REQUIREMENTS.—The res-
olution process shall provide for— 
‘‘(i) resolution of technical issues at 
pre-established stages of the certification 
process, as agreed to by the Administrator 
and the type certificate applicant; 
‘‘(ii) automatic elevation to appro-
priate management personnel of the Fed-
eral Aviation Administration and the type 
certificate applicant of any major certifi-
cation process milestone that is not com-
pleted or resolved within a specific period 
of time agreed to by the Administrator and 
the type certificate applicant; and 
‘‘(iii) resolution of a major certifi-
cation process milestone elevated pursuant 
to clause (ii) within a specific period of 
time agreed to by the Administrator and 
the type certificate applicant. 
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‘‘(C) 
MAJOR
CERTIFICATION
PROCESS 
MILESTONE DEFINED.—In this paragraph, the 
term ‘major certification process milestone’ 
means a milestone related to a type certification 
basis, type certification plan, type inspection 
authorization, issue paper, or other major type 
certification activity agreed to by the Adminis-
trator and the type certificate applicant.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—Section 44704 of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended in the section 
heading by striking ‘‘airworthiness certificates,,’’ 
and inserting ‘‘airworthiness certificates,’’. 
SEC. 315. SAFETY ENHANCING EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEMS 
FOR SMALL GENERAL AVIATION AIRPLANES. 
(a) POLICY.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the FAA 
shall establish and begin implementation of a risk-based 
policy that streamlines the installation of safety enhancing 
equipment and systems for small general aviation air-
planes in a manner that reduces regulatory delays and sig-
nificantly improves safety. 
(b) INCLUSION OF CERTAIN EQUIPMENT AND SYS-
TEMS.—The safety enhancing equipment and systems for 
small general aviation airplanes referred to in subsection 
(a) shall include, at a minimum, the replacement or ret-
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rofit of primary flight displays, auto pilots, engine mon-
itors, and navigation equipment. 
(c) COLLABORATION.—In carrying out this section, 
the Administrator shall collaborate with general aviation 
operators, general aviation manufacturers, and appro-
priate FAA labor groups, including representatives of 
FAA aviation safety inspectors and aviation safety engi-
neers certified under section 7111 of title 5, United States 
Code. 
(d) SMALL
GENERAL
AVIATION
AIRPLANE
DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘small general aviation 
airplane’’ means an airplane— 
(1) that is certified to the standards of part 23 
of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations; 
(2) has a seating capacity of fewer than 9 pas-
sengers; and 
(3) is not used in scheduled passenger-carrying 
operations under part 121 or 135 of title 14, Code 
of Federal Regulations. 
SEC. 316. STREAMLINING CERTIFICATION OF SMALL GEN-
ERAL AVIATION AIRPLANES. 
(a) NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING.—Not later 
than May 1, 2016, the Administrator of the FAA shall 
issue a notice of proposed rulemaking to comply with sec-
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tion 3 of the Small Airplane Revitalization Act of 2013 
(49 U.S.C. 44704 note). 
(b) GOVERNMENT REVIEW.—The Government’s re-
view process shall be streamlined to meet the deadline in 
subsection (a). 
SEC. 317. ADDITIONAL CERTIFICATION RESOURCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law, and subject to the requirements of subsection 
(b), the Administrator of the FAA may enter into a reim-
bursable agreement with an applicant or certificate-holder 
for the reasonable travel and per diem expenses of the 
FAA associated with official travel to expedite the accept-
ance or validation by a foreign authority of an FAA certifi-
cate or design approval. 
(b) CONDITIONS.—The Administrator may enter into 
an agreement under subsection (a) only if— 
(1) the travel covered under the agreement is 
deemed necessary, by both the Administrator and 
the applicant or certificate-holder, to expedite the 
acceptance or validation of the relevant certificate or 
approval; 
(2) the travel is conducted at the request of the 
applicant or certificate-holder; 
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(3) travel plans and expenses are approved by 
the applicant or certificate-holder prior to travel; 
and 
(4) the agreement requires payment in advance 
of FAA services and is consistent with the processes 
under section 106(l)(6) of title 49, United States 
Code. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit 
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a 
report on— 
(1) the number of occasions on which the Ad-
ministrator entered into reimbursable agreements 
under this section; 
(2) the number of occasions on which the Ad-
ministrator declined a request by an applicant or 
certificate-holder to enter into a reimbursable agree-
ment under this section; 
(3) the amount of reimbursements collected in 
accordance with agreements under this section; and 
(4) the extent to which reimbursable agree-
ments under this section assisted in reducing the 
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amount of time necessary for foreign authorities’ 
validations of FAA certificates and design approvals. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following defi-
nitions apply: 
(1) APPLICANT.—The term ‘‘applicant’’ means 
a person that has applied to a foreign authority for 
the acceptance or validation of an FAA certificate or 
design approval. 
(2) CERTIFICATE-HOLDER.—The term ‘‘certifi-
cate-holder’’ means a person that holds a certificate 
issued by the Administrator under part 21 of title 
14, Code of Federal Regulations. 
