Sec. 627. Low-altitude routes for vertical flight
270 words·~1 min read·
/bill/118/hr/3935/enr/section-627A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
It is the sense of Congress that the national airspace system requires additional rotorcraft, powered-lift aircraft, and low-altitude instrument flight rules, routes leveraging advances in performance based navigation in order to provide direct, safe, and reliable routes that ensure sufficient separation from higher altitude fixed wing aircraft traffic. Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall initiate a rulemaking process to establish or update, as appropriate, low altitude routes and flight procedures to ensure safe rotorcraft and powered-lift aircraft operations in the national airspace system.
In carrying out this subsection, the Administrator shall— incorporate instrument flight rules rotorcraft operations into the low-altitude performance based navigation procedure infrastructure; prioritize the development of new helicopter area navigation instrument flight rules routes as part of the United States air traffic service route structure that utilize performance based navigation, such as Global Positioning System and Global Navigation Satellite System equipment; and consider the impact of such low altitude flight routes on other airspace users and impacted communities to ensure that such routes are designed to minimize— the potential for conflict with existing national airspace system operations; the workload of air traffic controllers; and negative effects to impacted communities.
In carrying out the rulemaking process under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall consult with— stakeholders in the airport, heliport, rotorcraft manufacturer and operator, general aviation operator, powered-lift operator, air carrier, and performance based navigation technology manufacturer sectors; the United States Helicopter Safety Team; exclusive bargaining representatives of air traffic controllers certified under section 7111 of title 5, United States Code; and other stakeholders determined appropriate by the Administrator.