[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1458 Reported in House (RH)]

                                                 Union Calendar No. 311

103d CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 1458

                  [Report No. 103-525, Parts I and II]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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.

_______________________________________________________________________

                             June 24, 1994

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed





                                                 Union Calendar No. 311
103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 1458

                  [Report No. 103-525, Parts I and II]


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 18, 1994

 Referred jointly to the Committees on the Judiciary and Public Works 
                           and Transportation

                              May 24, 1994

     Reported from the Committee on Public Works and Transportation

                             June 24, 1994

    Reported from the Committee on the Judiciary with an amendment, 
   committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the 
                    Union, and ordered to be printed
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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,

-S-E-C-T-I-O-N -1-. -S-H-O-R-T -T-I-T-L-E-.

    -T-h-i-s -A-c-t -m-a-y -b-e -c-i-t-e-d -a-s -t-h-e 
-`-`-G-e-n-e-r-a-l -A-v-i-a-t-i-o-n -R-e-v-i-t-a-l-i-z-a-t-i-o-n -A-c-t 
-o-f -1-9-9-4-'-'-.

-S-E-C-. -2-. -T-I-M-E -L-I-M-I-T-A-T-I-O-N -O-N -C-I-V-I-L 
              -A-C-T-I-O-N-S -A-G-A-I-N-S-T -A-I-R-C-R-A-F-T 
              -M-A-N-U-F-A-C-T-U-R-E-R-S-.

    -T-i-t-l-e -X-I -o-f -t-h-e -F-e-d-e-r-a-l -A-v-i-a-t-i-o-n -A-c-t 
-o-f -1-9-5-8 -(-4-9 -U-.-S-.-C-. -A-p-p-. -1-5-1-0---1-5-1-8-) -i-s 
-a-m-e-n-d-e-d -b-y -a-d-d-i-n-g -a-t -t-h-e -e-n-d -t-h-e 
-f-o-l-l-o-w-i-n-g -n-e-w -s-e-c-t-i-o-n-:

-`-`-S-E-C-. -1-1-1-9-. -T-I-M-E -L-I-M-I-T-A-T-I-O-N -O-N -C-I-V-I-L 
              -A-C-T-I-O-N-S -A-G-A-I-N-S-T -A-I-R-C-R-A-F-T 
              -M-A-N-U-F-A-C-T-U-R-E-R-S-.

