I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2626 
To reform Federal Aviation Administration safety requirements for 
commercial air tour operators, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 13, 2023 
Ms. TOKUDA (for herself and Mr. CASE) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To reform Federal Aviation Administration safety require-
ments for commercial air tour operators, 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 ‘‘Air Tour and Sport 
Parachuting Safety Improvement Act of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Federal 
Aviation Administration. 
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(2) AIR CARRIER.—The term ‘‘air carrier’’ has 
the meaning given that term in section 40102 of 
title 49, United States Code. 
(3) COMMERCIAL AIR TOUR.—The term ‘‘com-
mercial air tour’’ means a flight conducted for com-
pensation or hire in an airplane or helicopter where 
a purpose of the flight is sightseeing. 
(4) COMMERCIAL AIR TOUR OPERATOR.—The 
term ‘‘commercial air tour operator’’ means any per-
son who conducts a commercial air tour. 
(5) PARACHUTE OPERATION.—The term ‘‘para-
chute operation’’ has the meaning given that term in 
section 105.3 of title 14, Code of Federal Regula-
tions (or any successor regulation). 
SEC. 3. SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS 
FOR CERTAIN OPERATORS. 
Not later than 24 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator shall issue a final rule re-
quiring each person holding a certificate under part 119 
of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, and authorized 
to conduct operations in accordance with the provisions 
of part 135 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, to 
implement a safety management system, as appropriate 
for the operations. 
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SEC. 4. OTHER SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMERCIAL 
OPERATORS. 
(a) SAFETY REFORMS.— 
(1) AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT NONSTOP COM-
MERCIAL AIR TOURS.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
graph (B), beginning on the date that is 3 
years after the date of enactment of this Act, 
no person may conduct commercial air tours 
unless that person— 
(i) holds a certificate identifying the 
person as an air carrier or commercial op-
erator under part 119 of title 14, Code of 
Federal Regulations; and 
(ii) conducts all commercial air tours 
under the applicable provisions of part 121 
or part 135 of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations. 
(B) TEMPORARY
EXCEPTION.—Notwith-
standing the requirements of subparagraph (A), 
for a period of 5 years after the date described 
in subparagraph (A), a person who holds a let-
ter of authorization issued by the Administrator 
to conduct nonstop commercial air tours under 
section 91.147 of title 14, Code of Federal Reg-
ulations, may continue to conduct nonstop com-
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mercial air tours under such letter of authoriza-
tion so long as the person— 
(i) as of the date of enactment of this 
section, has submitted (or not later than 
18 months after such date of enactment, 
submits) an application to the Adminis-
trator for an air carrier certificate under 
part 119, Code of Federal Regulations; 
and 
(ii) has not been issued such part 119 
certificate or received a denial of the appli-
cation submitted under clause (i). 
(C) REPORTING REQUIRED.—Beginning on 
the date that is 3 years after the date of enact-
ment, and every 12 months thereafter, each 
person that conducts commercial air tours (in-
cluding any person excluded from the certificate 
requirement under subparagraph (B)) shall re-
port to the Administrator the total number of 
commercial air tours that person conducted 
during the previous 12 months. 
(D) OTHER
TERMS.—The Administrator 
shall— 
(i) revise title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations, to include definitions for the 
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