I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7447 
To direct the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Adminis-
tration to conduct a study on the modernization of aeronautical stand-
ards, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 7, 2022 
Mr. BROWN of Maryland introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
A BILL 
To direct the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration to conduct a study on the mod-
ernization of aeronautical standards, and for other pur-
poses. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Modernizing Aero-
nautical Standards Act’’. 
SEC. 2. MODERNIZING AERONAUTICAL STANDARDS. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
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(1) The work of the U.S. Committee on Exten-
sion to the Standard Atmosphere, established in 
1953, led to the 1958, 1962, 1966, and 1976 
versions of the U.S. Standard Atmosphere. 
(2) These models were published in book form 
jointly by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-
ministration, the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration, and the U.S. Air Force. 
(3) The U.S. Standard Atmosphere is widely 
used as a basis for the design, testing, and operation 
of aircraft and other equipment. 
(4) The Department of Defense has supple-
mented the standard atmosphere with data models 
of climatic extremes, most recently with MIL– 
HDBK–310, Climatic Information to Determine De-
sign and Test Requirements for Military Systems 
and Equipment, which was published in 1997 and 
‘‘provides climatic data primarily for use in engi-
neering analyses to develop and test military equip-
ment and materiel’’. 
(5) The most recent standard atmosphere pub-
lished in 1976 assumed a standard sea-level tem-
perature of 59 degrees Fahrenheit in continuation of 
the assumption established in 1924 by Resolution 
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192 of the International Commission for Air Naviga-
tion. 
(6) Between 1924 and 1976, the average global 
sea-level temperature rose by 0.5 degree Fahrenheit. 
(7) Since 1976, the average global sea-level 
temperature has risen by more than 1.5 degrees 
Fahrenheit, the five warmest years in the modern 
record have all occurred since 2015, and nine of the 
10 warmest years have occurred since 2005. 
(8) Under the Fifth Assessment Report of the 
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (AR5 
IPCC), all scenarios considered result in an average 
global temperature rise in 2040 by more than 2.5 
degrees Fahrenheit since 1976, with the most ex-
treme scenario resulting in a temperature rise of 3.5 
degrees Fahrenheit. 
(9) By 2100, the IPCC projects that the global 
mean temperature will increase by more than 4 de-
grees Fahrenheit under moderate scenarios, with the 
potential to exceed 7.5 degrees Fahrenheit under the 
most extreme scenarios. 
(10) Aircraft performance is negatively affected 
by increased temperatures, resulting in lower pay-
load capacity, increased runway requirements, re-
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duced range, slower climb out speeds, and negative 
impacts to environmental performance. 
(11) For existing aircraft and engine designs, 
the increase to ambient temperature will result in 
impacts to operations to account for the lower en-
gine and aircraft performance, which may include in-
creased noise exposure, increased operations, in-
crease to emissions, and degradation of air quality. 
(12) For new aircraft and engine designs, the 
increase to ambient temperature will require im-
proved engine designs that provide required thrust 
at higher ambient temperatures to meet mission re-
quirements, which may result in de-rating at air-
ports with excess runway length, resulting in lower 
operational noise compared to current levels. 
(13) The military and commercial aircraft being 
designed today are expected to be in operation for 
thirty to fifty years, with an expected end of life be-
tween 2050 to 2070. 
(b) STUDY ON AERONAUTICAL STANDARDS.— 
(1) STUDY REQUIRED.—The Administrator of 
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 
in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, the 
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administra-
tion, and the Administrator of the National Oceanic 
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and Atmospheric Administration, shall conduct a 
study on the modernization of aeronautical stand-
ards. 
(2) DESIGNATION.—The study conducted under 
paragraph (1) shall be known as the ‘‘Modernization 
of Aeronautical Standards and Aircraft Performance 
Study’’. 
(3) ELEMENTS.—The study conducted under 
paragraph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) An assessment of differences between 
the current atmospheric conditions and the 
baseline atmospheric conditions, to include both 
the mean and extreme values. 
(B) An analysis of the impacts to oper-
ation, maintenance, and sustainment costs of 
covered commercial aircraft due to the dif-
ferences identified in subparagraph (A). 
