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.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7447 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7447
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 7, 2022
Mr. Brown of Maryland introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
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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Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
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