Subtitle C—Flight Standards 
Reform 
SEC. 331. FLIGHT STANDARDS PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES 
AND METRICS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the 
date on which the Safety Oversight and Certification Advi-
sory Committee is established under section 302, the Ad-
ministrator of the FAA shall establish performance objec-
tives and apply and track metrics for the FAA and the 
aviation industry relating to flight standards activities in 
accordance with this section. 
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(b) COLLABORATION.—The Administrator shall carry 
out this section in collaboration with the Safety Oversight 
and Certification Advisory Committee. 
(c) PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES.—In carrying out 
subsection (a), the Administrator shall establish perform-
ance objectives for the FAA and the aviation industry to 
ensure that, with respect to flight standards activities, 
progress is made toward, at a minimum— 
(1) eliminating delays with respect to such ac-
tivities; 
(2) increasing accountability for both FAA and 
industry entities; 
(3) achieving full utilization of FAA delegation 
and designation authorities; 
(4) fully implementing risk management prin-
ciples and a systems safety approach; 
(5) reducing duplication of effort; 
(6) eliminating inconsistent regulatory interpre-
tations and inconsistent enforcement activities; 
(7) streamlining the hiring process for— 
(A) qualified systems safety engineers to 
support FAA efforts to implement a systems 
safety approach; and 
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(B) qualified systems engineers to guide 
the engineering of complex systems within the 
FAA; 
(8) improving and providing greater opportuni-
ties for training, including recurrent training, in au-
diting and a systems safety approach to oversight; 
(9) developing and allowing utilization of a sin-
gle master source for guidance; 
(10) providing and utilizing a streamlined ap-
peal process for the resolution of regulatory interpre-
tation questions; 
(11) maintaining and improving safety; and 
(12) increasing transparency. 
(d) METRICS.—In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Administrator shall apply and track performance metrics 
for the FAA and the regulated aviation industry estab-
lished by the Safety Oversight and Certification Advisory 
Committee. 
(e) DATA GENERATION.— 
(1) BASELINES.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date on which the Safety Oversight and Certifi-
cation Advisory Committee establishes initial per-
formance metrics for the FAA and the regulated 
aviation industry under section 302, the Adminis-
trator shall generate initial data with respect to each 
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of the metrics applied and tracked under this sec-
tion. 
(2) MEASURING PROGRESS TOWARD GOALS.— 
The Administrator shall use the metrics applied and 
tracked under this section to generate data on an 
ongoing basis and to measure progress toward the 
achievement of national goals established by the 
Safety Oversight and Certification Advisory Com-
mittee. 
(f) PUBLICATION.—The Administrator shall make 
data generated using the metrics applied and tracked 
under this section available to the public in a searchable, 
sortable, and downloadable format through the Internet 
Web site of the FAA and other appropriate methods and 
shall ensure that the data is made available in a manner 
that— 
(1) does not provide identifying information re-
garding an individual or entity; and 
(2) protects proprietary information. 
SEC. 332. FAA TASK FORCE ON FLIGHT STANDARDS RE-
FORM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of 
the FAA shall establish the FAA Task Force on Flight 
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Standards Reform (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Task 
Force’’). 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) APPOINTMENT.—The membership of the 
Task Force shall be appointed by the Administrator. 
(2) NUMBER.—The Task Force shall be com-
posed of not more than 20 members. 
(3) REPRESENTATION
REQUIREMENTS.—The 
membership of the Task Force shall include rep-
resentatives, with knowledge of flight standards reg-
ulatory processes and requirements, of— 
(A) air carriers; 
(B) general aviation; 
(C) business aviation; 
(D) repair stations; 
(E) unmanned aircraft systems operators; 
(F) flight schools; 
(G) labor unions, including those rep-
resenting FAA aviation safety inspectors; and 
(H) aviation safety experts. 
(c) DUTIES.—The duties of the Task Force shall in-
clude, at a minimum, identifying best practices and pro-
viding recommendations, for current and anticipated 
budgetary environments, with respect to— 
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(1) simplifying and streamlining flight stand-
ards regulatory processes; 
(2) reorganizing Flight Standards Services to 
establish an entity organized by function rather than 
geographic region, if appropriate; 
(3) FAA aviation safety inspector training op-
portunities; 
(4) FAA aviation safety inspector standards 
and performance; and 
(5) achieving, across the FAA, consistent— 
(A) regulatory interpretations; and 
(B) application of oversight activities. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Task Force shall submit to 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report 
detailing— 
(1) the best practices identified and rec-
ommendations provided by the Task Force under 
subsection (c); and 
(2) any recommendations of the Task Force for 
additional regulatory action or cost-effective legisla-
tive action. 
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(e) APPLICABLE LAW.—Public Law 92–463 shall not 
apply to the Task Force. 
(f) TERMINATION.—The Task Force shall terminate 
on the earlier of— 
(1) the date on which the Task Force submits 
the report required under subsection (d); or 
(2) the date that is 18 months after the date 
on which the Task Force is established under sub-
section (a). 
