Sec. 310. INDEPENDENT STUDY ON FUTURE STATE OF TYPE CERTIFICATION PROCESSES

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## SEC. 310 INDEPENDENT STUDY ON FUTURE STATE OF TYPE CERTIFICATION PROCESSES ###

(a)Review and Study Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall seek to enter into an agreement with an appropriate federally funded research and development center, or other independent nonprofit organization that recommends solutions to aviation policy challenges through objective analysis, to conduct a review and study in accordance with the requirements and elements in this section. ###

(b)Elements The entity carrying out the review and study pursuant to subsection

(a)shall provide analyses, assessments, and recommendations that address the following elements: ####

(1)A vision for a future state of type certification that reflects the highly complex, highly integrated nature of modern aircraft and improvements in aviation safety. ####

(2)An assessment of digital tools, techniques, and software systems that allow for efficient and virtual evaluation of an applicant design, associated documentation, and software or systems engineering products, including in digital 3-dimensional formats or using model-based systems engineering design techniques. ####

(3)How the FAA could develop a risk-based model for type certification that improves the safety of aircraft. ####

(4)What changes are needed to ensure that corrective actions for continued operational safety issues, including software modifications, can be approved and implemented in a timely manner while maintaining the integrity of the type certification process. ####

(5)What efficiencies and safety process improvements are needed in the type certification processes of the FAA to facilitate the assessment and integration of innovative technologies and advance aviation safety, such as conducting product familiarization, developing certification requirements, and demonstrating flight test safety readiness. ####

(6)Best practices and tools used by other certification authorities outside of the United States that could be adopted by the FAA, as well as the best practices and tools used by the FAA which can be shared with certification authorities outside of the United States. ###

(c)Parties to Review In conducting the review and study pursuant to subsection (a), the Administrator shall ensure that the entity entering into an agreement under this section shall, throughout the review and study, consult with— ####

(1)the aircraft certification and flight standards offices or services of the Administration; and ####

(2)at least 3 industry members representing aircraft and aircraft part manufacturing interests. ###

(d)Considerations In conducting the review and study pursuant to subsection (a), the Administrator shall ensure the entity considers the availability, cost, interoperability, scalability, adaptability, cybersecurity, ease of adoption, and potential safety benefits of the elements described in subsection (b), including any digital tools, techniques, and software systems recommended to address such elements. ###

(e)Report Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the entity conducting the review and study pursuant to subsection

(a)shall submit to the Administrator and the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the results of the review and study that includes— ####

(1)the findings and recommendations of the entity; and ####

(2)an assessment of whether digital tools, techniques, and software systems could improve the coordination, oversight, or safety of the certification and validation activities of the FAA. ###

(f)Congressional Briefing Not later than 270 days after the report required under subsection

(e)is received by the Administrator, the Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on— ####

(1)any actions the FAA proposes to take as a result of such findings and recommendations; and ####

(2)the rationale of the FAA for not taking action on any specific recommendation, as applicable.