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party to the judicial review proceedings. The findings of 
fact of the Board in any such case are conclusive if sup-
ported by substantial evidence.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 1153(c) is 
amended by striking ‘‘section 44709 or’’ and inserting 
‘‘section 44703(d), 44709, or’’. 
SEC. 302. RELEASE OF DATA RELATING TO ABANDONED 
TYPE CERTIFICATES AND SUPPLEMENTAL 
TYPE CERTIFICATES. 
Section 44704(a) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(5) RELEASE OF DATA.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any 
other provision of law, the Administrator may 
make available upon request, to a person seek-
ing to maintain the airworthiness or develop 
product improvements of an aircraft, engine, 
propeller, or appliance, engineering data in the 
possession of the Administration relating to a 
type certificate or a supplemental type certifi-
cate for such aircraft, engine, propeller, or ap-
pliance, without the consent of the owner of 
record, if the Administrator determines that— 
‘‘(i) the certificate containing the re-
quested data has been inactive for 3 or 
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more years, except that the Administrator 
may reduce this time if required to address 
an unsafe condition associated with the 
product; 
‘‘(ii) after using due diligence, the Ad-
ministrator is unable to find the owner of 
record, or the owner of record’s heir, of the 
type certificate or supplemental type cer-
tificate; and 
‘‘(iii) making such data available will 
enhance aviation safety. 
‘‘(B) ENGINEERING
DATA
DEFINED.—In 
this section, the term ‘engineering data’ as used 
with respect to an aircraft, engine, propeller, or 
appliance means type design drawing and speci-
fications for the entire aircraft, engine, pro-
peller, or appliance or change to the aircraft, 
engine, propeller, or appliance, including the 
original design data, and any associated sup-
plier data for individual parts or components 
approved as part of the particular certificate for 
the aircraft, engine, propeller, or appliance. 
‘‘(C) REQUIREMENT TO MAINTAIN DATA.— 
The Administrator shall maintain engineering 
data in the possession of the Administration re-
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lating to a type certificate or a supplemental 
type certificate that has been inactive for 3 or 
more years.’’. 
SEC. 303. DESIGN AND PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION CER-
TIFICATES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 44704(e) is amended to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(e) DESIGN AND PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION CER-
TIFICATES.— 
‘‘(1) ISSUANCE.—Beginning January 1, 2013, 
the Administrator may issue a certificate to a design 
organization, production organization, or design and 
production organization to authorize the organiza-
tion to certify compliance of aircraft, aircraft en-
gines, propellers, and appliances with the require-
ments and minimum standards prescribed under sec-
tion 44701(a). An organization holding a certificate 
issued under this subsection shall be known as a cer-
tified design and production organization (in this 
subsection referred to as a ‘CDPO’). 
‘‘(2) APPLICATIONS.—On receiving an applica-
tion for a CDPO certificate, the Administrator shall 
examine and rate the organization submitting the 
application, in accordance with regulations to be pre-
scribed by the Administrator, to determine whether 
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the organization has adequate engineering, design, 
and production capabilities, standards, and safe-
guards to make certifications of compliance as de-
scribed in paragraph (1). 
‘‘(3) ISSUANCE
OF
CERTIFICATES
BASED
ON 
CDPO FINDINGS.—The Administrator may rely on 
certifications of compliance by a CDPO when mak-
ing determinations under this section. 
‘‘(4) PUBLIC SAFETY.—The Administrator shall 
include in a CDPO certificate terms required in the 
interest of safety. 
‘‘(5) NO EFFECT ON POWER OF REVOCATION.— 
Nothing in this subsection affects the authority of 
the Secretary of Transportation to revoke a certifi-
cate.’’. 
(b) APPLICABILITY.—Before January 1, 2013, the 
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration may 
continue to issue certificates under section 44704(e) of 
title 49, United States Code, as in effect on the day before 
the date of enactment of this Act. 