SEC. 333. CENTRALIZED SAFETY GUIDANCE DATABASE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of 
the FAA shall establish a centralized safety guidance data-
base that will— 
(1) encompass all of the regulatory guidance 
documents of the FAA Office of Aviation Safety; 
(2) contain, for each such guidance document, 
a link to the Code of Federal Regulations provision 
to which the document relates; and 
(3) be publicly available in a manner that— 
(A) does not provide identifying informa-
tion regarding an individual or entity; and 
(B) protects proprietary information. 
(b) DATA ENTRY TIMING.— 
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(1) EXISTING DOCUMENTS.—Not later than 14 
months after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Administrator shall begin entering into the database 
established under subsection (a) all of the regulatory 
guidance documents of the Office of Aviation Safety 
that are in effect and were issued before the date on 
which the Administrator begins such entry process. 
(2) NEW DOCUMENTS AND CHANGES.—On and 
after the date on which the Administrator begins the 
document entry process under paragraph (1), the 
Administrator shall ensure that all new regulatory 
guidance documents of the Office of Aviation Safety 
and any changes to existing documents are included 
in the database established under subsection (a). 
(c) CONSULTATION REQUIREMENT.—In establishing 
the database under subsection (a), the Administrator shall 
consult and collaborate with appropriate stakeholders, in-
cluding labor organizations (including those representing 
aviation workers and FAA aviation safety inspectors) and 
industry stakeholders. 
(d) REGULATORY
GUIDANCE
DOCUMENTS
DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘regulatory guidance 
documents’’ means all forms of written information issued 
by the FAA that an individual or entity may use to inter-
pret or apply FAA regulations and requirements, includ-
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ing information an individual or entity may use to deter-
mine acceptable means of compliance with such regula-
tions and requirements. 
SEC. 
334. 
REGIONAL 
CONSISTENCY 
COMMUNICATIONS 
BOARD. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 6 months after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of 
the FAA shall establish a Regional Consistency Commu-
nications Board (in this section referred to as the 
‘‘Board’’). 
(b) CONSULTATION REQUIREMENT.—In establishing 
the Board, the Administrator shall consult and collaborate 
with appropriate stakeholders, including FAA labor orga-
nizations (including labor organizations representing FAA 
aviation safety inspectors) and industry stakeholders. 
(c) MEMBERSHIP.—The Board shall be composed of 
FAA representatives, appointed by the Administrator, 
from— 
(1) the Flight Standards Service; 
(2) the Aircraft Certification Service; and 
(3) the Office of the Chief Counsel. 
(d) FUNCTIONS.—The Board shall carry out the fol-
lowing functions: 
(1) Establish, at a minimum, processes by 
which— 
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(A) FAA personnel and regulated entities 
may submit anonymous regulatory interpreta-
tion questions without fear of retaliation; and 
(B) FAA personnel may submit written 
questions, and receive written responses, as to 
whether a previous approval or regulatory inter-
pretation issued by FAA personnel in another 
office or region is correct or incorrect. 
(2) Meet on a regular basis to discuss and re-
solve questions submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) 
and the appropriate application of regulations and 
policy with respect to each question. 
(3) Provide to an individual or entity that sub-
mitted a question pursuant to paragraph (1) a time-
ly response to the question. 
(4) Establish a process to make resolutions of 
common regulatory interpretation questions pub-
lically available to FAA personnel and regulated en-
tities without providing any identifying data of the 
individuals or entities that submitted the questions 
and in a manner that protects any proprietary infor-
mation. 
(5) Ensure the incorporation of resolutions of 
questions submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) into 
regulatory guidance documents. 
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(e) PERFORMANCE
METRICS, TIMELINES, 
AND 
GOALS.—Not later than 6 months after the date on which 
the Safety Oversight and Certification Advisory Com-
mittee establishes performance metrics for the FAA and 
the regulated aviation industry under section 302, the Ad-
ministrator, in collaboration with the Advisory Committee, 
shall— 
(1) establish performance metrics, timelines, 
and goals to measure the progress of the Board in 
resolving regulatory interpretation questions sub-
mitted pursuant to subsection (d)(1); and 
(2) implement a process for tracking the 
progress of the Board in meeting the requirements 
established under paragraph (1). 
Subtitle D—Safety Workforce 
SEC. 341. SAFETY WORKFORCE TRAINING STRATEGY. 
(a) SAFETY WORKFORCE TRAINING STRATEGY.— 
Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Administrator of the FAA shall establish a safety 
workforce training strategy that— 
(1) allows employees participating in organiza-
tion management teams or conducting ODA pro-
gram audits to complete, in a timely fashion, appro-
priate training, including recurrent training, in au-
diting and a systems safety approach to oversight; 
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(2) seeks knowledge-sharing opportunities be-
tween the FAA and the aviation industry regarding 
new equipment and systems, best practices, and 
other areas of interest; 
(3) functions within the current and anticipated 
budgetary environments; and 
(4) includes milestones and metrics for meeting 
the requirements of paragraphs (1), (2), and (3). 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 9 months after the date 
of establishment of the strategy required under subsection 
(a), the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate a report on the imple-
mentation of the strategy and progress in meeting any 
milestones and metrics included in the strategy. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following defi-
nitions apply: 
(1) ODA HOLDER; ODA PROGRAM.—The terms 
‘‘ODA holder’’ and ‘‘ODA program’’ have the mean-
ings given those terms in section 44736 of title 49, 
United States Code, as added by this Act. 
