Visual charts

(a) Study Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall initiate a study on incorporating the lateral location and published altitudes of helicopter routes into all instrument and visual approach and departure procedures for airports. (b) Consultation In carrying out subsection (a), the Administrator shall consult with relevant stakeholders, including— (1) air carriers; (2) an organization representing helicopter operators and pilots; (3) an organization representing general aviation operators and pilots; (4) an organization representing business aviation operators and pilots; (5) 3 separate organizations representing certified collective bargaining representatives of airline pilots operating under part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations; (6) the certified exclusive bargaining representatives of air traffic controllers certified under section 7111 of title 5, United States Code; and (7) an individual that has expertise in an operational or academic discipline that is relevant to the analysis of human factors in aviation, including air carrier operations, line pilot expertise, air traffic control, linguistics, human-machine integration, general aviation operations, and organizational behavior and culture. (c) Considerations In carrying out subsection (a), the Administrator shall consider the— (1) spacing and legibility of information on charts; (2) workload of flight crews at lower altitudes and during critical phases of flight; (3) feasibility and decipherability of layered information on digital charts; (4) current best practices for pilots when landing at or departing from airports with high volume helicopter traffic but that do not have charted helicopter routes; and (5) human factors involved with approach and departure procedures. (d) Administrator action Not later than 1 year after initiating the study under subsection (a), the Administrator shall make any revisions necessary to— (1) Terminal Procedures Publications to include charted helicopter routes to provide appropriate situational awareness to fixed-wing operators; and (2) Helicopter Route Charts to include airport approach and departure paths to provide appropriate situational awareness to helicopter operators. (e) Congressional briefing If the Administrator makes revisions under subsection (d), the Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on such revisions not later than 60 days after making such revisions.