(c) CLERICAL
AMENDMENTS.—Chapter 447 is 
amended— 
(1) in the heading for section 44704 by striking 
‘‘and design organization certificates’’ and 
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inserting ‘‘, and design and production or-
ganization certificates’’; and 
(2) in the analysis for such chapter by striking 
the item relating to section 44704 and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘44704. Type certificates, production certificates, airworthiness certificates, and 
design and production organization certificates.’’. 
SEC. 304. AIRCRAFT CERTIFICATION PROCESS REVIEW AND 
REFORM. 
(a) GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Federal 
Aviation Administration, in consultation with representa-
tives of the aviation industry, shall conduct an assessment 
of the certification and approval process under section 
44704 of title 49, United States Code. 
(b) CONTENTS.—In conducting the assessment, the 
Administrator shall consider— 
(1) the expected number of applications for 
product certifications and approvals the Adminis-
trator will receive under section 44704 of such title 
in the 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year periods following 
the date of enactment of this Act; 
(2) process reforms and improvements nec-
essary to allow the Administrator to review and ap-
prove the applications in a fair and timely fashion; 
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(3) the status of recommendations made in pre-
vious reports on the Administration’s certification 
process; 
(4) methods for enhancing the effective use of 
delegation systems, including organizational designa-
tion authorization; 
(5) methods for training the Administration’s 
field office employees in the safety management sys-
tem and auditing; and 
(6) the status of updating airworthiness re-
quirements, including implementing recommenda-
tions in the Administration’s report entitled ‘‘Part 
23—Small Airplane Certification Process Study’’ 
(OK–09–3468, dated July 2009). 
(c) RECOMMENDATIONS.—In conducting the assess-
ment, the Administrator shall make recommendations to 
improve efficiency and reduce costs through streamlining 
and reengineering the certification process under section 
44704 of such title to ensure that the Administrator can 
conduct certifications and approvals under such section in 
a manner that supports and enables the development of 
new products and technologies and the global competitive-
ness of the United States aviation industry. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit 
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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 the results of the assessment, together with an 
explanation of how the Administrator will implement rec-
ommendations made under subsection (c) and measure the 
effectiveness of the recommendations. 
(e) IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not 
later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Administrator shall begin to implement the rec-
ommendations made under subsection (c). 
SEC. 305. CONSISTENCY OF REGULATORY INTERPRETA-
TION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT
OF ADVISORY PANEL.—Not 
later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration 
shall establish an advisory panel comprised of both Gov-
ernment and industry representatives to— 
(1) review the October 2010 report by the Gov-
ernment Accountability Office on certification and 
approval processes (GAO–11–14); and 
(2) develop recommendations to address the 
findings in the report and other concerns raised by 
interested parties, including representatives of the 
aviation industry. 
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(b) MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED.—The advisory 
panel shall— 
(1) determine the root causes of inconsistent in-
terpretation of regulations by the Administration’s 
Flight Standards Service and Aircraft Certification 
Service; 
(2) develop recommendations to improve the 
consistency of interpreting regulations by the Ad-
ministration’s Flight Standards Service and Aircraft 
Certification Service; and 
(3) develop recommendations to improve com-
munications between the Administration’s Flight 
Standards Service and Aircraft Certification Service 
and applicants and certificate and approval holders 
for the identification and resolution of potentially 
adverse issues in an expeditious and fair manner. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 6 months after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall transmit 
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 the findings of the advisory panel, together with 
an explanation of how the Administrator will implement 
the recommendations of the advisory panel and measure 
the effectiveness of the recommendations. 
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SEC. 306. RUNWAY SAFETY. 
(a) STRATEGIC RUNWAY SAFETY PLAN.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Adminis-
trator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall 
develop and submit to Congress a report containing 
a strategic runway safety plan. 