(2) ORGANIZATION MANAGEMENT TEAM.—The 
term ‘‘organization management team’’ means a 
team consisting of FAA aviation safety engineers, 
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flight test pilots, and aviation safety inspectors over-
seeing an ODA holder and its certification activity. 
SEC. 342. WORKFORCE REVIEW. 
(a) WORKFORCE REVIEW.—Not later than 3 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 
General of the United States shall conduct a review to as-
sess the workforce and training needs of the FAA Office 
of Aviation Safety in the anticipated budgetary environ-
ment. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The review required under sub-
section (a) shall include— 
(1) a review of current aviation safety inspector 
and aviation safety engineer hiring, training, and re-
current training requirements; 
(2) an analysis of the skills and qualifications 
required of aviation safety inspectors and aviation 
safety engineers for successful performance in the 
current and future projected aviation safety regu-
latory environment, including the need for a systems 
engineering discipline within the FAA to guide the 
engineering of complex systems, with an emphasis 
on auditing designated authorities; 
(3) a review of current performance incentive 
policies of the FAA, as applied to the Office of Avia-
tion Safety, including awards for performance; 
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(4) an analysis of ways the FAA can work with 
industry and labor, including labor groups rep-
resenting FAA aviation safety inspectors and avia-
tion safety engineers, to establish knowledge-sharing 
opportunities between the FAA and the aviation in-
dustry regarding new equipment and systems, best 
practices, and other areas of interest; and 
(5) recommendations on the most effective 
qualifications, training programs (including e-learn-
ing training), and performance incentive approaches 
to address the needs of the future projected aviation 
safety regulatory system in the anticipated budg-
etary environment. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 9 months after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall 
submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infra-
structure of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate a report on the results of the review required under 
subsection (a). 
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Subtitle E—International Aviation 
SEC. 351. PROMOTION OF UNITED STATES AEROSPACE 
STANDARDS, 
PRODUCTS, 
AND 
SERVICES 
ABROAD. 
Section 40104 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(d) PROMOTION OF UNITED STATES AEROSPACE 
STANDARDS, PRODUCTS, AND SERVICES ABROAD.—The 
Administrator shall take appropriate actions to— 
‘‘(1) promote United States aerospace safety 
standards abroad; 
‘‘(2) facilitate and vigorously defend approvals 
of United States aerospace products and services 
abroad; 
‘‘(3) with respect to bilateral partners, utilize 
bilateral safety agreements and other mechanisms to 
improve validation of United States type certificated 
aeronautical products and appliances and enhance 
mutual 
acceptance 
in 
order 
to 
eliminate 
redundancies and unnecessary costs; and 
‘‘(4) with respect to foreign safety authorities, 
streamline validation and coordination processes.’’. 
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SEC. 352. BILATERAL EXCHANGES OF SAFETY OVERSIGHT 
RESPONSIBILITIES. 
Section 44701(e) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) FOREIGN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES.— 
‘‘(A) ACCEPTANCE.—The Administrator 
shall accept an airworthiness directive issued by 
an aeronautical safety authority of a foreign 
country, and leverage that authority’s regu-
latory process, if— 
‘‘(i) the country is the state of design 
for the product that is the subject of the 
airworthiness directive; 
‘‘(ii) the United States has a bilateral 
safety agreement relating to aircraft cer-
tification with the country; 
‘‘(iii) as part of the bilateral safety 
agreement with the country, the Adminis-
trator has determined that such aero-
nautical safety authority has a certification 
system relating to safety that produces a 
level of safety equivalent to the level pro-
duced by the system of the Federal Avia-
tion Administration; and 
‘‘(iv) the aeronautical safety authority 
of the country utilizes an open and trans-
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parent notice and comment process in the 
issuance of airworthiness directives. 
‘‘(B) ALTERNATIVE APPROVAL PROCESS.— 
Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), the Admin-
istrator may issue a Federal Aviation Adminis-
tration airworthiness directive instead of accept-
ing an airworthiness directive otherwise eligible 
for acceptance under such subparagraph, if the 
Administrator determines that such issuance is 
necessary for safety or operational reasons due 
to the complexity or unique features of the air-
worthiness directive or the United States avia-
tion system. 
‘‘(C) ALTERNATIVE
MEANS
OF
COMPLI-
ANCE.—The Administrator may— 
‘‘(i) accept an alternative means of 
compliance, with respect to an airworthi-
ness directive accepted under subpara-
graph (A), that was approved by the aero-
nautical safety authority of the foreign 
country that issued the airworthiness di-
rective; or 
‘‘(ii) notwithstanding subparagraph 
(A), and at the request of any person af-
fected by an airworthiness directive accept-
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ed under such subparagraph, approve an 
alternative means of compliance with re-
spect to the airworthiness directive.’’. 
