[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8226 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8226
To establish safety equipment, training, and maintenance requirements
for turbine-powered helicopters carrying 2 or more passengers for
compensation or hire, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 9, 2026
Mr. Nadler (for himself, Ms. Malliotakis, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Goldman of
New York, and Mr. Espaillat) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish safety equipment, training, and maintenance requirements
for turbine-powered helicopters carrying 2 or more passengers for
compensation or hire, 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 ``Helicopter Safety Parity Act of
2026''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Certain helicopter operators conduct passenger service
under part 135 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, that
is substantially similar to part 121 of such title scheduled
passenger operations.
(2) These operations avoid the more rigorous standards for
pilot training, duty and rest, maintenance, and equipment
required under part 121 of such title.
(3) The Federal Aviation Administration has acknowledged
this gap and proposed rulemaking to close it, but such
rulemaking has not been finalized.
(4) Public safety requires that rotorcraft providing
passenger service comply with standards equivalent to those
governing airlines.
(5) This Act builds on, and does not duplicate, the
requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration Safety
Management System final rule issued in 2024.
(6) A series of helicopter accidents in recent years,
including fatal crashes involving tour operators, charter
services, and air taxi operations, have revealed recurring
issues with pilot fatigue, inadequate maintenance, and
insufficient equipment, including the April 2025 Hudson River
helicopter crash, which demonstrated that inadequate
maintenance oversight under part 135 of title 14, Code of
Federal Regulations, can contribute to catastrophic failures,
highlighting the need for harmonized standards with part 121 of
such title.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Part 121 operations.--The term ``part 121 operations''
means operations conducted under part 121 of title 14, Code of
Federal Regulations.
(2) Part 121 operators.--The term ``part 121 operators''
means operators conducting part 121 operations.
(3) Part 135 operations.--The term ``part 135 operations''
means operations conducted under part 135 of title 14, Code of
Federal Regulations.
(4) Part 135 operators.--The term ``part 135 operators''
means operators conducting part 135 operations.
(5) Rotorcraft.--The term ``rotorcraft'' has the meaning
given that term in section 1.1 of title 14, Code of Federal
Regulations.
SEC. 4. SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND OPERATIONAL STANDARDS FOR HELICOPTER
OPERATIONS.
(a) Applicability.--This section applies to all turbine-powered
helicopters carrying 2 or more passengers for compensation or hire.
(b) Requirements.--Operators subject to subsection (a) shall comply
with safety equipment, training, and maintenance requirements
equivalent to those applicable to part 121 operations, including--
(1) equipment capable of providing terrain awareness, or
equivalent technology approved by the Administrator;
(2) equipment capable of cockpit voice recording, or
equivalent technology approved by the Administrator;
(3) equipment capable of flight data recording, or
equivalent technology approved by the Administrator; and
(4) compliance with standards under part 121 of title 14,
Code of Federal Regulations, for pilot qualification, duty and
rest, and maintenance programs.
(c) Compliance Timeline.--
(1) In general.--Operators subject to this section shall
achieve full compliance not later than 24 months after the date
of enactment of this Act.
(2) Extension.--The Administrator may grant an extension of
up to 6 additional months upon a showing of good faith progress
toward compliance.
(d) Exception.--This section shall not apply to operations
conducted exclusively for emergency medical services under subpart L of
part 135 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
SEC. 5. RULEMAKING.
(a) Final Rule.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation
Administration shall issue final regulations to carry out this Act.
(b) Termination of Inconsistent Exemptions.--The Administrator
shall rescind or modify any exemptions, interpretations, or guidance
inconsistent with this Act.
SEC. 6. ENFORCEMENT.
An operator that fails to comply with the requirements of this Act
shall be subject to the same penalties, certificate actions, and
enforcement measures applicable to violations by part 121 operators
under chapter 447 of title 49, United States Code.
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Federal Aviation
Administration $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030
to carry out the requirements of this Act, including rulemaking,
enforcement, oversight, and the hiring and training of aviation safety
inspectors to strengthen maintenance and operational surveillance of
rotorcraft operators.
SEC. 8. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act,
the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration 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 describing--
(1) staffing needs for implementation of this Act;
(2) steps taken to hire and train additional aviation
safety inspectors; and
(3) progress in integrating rotorcraft operators into
oversight systems consistent with part 121 of title 14, Code of
Federal Regulations.
SEC. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The requirements of this Act shall take effect on the date that is
2 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
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