(2) CONTENTS OF PLAN.—The strategic run-
way safety plan— 
(A) shall include, at a minimum— 
(i) goals to improve runway safety; 
(ii) near and long term actions de-
signed to reduce the severity, number, and 
rate of runway incursions, losses of stand-
ard separation, and operational errors; 
(iii) time frames and resources needed 
for the actions described in clause (ii); 
(iv) a continuous evaluative process to 
track performance toward the goals re-
ferred to in clause (i); and 
(v) a review of every commercial serv-
ice airport (as defined in section 47102 of 
title 49, United States Code) in the United 
States and proposed action to improve air-
port lighting, provide better signs, and im-
prove runway and taxiway markings; and 
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(B) shall address the increased runway 
safety risk associated with the expected in-
creased volume of air traffic. 
(b) PROCESS.—Not later than 6 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall de-
velop a process for tracking and investigating operational 
errors, losses of standard separation, and runway incur-
sions that includes procedures for— 
(1) identifying who is responsible for tracking 
operational errors, losses of standard separation, 
and runway incursions, including a process for lower 
level employees to report to higher supervisory levels 
and for frontline managers to receive the informa-
tion in a timely manner; 
(2) conducting periodic random audits of the 
oversight process; and 
(3) ensuring proper accountability. 
(c) PLAN FOR INSTALLATION AND DEPLOYMENT OF 
SYSTEMS TO PROVIDE ALERTS OF POTENTIAL RUNWAY 
INCURSIONS.—Not later than December 31, 2011, the Ad-
ministrator shall submit to Congress a report containing 
a plan for the installation and deployment of systems the 
Administrator is installing to alert controllers or flight 
crewmembers, or both, of potential runway incursions. 
The plan shall be integrated into the annual NextGen Im-
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plementation Plan document of the Administration or any 
successor document. 
SEC. 307. IMPROVED PILOT LICENSES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 9 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 
Federal Aviation Administration shall begin to issue im-
proved pilot licenses consistent with the requirements of 
title 49, United States Code, and title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—Improved pilot licenses issued 
under subsection (a) shall— 
(1) be resistant to tampering, alteration, and 
counterfeiting; 
(2) include a photograph of the individual to 
whom the license is issued; and 
(3) be capable of accommodating a digital pho-
tograph, a biometric identifier, and any other unique 
identifier that the Administrator considers nec-
essary. 
(c) TAMPERING.—To the extent practical, the Admin-
istrator shall develop methods to determine or reveal 
whether any component or security feature of a license 
issued under subsection (a) has been tampered with, al-
tered, or counterfeited. 
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(d) USE OF DESIGNEES.—The Administrator may 
use designees to carry out subsection (a) to the extent fea-
sible in order to minimize the burdens on pilots. 
(e) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, and annually 
thereafter, 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 Sen-
ate a report on the issuance of improved pilot li-
censes under this section. 
(2) EXPIRATION.—The Administrator shall not 
be required to submit annual reports under this sub-
section after the date on which the Administrator 
begins issuing improved pilot licenses under this sec-
tion or December 31, 2015, whichever occurs first. 
SEC. 308. FLIGHT STANDARDS EVALUATION PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 
Federal Aviation Administration shall modify the Flight 
Standards Evaluation Program— 
(1) to include periodic and random reviews as 
part of the Administration’s oversight of air carriers; 
and 
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(2) to prohibit an individual from participating 
in a review or audit of an office with responsibility 
for an air carrier under the program if the indi-
vidual, at any time in the 5-year period preceding 
the date of the review or audit, had responsibility for 
inspecting, or overseeing the inspection of, the oper-
ations of that carrier. 
(b) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, 
the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
House of Representatives a report on the Flight Stand-
ards Evaluation Program, including the Administrator’s 
findings and recommendations with respect to the pro-
gram. 
(c) FLIGHT STANDARDS EVALUATION PROGRAM DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘Flight Standards Eval-
uation Program’’ means the program established by the 
Federal Aviation Administration in FS 1100.1B CHG3, 
including any subsequent revisions thereto. 