SEC. 353. FAA LEADERSHIP ABROAD. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—To promote United States aero-
space safety standards, reduce redundant regulatory activ-
ity, and facilitate acceptance of FAA design and produc-
tion approvals abroad, the Administrator of the FAA 
shall— 
(1) attain greater expertise in issues related to 
dispute resolution, intellectual property, and export 
control laws to better support FAA certification and 
other aerospace regulatory activities abroad; 
(2) work with United States companies to more 
accurately track the amount of time it takes foreign 
authorities, including bilateral partners, to validate 
United States type certificated aeronautical prod-
ucts; 
(3) provide assistance to United States compa-
nies who have experienced significantly long foreign 
validation wait times; 
(4) work with foreign authorities, including bi-
lateral partners, to collect and analyze data to deter-
mine the timeliness of the acceptance and validation 
of FAA design and production approvals by foreign 
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authorities and the acceptance and validation of for-
eign-certified products by the FAA; 
(5) establish appropriate benchmarks and 
metrics to measure the success of bilateral aviation 
safety agreements and to reduce the validation time 
for United States type certificated aeronautical 
products abroad; and 
(6) work with foreign authorities, including bi-
lateral partners, to improve the timeliness of the ac-
ceptance and validation of FAA design and produc-
tion approvals by foreign authorities and the accept-
ance and validation of foreign-certified products by 
the FAA. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the FAA 
shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and In-
frastructure of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate a report that— 
(1) describes the FAA’s strategic plan for inter-
national engagement; 
(2) describes the structure and responsibilities 
of all FAA offices that have international respon-
sibilities, including the Aircraft Certification Office, 
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and all the activities conducted by those offices re-
lated to certification and production; 
(3) describes current and forecasted staffing 
and travel needs for the FAA’s international engage-
ment activities, including the needs of the Aircraft 
Certification Office in the current and forecasted 
budgetary environment; 
(4) provides recommendations, if appropriate, 
to improve the existing structure and personnel and 
travel policies supporting the FAA’s international 
engagement activities, including the activities of the 
Aviation Certification Office, to better support the 
growth of United States aerospace exports; and 
(5) identifies regulatory initiatives or cost-effec-
tive legislative initiatives needed to improve and en-
hance the timely acceptance of United States aero-
space products abroad. 
(c) INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL.—The Administrator of 
the FAA, or the Administrator’s designee, may authorize 
international travel for any FAA employee, without the 
approval of any other person or entity, if the Adminis-
trator determines that the travel is necessary— 
(1) to promote United States aerospace safety 
standards; or 
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(2) to support expedited acceptance of FAA de-
sign and production approvals. 
SEC. 354. REGISTRATION, CERTIFICATION, AND RELATED 
FEES. 
Section 45305 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a) by striking ‘‘Subject to 
subsection (b)’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to subsection 
(c)’’; 
(2) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as 
subsections (c) and (d), respectively; and 
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(b) CERTIFICATION SERVICES.—Subject to sub-
section (c), and notwithstanding section 45301(a), the Ad-
ministrator may establish and collect a fee from a foreign 
government or entity for services related to certification, 
regardless of where the services are provided, if the fee— 
‘‘(1) is established and collected in a manner 
consistent with aviation safety agreements; and 
‘‘(2) does not exceed the estimated costs of the 
services.’’. 
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TITLE IV—SAFETY 
Subtitle A—General Provisions 
SEC. 401. DESIGNATED AGENCY SAFETY AND HEALTH OFFI-
CER. 
Section 106 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(u) DESIGNATED AGENCY SAFETY AND HEALTH 
OFFICER.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—There shall be a Des-
ignated Agency Safety and Health Officer appointed 
by the Administrator, not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this subsection, who shall 
exclusively fulfill the duties prescribed in this sub-
section. 
‘‘(2) DUTIES.—The Designated Agency Safety 
and Health Officer shall have responsibility and ac-
countability for— 
‘‘(A) auditing occupational safety and 
health issues across the Administration; 
‘‘(B) overseeing Administration-wide com-
pliance with relevant Federal occupational safe-
ty and health statutes and regulations, national 
industry and consensus standards, and Admin-
istration policies; and 
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‘‘(C) encouraging a culture of occupational 
safety and health to complement the Adminis-
tration’s existing safety culture. 
‘‘(3) REPORTING STRUCTURE.—The Designated 
Agency Safety and Health Officer shall occupy a 
full-time, senior executive position and shall report 
directly to the Assistant Administrator for Human 
Resource Management. 
‘‘(4) QUALIFICATIONS AND REMOVAL.— 
‘‘(A) QUALIFICATIONS.—The Designated 
Agency Safety and Health Officer shall have 
demonstrated ability and experience in the es-
tablishment and administration of comprehen-
sive occupational safety and health programs 
and knowledge of relevant Federal occupational 
safety and health statutes and regulations, na-
tional industry and consensus standards, and 
Administration policies. 
