Helicopter Passenger Protection Act

The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall task the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee to—

(1) review the data analysis conducted and the recommendations developed by the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee Rotorcraft Occupant Protection Working Group of the Administration;

(2) update the 2018 report of such working group on rotorcraft occupant protection by—

(A) reviewing National Transportation Safety Board data from 2016 through 2023 on post-crash fires in helicopter accidents; and

(B) determining whether and to what extent crash-resistant fuel systems could have prevented fatalities; and

(3) develop recommendations for either the Administrator or the helicopter industry to encourage helicopter owners and operators to expedite the installation of crash-resistant fuel systems in the aircraft of such owners and operators regardless of original certification and manufacture date.

Not later than 18 months after the Administrator tasks the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee under subsection (a), the Committee shall submit the recommendations developed under subsection (a)(2) to the Administrator.

If applicable, and not later than 180 days after receiving the recommendations under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall—

(A) begin implementing, as appropriate, any consensus safety recommendations the Administrator receives from the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee, and brief the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate on any recommendations the Administrator does not implement; and

(B) partner with the United States Helicopter Safety Team, as appropriate, to facilitate implementation of any recommendations for the helicopter industry pursuant to subsection (a)(2).

(1) in subsection (a)(2) by striking the date that is 18 months after the date of enactment of this section and inserting April 5, 2020;

(2) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections (c) and (d), respectively; and

(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:

Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of this subsection, a person may not operate in United States airspace a rotorcraft manufactured before April 5, 2020, for which the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration has issued a standard airworthiness certificate, unless such rotorcraft includes a fuel system that is certified by the Administrator to—

(A) comply with the requirements applicable to the category of the rotorcraft under paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (5), and (6) of section 27.952(a), section 27.952(f), and section 27.963(g) (but allowing for a minimum puncture force of 250 pounds) or paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (5), and (6) of section 29.952(a), section 29.952(f), and section 29.963(b) (but allowing for a minimum puncture force of 250 pounds) of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on the date of enactment of this subsection; or

(B) employ other means acceptable to the Administrator to provide an equivalent level of fuel system crash resistance.

This subsection shall not apply to an unmanned aircraft that does not carry any occupants.