    -`-`-(-a-) -I-n -G-e-n-e-r-a-l-.----E-x-c-e-p-t -a-s 
-p-r-o-v-i-d-e-d -i-n -s-u-b-s-e-c-t-i-o-n -(-b-) -o-f -t-h-i-s 
-s-e-c-t-i-o-n-, -n-o -c-i-v-i-l -a-c-t-i-o-n -f-o-r -d-a-m-a-g-e-s 
-f-o-r -d-e-a-t-h -o-r -i-n-j-u-r-y -t-o -p-e-r-s-o-n-s -o-r 
-d-a-m-a-g-e -t-o -p-r-o-p-e-r-t-y -a-r-i-s-i-n-g -o-u-t -o-f -a-n 
-a-c-c-i-d-e-n-t -i-n-v-o-l-v-i-n-g -a -g-e-n-e-r-a-l -a-v-i-a-t-i-o-n 
-a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t -m-a-y -b-e -b-r-o-u-g-h-t -a-g-a-i-n-s-t -t-h-e 
-m-a-n-u-f-a-c-t-u-r-e-r -o-f -t-h-e -a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t -o-r -t-h-e 
-m-a-n-u-f-a-c-t-u-r-e-r -o-f -a-n-y -c-o-m-p-o-n-e-n-t-, 
-s-y-s-t-e-m-, -s-u-b-a-s-s-e-m-b-l-y-, -o-r -o-t-h-e-r -p-a-r-t -o-f 
-t-h-e -a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t-, -i-f -t-h-e -a-c-c-i-d-e-n-t 
-o-c-c-u-r-r-e-d---
            -`-`-(-1-) -m-o-r-e -t-h-a-n -1-8 -y-e-a-r-s -a-f-t-e-r---
                    -`-`-(-A-) -t-h-e -d-a-t-e -o-f -d-e-l-i-v-e-r-y 
                -o-f -t-h-e -a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t -t-o -i-t-s -f-i-r-s-t 
                -p-u-r-c-h-a-s-e-r -o-r -l-e-s-s-e-e-, -i-f 
                -d-e-l-i-v-e-r-e-d -d-i-r-e-c-t-l-y -f-r-o-m -t-h-e 
                -m-a-n-u-f-a-c-t-u-r-e-r-; -o-r
                    -`-`-(-B-) -t-h-e -d-a-t-e -o-f -f-i-r-s-t 
                -d-e-l-i-v-e-r-y -o-f -t-h-e -a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t -t-o -a 
                -p-e-r-s-o-n -e-n-g-a-g-e-d -i-n -t-h-e 
                -b-u-s-i-n-e-s-s -o-f -s-e-l-l-i-n-g -o-r 
                -l-e-a-s-i-n-g -s-u-c-h -a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t-; -o-r
            -`-`-(-2-) -w-i-t-h -r-e-s-p-e-c-t -t-o -a-n-y 
        -c-o-m-p-o-n-e-n-t-, -s-y-s-t-e-m-, -s-u-b-a-s-s-e-m-b-l-y-, 
        -o-r -o-t-h-e-r -p-a-r-t -w-h-i-c-h -r-e-p-l-a-c-e-d 
        -a-n-o-t-h-e-r -p-r-o-d-u-c-t -o-r-i-g-i-n-a-l-l-y -i-n-, -o-r 
        -w-h-i-c-h -w-a-s -a-d-d-e-d -t-o-, -t-h-e -a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t-, 
        -a-n-d -w-h-i-c-h -i-s -a-l-l-e-g-e-d -t-o -h-a-v-e 
        -c-a-u-s-e-d -t-h-e -c-l-a-i-m-a-n-t-'-s -d-a-m-a-g-e-s-, 
        -m-o-r-e -t-h-a-n -1-8 -y-e-a-r-s -a-f-t-e-r -t-h-e -d-a-t-e 
        -o-f -t-h-e -r-e-p-l-a-c-e-m-e-n-t -o-r -a-d-d-i-t-i-o-n-.
    -`-`-(-b-) -E-x-c-e-p-t-i-o-n-s-.---S-u-b-s-e-c-t-i-o-n -(-a-) -o-f 
-t-h-i-s -s-e-c-t-i-o-n -d-o-e-s -n-o-t -a-p-p-l-y---
            -`-`-(-1-) -i-f -t-h-e -c-l-a-i-m-a-n-t -p-l-e-a-d-s 
        -w-i-t-h -s-p-e-c-i-f-i-c-i-t-y -t-h-e -f-a-c-t-s 
        -n-e-c-e-s-s-a-r-y -t-o -p-r-o-v-e-, -a-n-d -p-r-o-v-e-s -b-y 
        -c-l-e-a-r -a-n-d -c-o-n-v-i-n-c-i-n-g -e-v-i-d-e-n-c-e 
        -t-h-a-t -t-h-e -m-a-n-u-f-a-c-t-u-r-e-r -w-i-t-h 
        -r-e-s-p-e-c-t -t-o -c-e-r-t-i-f-i-c-a-t-i-o-n -o-r 
        -o-b-l-i-g-a-t-i-o-n-s -w-i-t-h -r-e-s-p-e-c-t -t-o 
        -c-o-n-t-i-n-u-i-n-g -a-i-r-w-o-r-t-h-i-n-e-s-s -o-f -a-n 
