I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4171 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to prohibit the operation of certain 
aircraft not complying with stage 4 noise levels, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 3, 2015 
Mr. CROWLEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to prohibit the oper-
ation of certain aircraft not complying with stage 4 noise 
levels, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Silent Skies Act of 
2015’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
(1) aircraft and airport noise is one of the most 
common ‘‘quality of life’’ nuisance issues in neigh-
borhoods throughout the United States; and 
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(2) the chapter 14 aircraft noise certification 
standard (to be known as stage 5) became applicable 
to new type design aircraft in 2014 pursuant to an 
agreement signed by the International Civil Aviation 
Organization, of which the United States is a mem-
ber. 
SEC. 3. AIRCRAFT NOISE REDUCTION TECHNOLOGY RE-
SEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND IMPLEMENTA-
TION PARTNERSHIP. 
(a) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT.—Subchapter I of 
chapter 475 of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 47511. Aircraft noise reduction technology re-
search, development, and implementation 
partnership 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Fed-
eral Aviation Administration shall enter into a cooperative 
agreement, using a competitive process, with an institu-
tion, entity, or consortium to carry out a program for the 
development, maturing, and certification of aircraft tech-
nology that will assist in-service and in-production civil 
turbojets that have noise levels greater than the levels 
specified in stage 4 noise standards in complying with 
such noise standards, as required under subchapter II of 
this chapter, or more stringent noise standards. 
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‘‘(b) TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—The Administrator 
may include in a cooperative agreement entered into under 
this section terms and conditions requiring a recipient of 
funds under the cooperative agreement— 
‘‘(1) to conduct activities under the cooperative 
agreement on a cost-shared basis, using Federal and 
non-Federal funds; and 
‘‘(2) to make repayments to the United States 
of all or a portion of the amounts received by the 
recipient under the cooperative agreement, if an air-
craft technology developed under the cooperative 
agreement results in revenues for the recipient. 
‘‘(c) FUNDING.—Of amounts appropriated under sec-
tion 48102(a), not more than $10,000,000 for each of fis-
cal years 2017, 2018, and 2019 may be used to carry out 
this section. 
‘‘(d) REPORT.—Beginning in fiscal year 2017, the 
Administrator shall publish an annual report on the pro-
gram established under this section until completion of the 
program.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The analysis for such 
subchapter is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘47511. Aircraft noise reduction technology research, development, and imple-
mentation partnership.’’. 
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SEC. 4. PROHIBITION ON OPERATING CERTAIN AIRCRAFT 
NOT COMPLYING WITH STAGE 4 NOISE LEV-
ELS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 475 of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘§ 47535. Limitation on operating certain aircraft not 
complying with stage 4 noise levels 
‘‘(a) REGULATIONS.—Not later than December 31, 
2016, the Secretary of Transportation, in consultation 
with the International Civil Aviation Organization, shall 
issue regulations to establish minimum standards for civil 
turbojets to comply with stage 4 noise levels. 
‘‘(b) GENERAL RULE.—The Secretary shall issue 
regulations to ensure that, except as provided in section 
47529— 
‘‘(1) 25 percent of the civil turbojets with a 
maximum weight of more than 75,000 pounds oper-
ating after December 31, 2022, to or from airports 
in the United States comply with the stage 4 noise 
levels established under subsection (a); 
‘‘(2) 50 percent of such turbojets operating 
after December 31, 2027, to or from airports in the 
United States comply with the stage 4 noise levels; 
‘‘(3) 75 percent of such turbojets operating 
after December 31, 2032, to or from airports in the 
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United States comply with the stage 4 noise levels; 
and 
‘‘(4) 100 percent of such turbojets operating 
after December 31, 2037, to or from airports in the 
United States comply with the stage 4 noise levels. 
‘‘(c) FOREIGN-FLAG AIRCRAFT.— 
‘‘(1) INTERNATIONAL
STANDARDS.—The Sec-
retary shall request the International Civil Aviation 
Organization to add to its Work Programme the 
consideration of international standards for the 
phase-out of aircraft that do not comply with stage 
4 noise levels. 
