[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4343 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

\Alpha3\E\HSEENR\h4343--enr.xml [file 1 of 1]

        H.R.4343

                       One Hundred Tenth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE FIRST SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Thursday,
            the fourth day of January, two thousand and seven


                                 An Act


 
   To amend title 49, United States Code, to modify age standards for 
            pilots engaged in commercial aviation operations.

    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 ``Fair Treatment for Experienced 
Pilots Act''.
SEC. 2. AGE STANDARDS FOR PILOTS.
    (a) In General.--Chapter 447 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 44729. Age standards for pilots
    ``(a) In General.--Subject to the limitation in subsection (c), a 
pilot may serve in multicrew covered operations until attaining 65 
years of age.
    ``(b) Covered Operations Defined.--In this section, the term 
`covered operations' means operations under part 121 of title 14, Code 
of Federal Regulations.
    ``(c) Limitation for International Flights.--
        ``(1) Applicability of icao standard.--A pilot who has attained 
    60 years of age may serve as pilot-in-command in covered operations 
    between the United States and another country only if there is 
    another pilot in the flight deck crew who has not yet attained 60 
    years of age.
        ``(2) Sunset of limitation.--Paragraph (1) shall cease to be 
    effective on such date as the Convention on International Civil 
    Aviation provides that a pilot who has attained 60 years of age may 
    serve as pilot-in-command in international commercial operations 
    without regard to whether there is another pilot in the flight deck 
    crew who has not attained age 60.
    ``(d) Sunset of Age 60 Retirement Rule.--On and after the date of 
enactment of this section, section 121.383(c) of title 14, Code of 
Federal Regulations, shall cease to be effective.
    ``(e) Applicability.--
        ``(1) Nonretroactivity.--No person who has attained 60 years of 
    age before the date of enactment of this section may serve as a 
    pilot for an air carrier engaged in covered operations unless--
            ``(A) such person is in the employment of that air carrier 
        in such operations on such date of enactment as a required 
        flight deck crew member; or
            ``(B) such person is newly hired by an air carrier as a 
        pilot on or after such date of enactment without credit for 
        prior seniority or prior longevity for benefits or other terms 
        related to length of service prior to the date of rehire under 
        any labor agreement or employment policies of the air carrier.
        ``(2) Protection for compliance.--An action taken in 
    conformance with this section, taken in conformance with a 
    regulation issued to carry out this section, or taken prior to the 
    date of enactment of this section in conformance with section 
    121.383(c) of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect 
    before such date of enactment), may not serve as a basis for 
    liability or relief in a proceeding, brought under any employment 
    law or regulation, before any court or agency of the United States 
    or of any State or locality.
    ``(f) Amendments to Labor Agreements and Benefit Plans.--Any 
amendment to a labor agreement or benefit plan of an air carrier that 
is required to conform with the requirements of this section or a 
regulation issued to carry out this section, and is applicable to 
pilots represented for collective bargaining, shall be made by 
agreement of the air carrier and the designated bargaining 
representative of the pilots of the air carrier.
    ``(g) Medical Standards and Records.--
        ``(1) Medical examinations and standards.--Except as provided 
    by paragraph (2), a person serving as a pilot for an air carrier 
    engaged in covered operations shall not be subject to different 
    medical standards, or different, greater, or more frequent medical 
    examinations, on account of age unless the Secretary determines 
    (based on data received or studies published after the date of 
    enactment of this section) that different medical standards, or 
    different, greater, or more frequent medical examinations, are 
    needed to ensure an adequate level of safety in flight.
        ``(2) Duration of first-class medical certificate.--No person 
    who has attained 60 years of age may serve as a pilot of an air 
    carrier engaged in covered operations unless the person has a 
    first-class medical certificate. Such a certificate shall expire on 
    the last day of the 6-month period following the date of 
    examination shown on the certificate.
    ``(h) Safety.--
        ``(1) Training.--Each air carrier engaged in covered operations 
    shall continue to use pilot training and qualification programs 
    approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, with specific 
    emphasis on initial and recurrent training and qualification of 
    pilots who have attained 60 years of age, to ensure continued 
    acceptable levels of pilot skill and judgment.
        ``(2) Line evaluations.--Not later than 6 months after the date 
    of enactment of this section, and every 6 months thereafter, an air 
    carrier engaged in covered operations shall evaluate the 
    performance of each pilot of the air carrier who has attained 60 
    years of age through a line check of such pilot. Notwithstanding 
    the preceding sentence, an air carrier shall not be required to 
    conduct for a 6-month period a line check under this paragraph of a 
    pilot serving as second-in-command if the pilot has undergone a 
    regularly scheduled simulator evaluation during that period.
        ``(3) GAO report.--Not later than 24 months after the date of 
    enactment of this section, the Comptroller General shall submit to 
    the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
    Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
    Transportation of the Senate a report concerning the effect, if 
    any, on aviation safety of the modification to pilot age standards 
    made by subsection (a).''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 447 of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

``44729. Age standards for pilots.''.


                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.