Improving Helicopter Safety Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.1643 | Sponsor: Rep. Maloney, Carolyn B. (D-NY)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Improving Helicopter Safety Act of 2021
This bill prohibits operating helicopter flights over any city with a population of over 8 million and a population density of over 25,000 people per square mile, except for purposes of (1) public health and safety, including law enforcement and emergency response; and (2) heavy-lift operations in support of construction and infrastructure maintenance.

To amend title 49, United States Code, to prohibit certain helicopter 
flights over major cities with high population densities, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Improving Helicopter Safety Act of 
2021''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN FLIGHTS OVER MAJOR CITIES.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 447 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 44741. Prohibition on certain flights over major cities
    ``(a) In General.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, no person may operate a civil rotorcraft in 
covered airspace except as provided for under subsection (b).
    ``(b) Exceptions.--
            ``(1) Public health and safety.--The prohibition in 
        subsection (a) shall not apply to a flight carried out for 
        purposes of public health and safety, including--
                    ``(A) law enforcement;
                    ``(B) emergency response;
                    ``(C) disaster response;
                    ``(D) the provision of medical services; and
                    ``(E) providing other services for the benefit of 
                the general public, including flights carried out for 
                research or for official purposes by a news 
                organization.
            ``(2) Infrastructure maintenance.--The prohibition in 
        subsection (a) shall not apply to a flight carried out for 
        purposes heavy-lift operations in support of construction and 
        infrastructure maintenance.
    ``(c) Covered Airspace Defined.--In this section, the term `covered 
airspace' means the airspace directly over any city with a population 
over 8 million people and with a population density of over 25,000 
people per square mile, including the airspace over any waterways 
considered within the limits of such city.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 447 of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``44741. Prohibition on certain flights over major cities.''.

SEC. 3. HELICOPTER FLIGHT ROUTES FOR MAJOR CITIES AND SURROUNDING 
              AREAS.

    Not later than 90 days after a city initially meets the 
requirements to be covered by the prohibition in section 44741 of title 
49, United States Code (as added by section 2), the Administrator of 
the Federal Aviation Administration shall issue or update such 
regulations as are necessary to carry out the requirements of such 
section.

SEC. 4. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.

    (a) Section 44737.--Chapter 447 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amending by redesignating the second section 44737 (as added by section 
581 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018) as section 44740.
    (b) Analysis.--The analysis for chapter 447 of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking the item relating to the second section 
        44737 (as added by section 581 of the FAA Reauthorization Act 
        of 2018); and
            (2) by inserting after the item relating to section 44739 
        the following new item:

``44740. Special rule for certain aircraft operations.''.
    (c) Special Rule for Certain Aircraft Operations.--Section 44740 of 
title 49, United States Code, (as redesignated by subsection (a)) is 
amended--
            (1) in the heading, by striking the period at the end;
            (2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ``(1)'' the second 
        time it appears; and
            (3) in subsection (c)(2), by adding a period at the end.
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