SEC. 309. COCKPIT SMOKE. 
(a) STUDY.—The Comptroller General shall conduct 
a study on the effectiveness of oversight activities of the 
Federal Aviation Administration relating to the use of new 
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technologies to prevent or mitigate the effects of dense, 
continuous smoke in the cockpit of a commercial aircraft. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall 
submit to Congress a report on the results of the study. 
SEC. 310. SAFETY OF AIR AMBULANCE OPERATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 447 is amended by add-
ing at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 44730. Helicopter air ambulance operations 
‘‘(a) COMPLIANCE REGULATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), not later than 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this section, part 135 certificate hold-
ers providing air ambulance services shall comply, 
whenever medical personnel are onboard the aircraft, 
with regulations pertaining to weather minimums 
and flight and duty time under part 135. 
‘‘(2) EXCEPTION.—If a certificate holder de-
scribed in paragraph (1) is operating, or carrying 
out training, under instrument flight rules, the 
weather reporting requirement at the destination 
shall not apply until such time as the Administrator 
of the Federal Aviation Administration determines 
that portable, reliable, and accurate ground-based 
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weather measuring and reporting systems are avail-
able. 
‘‘(b) RULEMAKING.—The Administrator shall con-
duct a rulemaking proceeding to improve the safety of 
flight crewmembers, medical personnel, and passengers 
onboard helicopters providing air ambulance services 
under part 135. 
‘‘(c) MATTERS TO BE ADDRESSED.—In conducting 
the rulemaking proceeding under subsection (b), the Ad-
ministrator shall address the following: 
‘‘(1) Flight request and dispatch procedures, in-
cluding performance-based flight dispatch proce-
dures. 
‘‘(2) Pilot training standards, including— 
‘‘(A) mandatory training requirements, in-
cluding a minimum time for completing the 
training requirements; 
‘‘(B) training subject areas, such as com-
munications procedures and appropriate tech-
nology use; and 
‘‘(C) establishment of training standards 
in— 
‘‘(i) crew resource management; 
‘‘(ii) flight risk evaluation; 
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tour management plan for the park is in 
effect.’’. 
(d) 
INTERIM
OPERATING
AUTHORITY.—Section 
40128(c) is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraph (2)(I) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(I) may allow for modifications of the in-
terim operating authority without further envi-
ronmental review beyond that described in this 
subsection, if— 
‘‘(i) adequate information regarding 
the existing and proposed operations of the 
operator under the interim operating au-
thority is provided to the Administrator 
and the Director; 
‘‘(ii) the Administrator determines 
that there would be no adverse impact on 
aviation safety or the air traffic control 
system; and 
‘‘(iii) the Director agrees with the 
modification, based on the professional ex-
pertise of the Director regarding the pro-
tection of the resources, values, and visitor 
use and enjoyment of the park.’’; and 
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‘‘(1) PROPOSED CRITERIA.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Administrator 
shall develop proposed criteria for use by the 
Administrator in making recommendations for 
the realignment and consolidation of FAA serv-
ices and facilities under this section. 
‘‘(B) PUBLICATION; TRANSMITTAL TO CON-
GRESS.—Not later than 30 days after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Administrator 
shall publish the proposed criteria in the Fed-
eral Register and transmit the proposed criteria 
to the congressional committees of interest. 
‘‘(C) NOTICE
AND
COMMENT.—The Ad-
ministrator shall provide an opportunity for 
public comment on the proposed criteria for a 
period of at least 30 days and shall include no-
tice of that opportunity in the Federal Register. 
‘‘(2) FINAL CRITERIA.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Administrator 
shall establish final criteria based on the pro-
posed criteria developed under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(B) PUBLICATION; TRANSMITTAL TO CON-
GRESS.—Not later than 90 days after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Administrator 
shall publish the final criteria in the Federal 
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