Helicopter Fuel System Safety Act

Bill: 115-hr-3150
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Perlmutter, Ed [D-CO-7]
Introduced: 2017-06-29
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures

Aviation and airports

Department of Transportation

Fires

Motor fuels

Transportation safety and security
Latest action: action_date: 2017-06-30
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-06-29
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Helicopter Fuel System Safety Act</b></p> <p>This bill prohibits a person from operating a newly manufactured helicopter in U.S. airspace unless the Federal Aviation Administration certifies that the helicopter's design complies with certain crash resistant fuel system requirements.</p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3150 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 29, 2017 Mr. Perlmutter (for himself and Mr. Polis ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure A BILL To amend title 49, United States Code, with respect to helicopter crash resistant fuel systems, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Helicopter Fuel System Safety Act . 2. Helicopter crash resistant fuel systems (a) In general Chapter 447 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 44736. Fuel system crash resistance (a) Prohibition (1) In general A person may not operate a covered rotorcraft in United States airspace unless the design of the rotorcraft is certified by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to— (A) comply with the requirements under paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (5), and (6) of section 27.952(a) and section 27.952(f) or paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (5), and (6) of section 29.952(a) and section 29.952(f) of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, applicable to the category of the rotorcraft; or (B) employ other means acceptable to the Administrator to provide an equivalent level of fuel system crash resistance. (2) Covered rotorcraft defined In this subsection, the term covered rotorcraft means a rotorcraft for which manufacture was completed, as determined by the Administrator, on or after the date that is 1 year after the date of enactment of this section. (b) Administrative provisions The Administrator shall— (1) expedite the certification and validation of United States and foreign type designs and retrofit kits that improve fuel system crashworthiness; and (2) not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, and periodically thereafter, issue a bulletin to— (A) inform rotorcraft owners and operators of available modifications to improve fuel system crashworthiness; and (B) urge that such modifications be installed as soon as practicable. (c) Rule of construction Nothing in this section may be construed to affect the operation of a rotorcraft by the Department of Defense. . (b) Clerical amendment The analysis for chapter 447 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 44736. Fuel system crash resistance. .