        -a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t -o-r -a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t -c-o-m-p-o-n-e-n-t 
        -k-n-o-w-i-n-g-l-y -m-i-s-r-e-p-r-e-s-e-n-t-e-d -t-o -t-h-e 
        -F-A-A-, -o-r -c-o-n-c-e-a-l-e-d -o-r -w-i-t-h-h-e-l-d -f-r-o-m 
        -t-h-e -F-A-A-, -r-e-q-u-i-r-e-d -i-n-f-o-r-m-a-t-i-o-n 
        -t-h-a-t -i-s -m-a-t-e-r-i-a-l -a-n-d -r-e-l-e-v-a-n-t -t-o 
        -t-h-e -p-e-r-f-o-r-m-a-n-c-e -o-r -t-h-e 
        -m-a-i-n-t-e-n-a-n-c-e -o-r -o-p-e-r-a-t-i-o-n -o-f -s-u-c-h 
        -a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t -o-r -c-o-m-p-o-n-e-n-t -t-h-a-t -i-s 
        -c-a-u-s-a-l-l-y -r-e-l-a-t-e-d -t-o -t-h-e -h-a-r-m -w-h-i-c-h 
        -t-h-e -c-l-a-i-m-a-n-t -a-l-l-e-g-e-d-l-y -s-u-f-f-e-r-e-d-;
            -`-`-(-2-) -i-f -t-h-e -p-e-r-s-o-n -f-o-r -w-h-o-s-e 
        -i-n-j-u-r-y -o-r -d-e-a-t-h -t-h-e -c-l-a-i-m -i-s -b-e-i-n-g 
        -m-a-d-e -i-s -a -p-a-s-s-e-n-g-e-r -f-o-r -p-u-r-p-o-s-e-s 
        -o-f -r-e-c-e-i-v-i-n-g -t-r-e-a-t-m-e-n-t -f-o-r -a 
        -m-e-d-i-c-a-l -o-r -o-t-h-e-r -e-m-e-r-g-e-n-c-y-; -o-r
            -`-`-(-3-) -i-f -t-h-e -p-e-r-s-o-n -f-o-r -w-h-o-s-e 
        -i-n-j-u-r-y -o-r -d-e-a-t-h -t-h-e -c-l-a-i-m -i-s -b-e-i-n-g 
        -m-a-d-e -w-a-s -n-o-t -a-b-o-a-r-d -t-h-e -a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t 
        -a-t -t-h-e -t-i-m-e -o-f -t-h-e -a-c-c-i-d-e-n-t-.
    -`-`-(-c-) -G-e-n-e-r-a-l -A-v-i-a-t-i-o-n -A-i-r-c-r-a-f-t 
-D-e-f-i-n-e-d-.----F-o-r -t-h-e -p-u-r-p-o-s-e-s -o-f -t-h-i-s 
-s-e-c-t-i-o-n-, -t-h-e -t-e-r-m -`-g-e-n-e-r-a-l -a-v-i-a-t-i-o-n 
-a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t-' -m-e-a-n-s -a-n-y -a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t -f-o-r -w-h-i-c-h 
-a -t-y-p-e -c-e-r-t-i-f-i-c-a-t-e -o-r -a-n -a-i-r-w-o-r-t-h-i-n-e-s-s 
-c-e-r-t-i-f-i-c-a-t-e -h-a-s -b-e-e-n -i-s-s-u-e-d -b-y -t-h-e 
-A-d-m-i-n-i-s-t-r-a-t-o-r-, -w-h-i-c-h-, -a-t -t-h-e -t-i-m-e -s-u-c-h 
-c-e-r-t-i-f-i-c-a-t-e -w-a-s -o-r-i-g-i-n-a-l-l-y -i-s-s-u-e-d-, 
-h-a-d -a -m-a-x-i-m-u-m -s-e-a-t-i-n-g -c-a-p-a-c-i-t-y -o-f 
-f-e-w-e-r -t-h-a-n -2-0 -p-a-s-s-e-n-g-e-r-s-, -a-n-d -w-h-i-c-h 
-w-a-s -n-o-t-, -a-t -t-h-e -t-i-m-e -o-f -t-h-e -a-c-c-i-d-e-n-t-, 
-e-n-g-a-g-e-d -i-n -s-c-h-e-d-u-l-e-d -p-a-s-s-e-n-g-e-r 
-c-a-r-r-y-i-n-g -o-p-e-r-a-t-i-o-n-s -a-s -d-e-f-i-n-e-d -u-n-d-e-r 
-r-e-g-u-l-a-t-i-o-n-s -i-s-s-u-e-d -u-n-d-e-r -t-h-i-s -A-c-t-.
    -`-`-(-d-) -R-e-l-a-t-i-o-n-s-h-i-p -t-o -O-t-h-e-r -L-a-w-s-.---
-T-h-i-s -s-e-c-t-i-o-n -s-u-p-e-r-s-e-d-e-s -a-n-y -F-e-d-e-r-a-l -o-r 
-S-t-a-t-e -l-a-w -t-o -t-h-e -e-x-t-e-n-t -t-h-a-t -s-u-c-h -l-a-w 
-p-e-r-m-i-t-s -a -c-i-v-i-l -a-c-t-i-o-n -d-e-s-c-r-i-b-e-d -i-n 
-s-u-b-s-e-c-t-i-o-n -(-a-) -t-o -b-e -b-r-o-u-g-h-t -a-f-t-e-r -t-h-e 
-a-p-p-l-i-c-a-b-l-e -d-e-a-d-l-i-n-e -f-o-r -s-u-c-h -c-i-v-i-l 
-a-c-t-i-o-n -e-s-t-a-b-l-i-s-h-e-d -b-y -s-u-b-s-e-c-t-i-o-n 
-(-a-)-.-'-'-.

