Modernizing Aeronautical Standards Act
Bill: H.R.7447 | Sponsor: Rep. Brown, Anthony G. (D-MD)
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Modernizing Aeronautical Standards Act
This bill directs the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to conduct a study on the modernization of aeronautical standards, to be known as the Modernization of Aeronautical Standards and Aircraft Performance Study.

To direct the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration to conduct a study on the modernization of aeronautical 
                   standards, 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 ``Modernizing Aeronautical Standards 
Act''.

SEC. 2. MODERNIZING AERONAUTICAL STANDARDS.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) The work of the U.S. Committee on Extension to the 
        Standard Atmosphere, established in 1953, led to the 1958, 
        1962, 1966, and 1976 versions of the U.S. Standard Atmosphere.
            (2) These models were published in book form jointly by the 
        National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National 
        Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the U.S. Air Force.
            (3) The U.S. Standard Atmosphere is widely used as a basis 
        for the design, testing, and operation of aircraft and other 
        equipment.
            (4) The Department of Defense has supplemented the standard 
        atmosphere with data models of climatic extremes, most recently 
        with MIL-HDBK-310, Climatic Information to Determine Design and 
        Test Requirements for Military Systems and Equipment, which was 
        published in 1997 and ``provides climatic data primarily for 
        use in engineering analyses to develop and test military 
        equipment and materiel''.
            (5) The most recent standard atmosphere published in 1976 
        assumed a standard sea-level temperature of 59 degrees 
        Fahrenheit in continuation of the assumption established in 
        1924 by Resolution 192 of the International Commission for Air 
        Navigation.
            (6) Between 1924 and 1976, the average global sea-level 
        temperature rose by 0.5 degree Fahrenheit.
            (7) Since 1976, the average global sea-level temperature 
        has risen by more than 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit, the five warmest 
        years in the modern record have all occurred since 2015, and 
        nine of the 10 warmest years have occurred since 2005.
            (8) Under the Fifth Assessment Report of the 
        Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (AR5 IPCC), all 
        scenarios considered result in an average global temperature 
        rise in 2040 by more than 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit since 1976, 
        with the most extreme scenario resulting in a temperature rise 
        of 3.5 degrees Fahrenheit.
            (9) By 2100, the IPCC projects that the global mean 
        temperature will increase by more than 4 degrees Fahrenheit 
        under moderate scenarios, with the potential to exceed 7.5 
        degrees Fahrenheit under the most extreme scenarios.
            (10) Aircraft performance is negatively affected by 
        increased temperatures, resulting in lower payload capacity, 
        increased runway requirements, reduced range, slower climb out 
        speeds, and negative impacts to environmental performance.
            (11) For existing aircraft and engine designs, the increase 
        to ambient temperature will result in impacts to operations to 
        account for the lower engine and aircraft performance, which 
        may include increased noise exposure, increased operations, 
        increase to emissions, and degradation of air quality.
            (12) For new aircraft and engine designs, the increase to 
        ambient temperature will require improved engine designs that 
        provide required thrust at higher ambient temperatures to meet 
        mission requirements, which may result in de-rating at airports 
        with excess runway length, resulting in lower operational noise 
        compared to current levels.
            (13) The military and commercial aircraft being designed 
        today are expected to be in operation for thirty to fifty 
        years, with an expected end of life between 2050 to 2070.
    (b) Study on Aeronautical Standards.--
            (1) Study required.--The Administrator of the National 
        Aeronautics and Space Administration, in consultation with the 
        Secretary of Defense, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
        Administration, and the Administrator of the National Oceanic 
        and Atmospheric Administration, shall conduct a study on the 
        modernization of aeronautical standards.
            (2) Designation.--The study conducted under paragraph (1) 
        shall be known as the ``Modernization of Aeronautical Standards 
        and Aircraft Performance Study''.
            (3) Elements.--The study conducted under paragraph (1) 
        shall include the following:
                    (A) An assessment of differences between the 
                current atmospheric conditions and the baseline 
                atmospheric conditions, to include both the mean and 
                extreme values.
                    (B) An analysis of the impacts to operation, 
                maintenance, and sustainment costs of covered 
                commercial aircraft due to the differences identified 
                in subparagraph (A).