‘‘(B) REMOVAL.—The Designated Agency 
Safety and Health Officer shall serve at the 
pleasure of the Administrator.’’. 
SEC. 402. REPAIR STATIONS LOCATED OUTSIDE UNITED 
STATES. 
(a) RISK-BASED OVERSIGHT.—Section 44733 of title 
49, United States Code, is amended— 
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(1) by redesignating subsection (f) as sub-
section (g); 
(2) by inserting after subsection (e) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(f) RISK-BASED OVERSIGHT.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of enactment of the Aviation Innova-
tion, Reform, and Reauthorization Act of 2016, the 
Administrator shall take measures to ensure that the 
safety assessment system established under sub-
section (a)— 
‘‘(A) places particular consideration on in-
spections of part 145 repair stations located 
outside the United States that conduct sched-
uled heavy maintenance work on part 121 air 
carrier aircraft; and 
‘‘(B) accounts for the frequency and seri-
ousness of any corrective actions that part 121 
air carriers must implement to aircraft fol-
lowing such work at such repair stations. 
‘‘(2) INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS.—The Ad-
ministrator shall take the measures required under 
paragraph (1)— 
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‘‘(A) in accordance with the United States 
obligations under applicable international agree-
ments; and 
‘‘(B) in a manner consistent with the ap-
plicable laws of the country in which a repair 
station is located. 
‘‘(3) ACCESS
TO
DATA.—The Administrator 
may access and review such information or data in 
the possession of a part 121 air carrier as the Ad-
ministrator may require in carrying out paragraph 
(1)(B).’’; and 
(3) in subsection (g) (as so redesignated)— 
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and 
(2) as paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively; and 
(B) by inserting before paragraph (2) (as 
so redesignated) the following: 
‘‘(1) HEAVY MAINTENANCE WORK.—The term 
‘heavy maintenance work’ means a C-check, a D- 
check, or equivalent maintenance operation with re-
spect to the airframe of a transport-category air-
craft.’’. 
(b) ALCOHOL AND CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES TEST-
ING.—The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Admin-
istration shall ensure that— 
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(1) not later than 90 days after the date of en-
actment of this Act, a notice of proposed rulemaking 
required pursuant to section 44733(d)(2) is pub-
lished in the Federal Register; and 
(2) not later than 1 year after the date on 
which the notice of proposed rulemaking is published 
in the Federal Register, the rulemaking is finalized. 
(c) BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS.—Not later than 
180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Ad-
ministrator shall ensure that each employee of a repair 
station certificated under part 145 of title 14, Code of 
Federal Regulations, who performs a safety-sensitive func-
tion on an air carrier aircraft has undergone a pre-employ-
ment background investigation sufficient to determine 
whether the individual presents a threat to aviation safety, 
in a manner that is— 
(1) determined acceptable by the Administrator; 
(2) consistent with the applicable laws of the 
country in which the repair station is located; and 
(3) consistent with the United States obliga-
tions under international agreements. 
SEC. 403. ENHANCED TRAINING FOR FLIGHT ATTENDANTS. 
Section 44734(a) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended— 
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(1) in paragraph (2) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(2) in paragraph (3) by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) recognizing and responding to potential 
human trafficking victims.’’. 
SEC. 404. FAA TECHNICAL TRAINING. 
(a) E-LEARNING TRAINING PILOT PROGRAM.—Not 
later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, 
in collaboration with the exclusive bargaining representa-
tives of covered FAA personnel, shall establish an e-learn-
ing training pilot program in accordance with the require-
ments of this section. 
(b) CURRICULUM.—The pilot program shall— 
(1) include a recurrent training curriculum for 
covered FAA personnel to ensure that the personnel 
receive instruction on the latest aviation tech-
nologies, processes, and procedures; 
(2) focus on providing specialized technical 
training for covered FAA personnel, as determined 
necessary by the Administrator; 
(3) include training courses on applicable regu-
lations of the Federal Aviation Administration; and 
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(4) consider the efficacy of instructor-led online 
training. 
(c) PILOT PROGRAM TERMINATION.—The pilot pro-
gram shall terminate 1 year after the date of establish-
ment of the pilot program. 
(d) E-LEARNING TRAINING PROGRAM.—Upon termi-
nation of the pilot program, the Administrator shall estab-
lish an e-learning training program that incorporates les-
sons learned for covered FAA personnel as a result of the 
pilot program. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following defi-
nitions apply: 
(1) COVERED
FAA
PERSONNEL.—The term 
‘‘covered FAA personnel’’ means airway transpor-
tation systems specialists and aviation safety inspec-
tors of the Federal Aviation Administration. 
(2) E-LEARNING
TRAINING.—The term ‘‘e- 
learning training’’ means learning utilizing electronic 
technologies to access educational curriculum outside 
of a traditional classroom. 
SEC. 405. SAFETY CRITICAL STAFFING. 