-S-E-C-. -3-. -C-O-N-F-O-R-M-I-N-G -A-M-E-N-D-M-E-N-T-.

    -T-h-e -t-a-b-l-e -o-f -c-o-n-t-e-n-t-s -c-o-n-t-a-i-n-e-d -i-n 
-t-h-e -f-i-r-s-t -s-e-c-t-i-o-n -o-f -t-h-e -F-e-d-e-r-a-l 
-A-v-i-a-t-i-o-n -A-c-t -o-f -1-9-5-8 -i-s -a-m-e-n-d-e-d -b-y 
-a-d-d-i-n-g -a-t -t-h-e -e-n-d -o-f -t-h-e -m-a-t-t-e-r 
-r-e-l-a-t-i-n-g -t-o -t-i-t-l-e -X-I -o-f -s-u-c-h -A-c-t -t-h-e 
-f-o-l-l-o-w-i-n-g-:

-`-`-S-e-c-. -1-1-1-9-. -T-i-m-e -L-i-m-i-t-a-t-i-o-n -o-n -C-i-v-i-l 
                            -A-c-t-i-o-n-s -A-g-a-i-n-s-t 
                            -A-i-r-c-r-a-f-t 
                            -M-a-n-u-f-a-c-t-u-r-e-r-s-.
                              -`-`-(-a-) -I-n -g-e-n-e-r-a-l-.
                              -`-`-(-b-) -E-x-c-e-p-t-i-o-n-s-.
                              -`-`-(-c-) -G-e-n-e-r-a-l 
                                        -a-v-i-a-t-i-o-n 
                                        -a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t 
                                        -d-e-f-i-n-e-d-.
                              -`-`-(-d-) -R-e-l-a-t-i-o-n-s-h-i-p -t-o 
                                        -o-t-h-e-r -l-a-w-s-.-'-'-.

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 manufacturer 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 manufacturer; 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, subassembly, 
        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) Exceptions.--Subsection (a) does not apply--
            (1) if the claimant pleads with specificity the facts 
        necessary to prove, and proves, that the manufacturer with 
        respect to a type certificate or airworthiness certificate for, 
        or obligations with respect to continuing airworthiness of, an 
        aircraft or a component, system, subassembly, or other part of 
        an aircraft knowingly misrepresented to the Federal Aviation 
        Administration, or concealed or withheld from the Federal 
        Aviation Administration, required information that is material 
        and relevant 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 
        claimant 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 
        enforceable 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 Administration, 
which, at the time such certificate was originally issued, had a 
maximum seating capacity 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 limitation period for 
such civil action established by subsection (a).

SEC. 3. OTHER DEFINITIONS.

    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 
        airworthiness certificate issued under section 603(c) of the 
        Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (49 U.S.C. 1423(c)) or under any 
        predecessor Federal statute;
            (3) the term ``limitation period'' means--
                    (A) 15 years with respect to piston-powered general 
                aviation aircraft and the components, systems, 
                subassemblies, and other parts of such aircraft;
                    (B) 18 years with respect to turboprop-powered 
                general aviation aircraft and the components, systems, 
                subassemblies, and other parts of such aircraft; and
                    (C) 22 years with respect to other general aviation 
                aircraft (including jet-powered general aviation 
                aircraft) and the components, systems, subassemblies, 
                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.

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.

            Passed the Senate March 16 (legislative day, February 22), 
      1994.

            Attest:

                                             WALTER J. STEWART,

                                                             Secretary.