‘‘(2) ENFORCEMENT.—The Secretary shall en-
force the requirements of this section with respect to 
foreign-flag aircraft only to the extent that such en-
forcement is consistent with United States obliga-
tions under international agreements. 
‘‘(d) ANNUAL REPORT.—Beginning with calendar 
year 2020— 
‘‘(1) each air carrier shall submit to the Sec-
retary an annual report on the progress the carrier 
is making toward complying with the requirements 
of this section and regulations issued to carry out 
this section; and 
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‘‘(2) the Secretary shall submit to Congress an 
annual report on the progress being made toward 
that compliance. 
‘‘(e) RECERTIFICATION NOT REQUIRED.— 
‘‘(1) LIMITATION
ON
STATUTORY
CONSTRUC-
TION.—Nothing in this section may be construed to 
require the recertification of a civil turbojet that has 
been retrofitted to comply with or otherwise already 
meets the stage 4 noise levels established under sub-
section (a). 
‘‘(2) MEANS OF DEMONSTRATING COMPLIANCE 
WITH STAGE 4 NOISE LEVELS.—The Secretary shall 
specify means for demonstrating that an aircraft 
complies with stage 4 noise levels without requiring 
recertification.’’. 
(b) NONADDITION RULE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 47529 of such title 
is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a)— 
(i) in the matter preceding paragraph 
(1)— 
(I) by striking ‘‘subsonic’’; and 
(II) by striking ‘‘November 4, 
1990’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 
2020’’; 
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(ii) in paragraph (1) by striking 
‘‘stage 3’’ and inserting ‘‘stage 4’’; and 
(iii) in paragraph (2) by striking ‘‘No-
vember 5, 1990’’ and inserting ‘‘January 
1, 2021’’; 
(B) in subsection (b) by striking ‘‘stage 3’’ 
and inserting ‘‘stage 4’’; and 
(C) in subsection (c)(1) by striking ‘‘No-
vember 5, 1990’’ and inserting ‘‘January 1, 
2021’’. 
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made 
by this subsection take effect on December 31, 
2020. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 475 of such title is 
amended— 
(A) in the chapter analysis— 
(i) by striking the item relating to sec-
tion 47530 and inserting the following: 
‘‘47530. Nonapplication of certain requirements to aircraft outside the 48 con-
tiguous States.’’; 
and 
(ii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘47535. Limitation on operating certain aircraft not complying with stage 4 
noise levels.’’; 
(B) in section 47530— 
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(i) by striking the section designation 
and heading and inserting the following: 
‘‘§ 47530. Nonapplication of certain requirements to 
aircraft outside the 48 contiguous States’’; 
(ii) by striking ‘‘and 47529’’ and in-
serting ‘‘, 47529, and 47535’’; 
(iii) by striking ‘‘subsonic’’; 
(iv) by striking ‘‘November 4, 1990’’ 
and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2020’’; and 
(v) by striking ‘‘stage 3’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘stage 4’’; and 
(C) in section 47531 by striking ‘‘or 
47534’’ and inserting ‘‘47534, or 47535’’. 
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made 
by clauses (iii), (iv), and (v) of paragraph (1)(B) 
take effect on December 31, 2020. 
SEC. 5. STANDARDS FOR ISSUANCE OF TYPE CERTIFI-
CATES. 
(a) APPLICABILITY OF STAGE 5 NOISE STANDARDS 
TO CIVIL TURBOJETS WITH A MAXIMUM WEIGHT OF 
MORE THAN 75,000 POUNDS.—On and after December 
31, 2017, the Secretary of Transportation may not issue 
a type certificate for a civil turbojet with a maximum 
weight of more than 75,000 pounds unless the person ap-
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plying for the type certificate demonstrates that the civil 
turbojet complies with stage 5 noise levels. 
(b) APPLICABILITY OF STAGE 5 NOISE STANDARDS 
TO ALL CIVIL TURBOJETS.—On and after December 31, 
2020, the Secretary may not issue a type certificate for 
any civil turbojet unless the person applying for the type 
certificate demonstrates that the civil turbojet complies 
with stage 5 noise levels. 
Æ 
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