General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994
PL 103-298 (S.1458), enacted 08/17/1994

108 STAT. 1552 
PUBLIC LAW 103-298—AUG. 17, 1994 
Public Law 103-298 
103d Congress 
Aug. 17, 1994 
[S. 1458] 
Greneral 
Aviation 
Revitalization 
Act of 1994. 
49 u s e 40101 
note. 
49 u s e 40101 
note. 
An Act 
To amend the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 to establish time limitations on certain 
civil actions against aircraft manufacturers, 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 "General Aviation Revitalization 
Act of 1994". 
SEC. 2. TIME LIMITATIONS ON CIVIL ACTIONS AGAINST AIRCRAFT 
MANUFACTURERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection (b), no civil 
action for damages for death or injury to persons or damage to 
property arising out of an accident involving a general aviation 
aircraft may be brought against the msmufacturer of the aircraft 
or the manufacturer of any new component, system, subassembly, 
or other part of the aircraft, in its capacity as a manufacturer 
if the accident occurred— 
(1) after the applicable limitation period beginning on— 
(A) the date of delivery of the aircraft to its first 
purchaser or lessee, if delivered directly from the manufac-
turer; or 
(B) the date of first delivery of the aircraft to a person 
engaged in the business of selling or leasing such aircraft; 
or 
(2) with respect to any new component, system, subassem-
bly, or other part which replaced another component, system, 
subassembly, or other part originally in, or which was added 
to, the aircraft, and which is alleged to have caused such 
death, injury, or damage, after the applicable limitation period 
beginning on the date of completion of the replacement or 
addition. 
(b) ExeEPTlONS.—Subsection (a) does not apply— 
(1) if the cleiimant pleads with specificity the facts nec-
essary to prove, and proves, that the manufacturer with respect 
to a type certificate or airworthiness certificate for, or obliga-
tions with respect to continuing airworthiness of, an aircraft 
or a component, system, subassembly, or other part of an air-
craft knowingly misrepresented to the Federal Aviation Admin-
PUBLIC LAW 103-298—AUG. 17, 1994 
108 STAT. 1553 
istration, or concealed or withheld from the Federal Aviation 
Administration, required information that is material and rel-
evant to the performance or the maintenance or operation 
of such aircraft, or the component, system, subassembly, or 
other part, that is causally related to the harm which the 
clsdmant allegedly suffered; 
(2) if the person for whose injury or death the claim is 
being made is a passenger for purposes of receiving treatment 
for a medical or other emergency; 
(3) if the person for whose injury or death the claim is 
being made was not aboard the aircraft at the time of the 
accident; or 
(4) to an action brought under a written warranty enforce-
able under law but for the operation of this Act. 
(c) GENERAL AVIATION AIRCRAFT DEFINED.—For the purposes 
of this Act, the term "general aviation aircraft" means any aircraft 
for which a type certificate or an airworthiness certificate has 
been issued by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Adminis-
tration, which, at the time such certificate was originally issued, 
had a maximum seating capacitv of fewer than 20 passengers, 
and which was not, at the time of the accident, engaged in scheduled 
passenger-carrying operations as defined under regulations in effect 
under the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (49 U.S.C. App. 1301 et 
seq.) at the time of the accident. 
(d) RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER LAWS.—This section supersedes 
any State law to the extent that such law permits a civil action 
described in subsection (a) to be brought after the applicable limita-
tion period for such civil action established by subsection (a). 
SEC. 3. OTHER DEFINITIONS. 
49 USC 40101 
For purposes of this Act— 
(1) the term "aircraft" has the meaning given such term 
in section 101(5) of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (49 U.S.C. 
1301(5)); 
(2) the term "airworthiness certificate" means an airworthi-
ness certificate issued under section 603(c) of the Federal Avia-
tion Act of 1958 (49 U.S.C. 1423(c)) or under any predecessor 
Federal statute; 
(3) the term "limitation period" means 18 years with respect 
to general aviation aircraft and the components, systems, sub-
assemblies, and other parts of such aircraft; and 
(4) the term "type certificate" means a type certificate 
issued under section 603(a) of the Federal Aviation Act of 
1958 (49 U.S.C. 1423(a)) or under any predecessor Federal 
statute. 
108 STAT. 1554 
PUBLIC LAW 103-298—AUG. 17, 1994 
49 u s e 40101 
SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE; APPLICATION OF ACT. 
(a) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Except as provided in subsection (b), 
this Act shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
(b) APPLICATION OF ACT.—This Act shall not apply with respect 
to civil actions commenced before the date of the enactment of 
this Act. 
Approved August 17, 1994. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 1458: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 103-525, Pt. 1 (Comm. on Public Works and Transportation) 
and Pt. 2 (Comm. on the Judiciary). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 103-202 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and Transportation). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 140 (1994): 
Mar. 16, considered and passed Senate. 
June 27, considered and passed House, amended. 
Aug. 2, Senate concurred in House amendment with an amendment. 
Aug. 3, House concurred in Senate amendment. 
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 30 (1994): 
Aug. 17, Presidential statement.