Airborne collision avoidance systems for rotorcraft

(a) In general Not later than December 31, 2026, the Administrator shall take necessary action to work with the appropriate standards setting organization to develop, finalize, and publish minimum operational performance standards for the collision avoidance system know as Airborne Collision Avoidance System Xr (in this section referred to as ACAS-Xr). (b) ACAS-Xr aviation rulemaking committee (1) Establishment Not later than 30 days after the date on which the appropriate standards setting organization publishes minimal operational performance standards for ACAS-Xr under subsection (a), the Administrator shall establish an aviation rulemaking committee (in this section referred to as the Committee) to review and develop findings and recommendations to require selected rotorcraft be equipped with ACAS-Xr. (2) Composition The Committee shall consist of members appointed by the Administrator, including representatives of— (A) rotorcraft operating under part 135 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations; (B) rotorcraft operating under part 91 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations; (C) rotorcraft manufacturers; (D) an organization representing rotorcraft operators and pilots; (E) general aviation aircraft manufacturers; (F) avionics manufacturers; (G) supplemental type certificate holders; (H) modification service providers; (I) exclusive bargaining representatives of air traffic controllers certified under section 7111 of title 5, United States Code; (J) the certified bargaining representative of aviation safety inspectors and engineers for the Federal Aviation Administration; (K) aviation safety experts with specific knowledge of human factors or human factors experts with specific knowledge of aviation safety; and (L) any other stakeholders the Administrator determines appropriate. (3) Considerations In developing the findings and recommendations required under paragraph (1), the Committee shall consider— (A) the anticipated modifications to the minimum operational performance standards of ACAS-Xr that are required by subsection (c)(1)(B); (B) the anticipated certification timeline for ACAS-Xr given the technical complexity and requisite procedures for approval; (C) a projected deadline for equipping newly manufactured selected rotorcraft the commercial availability of the necessary components associated with ACAS-Xr that considers— (i) the anticipated timeline needed for the FAA to approve the installation of ACAS-Xr on various rotorcraft or for various operations; and (ii) the commercial availability of the necessary components associated with ACAS-Xr; (D) a projected deadline to retrofit selected rotorcraft with ACAS-Xr that considers— (i) the feasibility of using existing antennas of existing collision mitigation systems equipped in such rotorcraft; (ii) the feasibility and cost associated with retrofitting rotorcraft not equipped with existing collision avoidance systems; and (iii) the commercial availability of the necessary components associated with ACAS-Xr; (E) actions that the Administrator can take to prioritize the certification and installation of ACAS-Xr; (F) related training for air traffic controllers, pilots, and others; and (G) any other considerations the Committee determines appropriate. (4) Report Not later than 1 year after the establishment of the Committee, the Committee shall submit to the Administrator and the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the findings and the recommendations developed by the Committee under this subsection. (c) Rulemaking and modification of minimal operating performance standards (1) In general Not later than 18 months after the submission of the report required under subsection (b)(4), the Administrator shall— (A) issue a notice of proposed rulemaking to require all selected rotorcraft to be equipped with ACAS-Xr; and (B) take necessary actions to modify the minimal operational performance standards for ACAS-Xr, including— (i) traffic advisory aural alerts to include clock position, relative altitude, range and vertical tendency; and (ii) the integration of directional traffic symbols. (2) Contents The notice of proposed rulemaking required under paragraph (1)(A) shall include, at a minimum— (A) appropriate guidance for the certification of ACAS-Xr systems; (B) defined standards for the modifications to such systems described in paragraph (1)(B); (C) a deadline for any newly manufactured selected rotorcraft to be equipped with ACAS-Xr, based on the findings and recommendations developed pursuant to subsection (b); and (D) a deadline for selected rotorcraft to be retrofit with ACAS-Xr, based on the findings and recommendations developed pursuant to subsection (b). (3) Final rule Not later than 18 months after the issuance of a notice of proposed rulemaking under paragraph (1)(A), the Administrator shall issue a final rule associated with such proposed rulemaking. (d) Selected rotorcraft In this section, the term selected rotorcraft means a civil rotorcraft operating in Class B airspace.