(a) AUDIT
BY DOT INSPECTOR GENERAL.—Not 
later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Inspector General of the Department of Transpor-
tation shall conduct and complete an audit of the staffing 
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model used by the Federal Aviation Administration to de-
termine the number of aviation safety inspectors that are 
needed to fulfill the mission of the Federal Aviation Ad-
ministration and adequately ensure aviation safety. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The audit shall include, at a min-
imum— 
(1) a review of the staffing model and an anal-
ysis of how consistently the staffing model is applied 
throughout the Federal Aviation Administration’s 
aviation safety line of business; 
(2) a review of the assumptions and methods 
used in devising and implementing the staffing 
model to assess the adequacy of the staffing model 
to predict the number of aviation safety inspectors 
needed to properly fulfill the mission of the Federal 
Aviation Administration and meet the future growth 
of the aviation industry; and 
(3) a determination on whether the current 
staffing model takes into account the Federal Avia-
tion Administration’s authority to fully utilize des-
ignees. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 30 days after the date 
of completion of the audit, the Inspector General shall 
submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infra-
structure of the House of Representatives and the Com-
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mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate a report on the results of the audit. 
SEC. 406. DEADLINE FOR AIRLINE PILOT RECORDS DATA-
BASE. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Ad-
ministration shall make available to air carriers the 
records maintained in the pilot records database required 
under section 44703(i) of title 49, United States Code. 
SEC. 407. INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS REGARDING TRACK-
ING OF CIVIL AIRCRAFT. 
The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Adminis-
tration shall exercise leadership on creating a global ap-
proach to improving aircraft tracking by working with— 
(1) foreign counterparts of the Administrator in 
the International Civil Aviation Organization and its 
subsidiary organizations; 
(2) other international organizations and fora; 
and 
(3) the private sector. 
SEC. 408. AIRCRAFT DATA ACCESS AND RETRIEVAL SYS-
TEMS. 
(a) ASSESSMENT.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 
Federal Aviation Administration shall initiate an assess-
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ment of aircraft data access and retrieval systems for part 
121 air carrier aircraft that are used in extended 
overwater operations to— 
(1) determine if the systems provide improved 
access and retrieval of aircraft data and cockpit 
voice recordings in the event of an aircraft accident; 
and 
(2) assess the cost effectiveness of each system 
assessed. 
(b) SYSTEMS TO BE EXAMINED.—The systems to be 
examined under this section shall include, at a minimum— 
(1) automatic deployable flight recorders; 
(2) emergency locator transmitters; and 
(3) satellite-based solutions. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of initiation of the assessment, the Administrator shall 
submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infra-
structure of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate a report on the results of the assessment. 
(d) PART 121 AIR CARRIER DEFINED.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘part 121 air carrier’’ means an air carrier 
that holds a certificate issued under part 121 of title 14, 
Code of Federal Regulations. 
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SEC. 409. PANEL OF AUTOMATION EXPERTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 
Federal Aviation Administration shall convene a panel of 
experts to evaluate methods for training flight crews to 
understand the functionality of automated systems in an 
aircraft cockpit for flightpath management. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The members of the panel 
shall— 
(1) include representatives from labor, industry 
stakeholders, and subject matter experts; and 
(2) have expertise in human factors, training, 
or flight operations. 
(c) DUTIES.—The panel shall— 
(1) identify which of the training methods eval-
uated by the panel are the most effective; 
(2) make recommendations for the implementa-
tion of those methods, taking into consideration the 
current and anticipated budgetary environment; 
(3) evaluate appropriate requirements and 
make recommendations for low-speed alerts for air-
craft operating under parts 121 and 129 of title 14, 
Code of Federal Regulations; and 
(4) evaluate the feasibility of context-dependent, 
low-energy alerting systems for aircraft operating 
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under parts 121 and 129 of title 14, Code of Fed-
eral Regulations. 
(d) REPORT.—The panel shall submit to the Admin-
istrator, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture of the House of Representatives, and the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
a report on the results of the evaluation conducted under 
this section. 
(e) SUNSET.—The panel shall terminate on the date 
of submission of the report under subsection (d). 
SEC. 410. RISK-BASED COCKPIT SAFETY. 
(a) ASSESSMENT.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 
Federal Aviation Administration shall complete an assess-
ment that— 
(1) identifies risks posed to cockpits on com-
mercial passenger aircraft and evaluates current 
standards and requirements in place regarding cock-
pit safety; 
(2) determines the level of risk, if any, posed to 
commercial aviation if a flight deck door is opened 
while a commercial passenger aircraft is in flight; 
(3) identifies methods, including (if appro-
priate) secondary cockpit barriers, to mitigate risks 
to cockpits on commercial passenger aircraft, if any 
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risks are identified under paragraphs (1) and (2); 
and 
(4) recommends safety and airworthiness stand-
ards, as appropriate, for any mitigation method 
identified under paragraph (3). 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 60 days after the date 
of completing the assessment, the Administrator of the 
Federal Aviation Administration shall submit to the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report on the 
assessment, including any findings and recommendations. 