(C) An estimation of the number of weight 
restriction hours for the covered commercial 
aircraft at the covered commercial airports 
under the baseline, current, and projected at-
mospheric conditions. 
(D) An assessment of the required infra-
structure investment at the covered commercial 
airports such that the number of weight restric-
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tion hours under the projected atmospheric con-
ditions is equivalent to the number of weight re-
striction hours with the current infrastructure 
and route structure under the baseline and cur-
rent atmospheric conditions. 
(E) Recommendations for atmospheric and 
climatic design requirements for future com-
mercial aircraft to account for projected atmos-
pheric conditions. 
(F) An analysis of the impacts to oper-
ation, maintenance, and sustainment costs and 
aircraft performance of military aircraft due to 
the differences identified in subparagraph (A). 
(G) Atmospheric and climatic design re-
quirements for military aircraft, or other equip-
ment, which should be updated to account for 
current and projected atmospheric conditions. 
(H) Recommended updates or supplements 
to the atmospheric standards due to current at-
mospheric conditions. 
(I) Criteria under which future updates or 
supplements to the atmospheric standards 
should be made. 
(4) TRANSMITTAL.—The Administrator shall 
transmit the results of the study to the Committee 
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on Science, Space, and Technology and the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
House of Representatives, the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, 
and the congressional defense committees not later 
than 18 months after the date of enactment of this 
Act. 
(5) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(A) The term ‘‘atmospheric standards’’ 
means— 
(i) the United States Standard At-
mosphere of 1976; 
(ii) MIL–HDBK–310, Climatic Infor-
mation to Determine Design and Test Re-
quirements for Military Systems and 
Equipment; and 
(iii) any other standard as determined 
by the Administrator. 
(B) The term ‘‘baseline atmospheric condi-
tions’’ means the atmospheric conditions re-
ferred to in the most recent release of an at-
mospheric standard. 
(C) The term ‘‘current atmospheric condi-
tions’’ means the atmospheric conditions ob-
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served in the 5 most recent calendar years end-
ing before the date of enactment of this Act. 
(D) The term ‘‘projected atmospheric con-
ditions’’ means the mean atmospheric condi-
tions projected by the International Panel on 
Climate Change under the Sixth Assessment 
Report in scenarios— 
(i) SSP1–1.9; 
(ii) SSP1–2.6; 
(iii) SSP2–4.5; 
(iv) SSP3–7.0; and 
(v) SSP5–8.5. 
(E) The term ‘‘aircraft performance’’ in-
cludes— 
(i) range; 
(ii) payload capacity; 
(iii) runway length requirement; 
(iv) climb rate; 
(v) turn rate; 
(vi) operating altitude; and 
(vii) acceleration. 
(F) The term ‘‘covered commercial air-
ports’’ means— 
(i) the 30 commercial service airports 
(as defined in section 47102(7) of title 49, 
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United States Code) with the most pas-
senger boardings in the most recent cal-
endar year ending before the date of enact-
ment of this Act; and 
(ii) the 5 public airports (as defined 
in section 47102(21) of title 49, United 
States Code) not covered by clause (i) with 
the highest all-cargo landed weight in the 
most recent calendar year ending before 
the date of enactment of this Act. 
(G) The term ‘‘covered commercial air-
craft’’ means the 10 aircraft types still in pro-
duction with the highest number of operations 
at covered commercial airports in the most re-
cent calendar year ending before the date of en-
actment of this Act. 
(H) The term ‘‘commercial aircraft’’ 
means an air carrier operating under part 121 
of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations. 
(I) The term ‘‘passenger boardings’’ has 
the meaning given the term in section 
47102(15) of title 49, United States Code. 
(J) The term ‘‘military aircraft’’ means an 
aircraft that— 
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(i) is currently being developed, pro-
cured, or operated by the Department of 
Defense; and 
(ii) is a bomber, fighter, attack heli-
copter, 
transport 
helicopter, 
strategic 
transport, tactical transport, or surveil-
lance aircraft. 
(K) The term ‘‘weight restriction day’’ 
means a day when the daily maximum tempera-
ture matches or exceeds the weight-restriction 
temperature threshold for a specific aircraft. 
(L) The term ‘‘congressional defense com-
mittees’’ has the meaning given that term in 
section 101(a)(16) of title 10, United States 
Code. 
Æ 
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