(ii) Any substantial changes to aero-
dynamic stability resulting from a physical 
change that may require a new or modified 
software system or control law in order to 
produce positive and acceptable stability 
and handling qualities. 
(iii) A flight control system or aug-
mented software to maintain aerodynamic 
stability in any portion of the flight enve-
lope that was not required for a previously 
certified derivative. 
(iv) A change in structural compo-
nents (other than a stretch or shrink of 
the fuselage) that results in a change in 
structural load paths or the magnitude of 
structural loads attributed to flight maneu-
vers or cabin pressurization. 
(v) A novel or unusual system, compo-
nent, or other feature whose failure would 
present a hazardous or catastrophic risk. 
(4) DEADLINE.—The Administrator shall final-
ize the actions initiated under paragraph (2) not 
later than 3 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act. 
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(c) INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP.—The Adminis-
trator shall exercise leadership within the International 
Civil Aviation Organization and among other civil aviation 
regulators representing states of aircraft design to advo-
cate for the adoption of requirements equivalent to those 
described in this section. 
SEC. 19. WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTIONS. 
Section 42121 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(a) PROHIBITED DISCRIMINATION.—A holder of a 
certificate under section 44704 or 44705 of this title, or 
contractor or subcontractor of such holder, may not dis-
charge an employee or otherwise discriminate against an 
employee with respect to compensation, terms, conditions, 
or privileges of employment because the employee (or any 
person acting pursuant to a request of the employee)— 
‘‘(1) provided, caused to be provided, or is 
about to provide (with any knowledge of the em-
ployer) or cause to be provided to the employer or 
Federal Government information relating to any vio-
lation or alleged violation of any order, regulation, 
or standard of the Federal Aviation Administration 
or any other provision of Federal law relating to 
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aviation safety under this subtitle or any other law 
of the United States; 
‘‘(2) has filed, caused to be filed, or is about to 
file (with any knowledge of the employer) or cause 
to be filed a proceeding relating to any violation or 
alleged violation of any order, regulation, or stand-
ard of the Federal Aviation Administration or any 
other provision of Federal law relating to aviation 
safety under this subtitle or any other law of the 
United States; 
‘‘(3) testified or is about to testify in such a 
proceeding; or 
‘‘(4) assisted or participated or is about to as-
sist or participate in such a proceeding.’’; 
(2) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(d) NONAPPLICABILITY TO DELIBERATE VIOLA-
TIONS.—Subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to an 
employee of a holder of a certificate issued under section 
44704 or 44705, or a contractor or subcontractor thereof, 
who, acting without direction from such certificate-holder, 
contractor, or subcontractor (or such person’s agent), de-
liberately causes a violation of any requirement relating 
to aviation safety under this subtitle or any other law of 
the United States.’’; and 
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(3) by striking subsection (e) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(e) CONTRACTOR DEFINED.—In this section, the 
term ‘contractor’ means— 
‘‘(1) a person that performs safety-sensitive 
functions by contract for an air carrier or commer-
cial operator; or 
‘‘(2) a person that performs safety-sensitive 
functions related to the design or production of an 
aircraft, aircraft engine, propeller, appliance, or 
component thereof by contract for a holder of a cer-
tificate issued under section 44704.’’. 
SEC. 20. PILOT TRAINING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 447 of title 49, United 
States Code, as amended by section 8, is further amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 44743. Pilot training requirements 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(1) ADMINISTRATOR’S
DETERMINATION.—In 
establishing any pilot training requirements with re-
spect to a new transport airplane, the Administrator 
of the Federal Aviation Administration shall inde-
pendently review any proposal by the manufacturer 
of such airplane with respect to the scope, format, 
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or minimum level of training required for operation 
of such airplane. 
‘‘(2) ASSURANCES AND MARKETING REPRESEN-
TATIONS.—Before the Administrator has established 
applicable training requirements, an applicant for a 
new or amended type certificate for an airplane de-
scribed in paragraph (1) may not, with respect to 
the scope, format, or magnitude of pilot training for 
such airplane— 
‘‘(A) make any assurance, whether verbal 
or in writing, to a potential purchaser of such 
airplane unless a clear and conspicuous dis-
claimer (as defined by the Administrator) is in-
cluded regarding the status of training required 
for operation of such airplane; or 
‘‘(B) provide financial incentives (including 
rebates) to a potential purchaser of such air-
plane regarding the scope, format, or mag-
nitude of pilot training for such airplane. 
‘‘(b) PILOT RESPONSE TIME.—Beginning on the day 
after the date on which regulations are issued under sec-
tion 20(b)(5) of the Aircraft Certification Reform and Ac-
countability Act, the Administrator may not issue a new 
or amended type certificate for an airplane described in 
subsection (a) unless the applicant for such certificate has 
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demonstrated to the Administrator that the applicant has 
accounted for realistic assumptions regarding the time for 
pilot responses to non-normal conditions in designing the 
systems and instrumentation of such airplane. Such as-
sumptions shall— 
‘‘(1) be based on test data, analysis, or other 
technical validation methods; and 
‘‘(2) account for generally accepted scientific 
consensus among experts in human factors regard-
ing realistic pilot response time. 