SEC. 411. COCKPIT AUTOMATION MANAGEMENT. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Ad-
ministration shall— 
(1) develop a process to verify that air carrier 
training programs incorporate measures to train pi-
lots on— 
(A) monitoring automation systems; and 
(B) controlling the flightpath of aircraft 
without autopilot or autoflight systems engaged; 
(2) develop metrics or measurable tasks that air 
carriers can use to evaluate pilot monitoring pro-
ficiency; 
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(3) issue guidance to aviation safety inspectors 
responsible for oversight of the operations of air car-
riers on tracking and assessing pilots’ proficiency in 
manual flight; and 
(4) issue guidance to air carriers and inspectors 
regarding standards for compliance with the require-
ments for enhanced pilot training contained in the 
final rule published in the Federal Register on No-
vember 12, 2013 (78 Fed. Reg. 67800). 
SEC. 412. HEADS-UP DISPLAYS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 
Federal Aviation Administration shall initiate a review of 
heads-up display systems (in this section referred to as 
‘‘HUD systems’’). 
(b) CONTENTS.—The review shall— 
(1) evaluate the impacts of single- and dual-in-
stalled HUD systems on the safety and efficiency of 
aircraft operations within the national airspace sys-
tem; and 
(2) review a sufficient quantity of commercial 
aviation accidents or incidents in order to evaluate 
if HUD systems would have produced a better out-
come in that accident or incident. 
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(c) CONSULTATION.—In conducting the review, the 
Administrator shall consult with aviation manufacturers, 
representatives of pilot groups, aviation safety organiza-
tions, and any government agencies the Administrator 
considers appropriate. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit 
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a 
report containing the results of the review, the actions the 
Administrator plans to take with respect to the systems 
reviewed, and the associated timeline for such actions. 
SEC. 413. HIMS PROGRAM. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Ad-
ministration shall conduct a human intervention motiva-
tion study (HIMS) program for flight crewmembers em-
ployed by commercial air carriers operating in United 
States airspace. 
SEC. 414. ACCEPTANCE OF VOLUNTARILY PROVIDED SAFE-
TY INFORMATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There shall be a presumption that 
an individual’s voluntary disclosure of an operational or 
maintenance issue related to aviation safety under an avia-
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tion safety action program meets the criteria for accept-
ance as a valid disclosure under such program. 
(b) DISCLAIMER REQUIRED.—Any dissemination of 
a disclosure that was submitted and accepted under an 
aviation safety action program pursuant to the presump-
tion under subsection (a), but that has not undergone re-
view by an event review committee, shall be accompanied 
by a disclaimer stating that the disclosure— 
(1) has not been reviewed by an event review 
committee tasked with reviewing such disclosures; 
and 
(2) may subsequently be determined to be ineli-
gible for inclusion in the aviation safety action pro-
gram. 
(c) REJECTION OF DISCLOSURE.—A disclosure de-
scribed under subsection (a) shall be rejected from an 
aviation safety action program if, after a review of the dis-
closure, an event review committee tasked with reviewing 
such disclosures determines that the disclosure fails to 
meet the criteria for acceptance under such program. 
(d) AVIATION
SAFETY
ACTION
PROGRAM
DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘aviation safety action 
program’’ means a program established in accordance with 
Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular 120– 
66B, issued November 15, 2002 (including any similar 
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successor advisory circular), to allow an individual to vol-
untarily disclose operational or maintenance issues related 
to aviation safety. 
SEC. 415. MARKING OF TOWERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 
Federal Aviation Administration shall issue regulations for 
the marking of covered towers. 
(b) MARKINGS REQUIRED.—The regulations issued 
under subsection (a) shall ensure that covered towers are 
marked in a manner that is uniform, makes the covered 
towers easily visible, and is consistent with applicable 
guidance of the Administration. 
(c) APPLICATION.—The regulations issued under 
subsection (a) shall ensure that— 
(1) all covered towers constructed on or after 
the date on which such regulations take effect are 
marked in accordance with subsection (b); and 
(2) a covered tower constructed before the date 
on which such regulations take effect is marked in 
accordance with subsection (b) not later than 1 year 
after such effective date. 
(d) COVERED TOWER DEFINED.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—In this section, the term 
‘‘covered tower’’ means a structure that— 
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(A) is self-standing or supported by guy 
wires and ground anchors; 
(B) is 6 feet or less in diameter at the 
base; 
(C) at the highest point of the structure, 
is at least 50 feet above ground level; 
(D) at the highest point of the structure, 
is not more than 200 feet above ground level; 
(E) has accessory facilities on which an an-
tenna, sensor, camera, meteorological instru-
ment, or other equipment is mounted; and 
(F) is located— 
(i) outside the boundaries of an incor-
porated city or town; or 
(ii) on land that is— 
(I) underdeveloped; or 
(II) used for agriculture pur-
poses. 
(2) EXCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘covered tower’’ 
does not include any structure that— 
(A) is adjacent to a house, barn, electric 
utility substation, or any other building; 
(B) is in the curtilage of a farmstead; 
(C) supports electric utility transmission or 
distribution lines; 
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