                    (C) An estimation of the number of weight 
                restriction hours for the covered commercial aircraft 
                at the covered commercial airports under the baseline, 
                current, and projected atmospheric conditions.
                    (D) An assessment of the required infrastructure 
                investment at the covered commercial airports such that 
                the number of weight restriction hours under the 
                projected atmospheric conditions is equivalent to the 
                number of weight restriction hours with the current 
                infrastructure and route structure under the baseline 
                and current atmospheric conditions.
                    (E) Recommendations for atmospheric and climatic 
                design requirements for future commercial aircraft to 
                account for projected atmospheric conditions.
                    (F) An analysis of the impacts to operation, 
                maintenance, and sustainment costs and aircraft 
                performance of military aircraft due to the differences 
                identified in subparagraph (A).
                    (G) Atmospheric and climatic design requirements 
                for military aircraft, or other equipment, which should 
                be updated to account for current and projected 
                atmospheric conditions.
                    (H) Recommended updates or supplements to the 
                atmospheric standards due to current atmospheric 
                conditions.
                    (I) Criteria under which future updates or 
                supplements to the atmospheric standards should be 
                made.
            (4) Transmittal.--The Administrator shall transmit the 
        results of the study to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
        Technology and the Committee on Transportation and 
        Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, the Committee 
        on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and the 
        congressional defense committees not later than 18 months after 
        the date of enactment of this Act.
            (5) Definitions.--In this section:
                    (A) The term ``atmospheric standards'' means--
                            (i) the United States Standard Atmosphere 
                        of 1976;
                            (ii) MIL-HDBK-310, Climatic Information to 
                        Determine Design and Test Requirements for 
                        Military Systems and Equipment; and
                            (iii) any other standard as determined by 
                        the Administrator.
                    (B) The term ``baseline atmospheric conditions'' 
                means the atmospheric conditions referred to in the 
                most recent release of an atmospheric standard.
                    (C) The term ``current atmospheric conditions'' 
                means the atmospheric conditions observed in the 5 most 
                recent calendar years ending before the date of 
                enactment of this Act.
                    (D) The term ``projected atmospheric conditions'' 
                means the mean atmospheric conditions projected by the 
                International Panel on Climate Change under the Sixth 
                Assessment Report in scenarios--
                            (i) SSP1-1.9;
                            (ii) SSP1-2.6;
                            (iii) SSP2-4.5;
                            (iv) SSP3-7.0; and
                            (v) SSP5-8.5.
                    (E) The term ``aircraft performance'' includes--
                            (i) range;
                            (ii) payload capacity;
                            (iii) runway length requirement;
                            (iv) climb rate;
                            (v) turn rate;
                            (vi) operating altitude; and
                            (vii) acceleration.
                    (F) The term ``covered commercial airports'' 
                means--
                            (i) the 30 commercial service airports (as 
                        defined in section 47102(7) of title 49, United 
                        States Code) with the most passenger boardings 
                        in the most recent calendar year ending before 
                        the date of enactment of this Act; and
                            (ii) the 5 public airports (as defined in 
                        section 47102(21) of title 49, United States 
                        Code) not covered by clause (i) with the 
                        highest all-cargo landed weight in the most 
                        recent calendar year ending before the date of 
                        enactment of this Act.
                    (G) The term ``covered commercial aircraft'' means 
                the 10 aircraft types still in production with the 
                highest number of operations at covered commercial 
                airports in the most recent calendar year ending before 
                the date of enactment of this Act.
                    (H) The term ``commercial aircraft'' means an air 
                carrier operating under part 121 of title 14, Code of 
                Federal Regulations.
                    (I) The term ``passenger boardings'' has the 
                meaning given the term in section 47102(15) of title 
                49, United States Code.
                    (J) The term ``military aircraft'' means an 
                aircraft that--
                            (i) is currently being developed, procured, 
                        or operated by the Department of Defense; and
                            (ii) is a bomber, fighter, attack 
                        helicopter, transport helicopter, strategic 
                        transport, tactical transport, or surveillance 
                        aircraft.
                    (K) The term ``weight restriction day'' means a day 
                when the daily maximum temperature matches or exceeds 
                the weight-restriction temperature threshold for a 
                specific aircraft.
                    (L) The term ``congressional defense committees'' 
                has the meaning given that term in section 101(a)(16) 
                of title 10, United States Code.
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