‘‘(c) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘trans-
port airplane’ means a transport-category airplane de-
signed for operation by an air carrier or foreign air carrier 
type-certificated with a passenger seating capacity of 30 
or more or an all-cargo or combi derivative of such an 
airplane.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The analysis for 
chapter 447 of title 49, United States Code, is further 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘44743. Pilot training requirements.’’. 
(c) EXPERT SAFETY REVIEW.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator 
shall initiate an expert safety review of assumptions 
relied upon by the Administration and manufactur-
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ers of transport-category aircraft in the design and 
certification of such aircraft. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The expert safety review re-
quired under paragraph (1) shall include— 
(A) a review of Administration regulations, 
guidance, and directives related to pilot re-
sponse assumptions relied upon by the FAA 
and manufacturers of transport-category air-
craft in the design and certification of such air-
craft; 
(B) a focused review of the assumptions 
relied on regarding the time for pilot responses 
to non-normal conditions in designing such air-
craft’s systems and instrumentation; 
(C) a review of revisions made to the air-
man certification standards for certificates over 
the last four years, including any possible ef-
fects on pilot competency in basic manual flying 
skills; 
(D) consideration of the global nature of 
the aviation marketplace, varying levels of pilot 
competency, and differences in pilot training 
programs worldwide; and 
(E) a process for aviation stakeholders, in-
cluding pilots, airlines, inspectors, engineers, 
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test pilots, human factors experts, and other 
aviation safety experts, to provide and discuss 
any observations, feedback, and best practices. 
(3) REPORT
AND
RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not 
later than 30 days after the conclusion of the expert 
safety review pursuant to paragraph (1), the Admin-
istrator shall submit to the congressional committees 
of jurisdiction a report on the results of the review, 
any recommendations for actions or best practices to 
ensure the FAA and the manufacturers of transport- 
category aircraft have accounted for pilot response 
assumptions to be relied upon in the design and cer-
tification of transport-category aircraft. 
(4) TERMINATION.—The expert safety review 
shall end upon submission of the report required 
pursuant to paragraph (3). 
(5) REGULATIONS.—The Administrator shall 
issue such regulations as are necessary to implement 
the recommendations of the expert safety review 
that the Administrator determines are necessary to 
improve aviation safety. 
(d) CALL TO ACTION ON AIRMAN CERTIFICATION 
STANDARDS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator 
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shall initiate a call to action safety review of pilot 
certification standards in order to bring stakeholders 
together to share lessons learned, best practices, and 
implement actions to address any safety issues iden-
tified. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The call to action safety re-
view required under paragraph (1) shall include— 
(A) a review of Administration regulations, 
guidance, and directives related to the pilot cer-
tification standards, including the oversight of 
those processes; 
(B) a review of revisions made to the pilot 
certification standards for certificates over the 
last four years, including any possible effects on 
pilot competency in manual flying skills and ef-
fectively managing automation to improve safe-
ty; and 
(C) a process for aviation stakeholders, in-
cluding aviation students, instructors, des-
ignated pilot examiners, pilots, airlines, labor, 
and aviation safety experts, to provide and dis-
cuss any observations, feedback, and best prac-
tices. 
(3) REPORT
AND
RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not 
later than 90 days after the conclusion of the call to 
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action safety review pursuant to paragraph (1), the 
Administrator shall submit to the congressional com-
mittees of jurisdiction a report on the results of the 
review, any recommendations for actions or best 
practices to ensure pilot competency in basic manual 
flying skills and in effective management of automa-
tion, and actions the Administrator will take in re-
sponse to the recommendations. 
(e) INTERNATIONAL PILOT TRAINING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transpor-
tation, the Administrator, and other appropriate of-
ficials of the Government shall exercise leadership in 
setting global standards to improve air carrier pilot 
training and qualifications for— 
(A) monitoring and managing the behavior 
and performance of automated systems; 
(B) controlling the flightpath of aircraft 
without autoflight systems engaged; 
(C) effectively utilizing and managing 
autoflight systems, when appropriate; 
(D) effectively identifying situations in 
which the use of autoflight systems is appro-
priate and when such use is not appropriate; 
and 
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(E) recognizing and responding appro-
priately to non-normal conditions. 
(2) INTERNATIONAL
LEADERSHIP.—The Sec-
retary, the Administrator, and other appropriate of-
ficials of the Government shall exercise leadership 
under subsection (a) by working with— 
(A) foreign counterparts of the Adminis-
trator in the International Civil Aviation Orga-
nization and its subsidiary organizations; 
(B) other international organizations and 
fora; and 
(C) the private sector. 
(3) CONSIDERATIONS.—In exercising leadership 
under paragraph (1), the Secretary, the Adminis-
trator, and other appropriate officials of the Govern-
ment shall consider— 
(A) the latest information relating to 
human factors; 
(B) aircraft manufacturing trends, includ-
ing those relating to increased automation in 
the cockpit; 
(C) the extent to which cockpit automation 
improves aviation safety and introduces novel 
risks; 
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