H.R. 8226

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8226 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8226

To establish safety equipment, training, and maintenance requirements 
for turbine-powered helicopters carrying 2 or more passengers for 
compensation or hire, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 9, 2026

Mr. Nadler (for himself, Ms. Malliotakis, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Goldman of 
New York, and Mr. Espaillat) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To establish safety equipment, training, and maintenance requirements 
for turbine-powered helicopters carrying 2 or more passengers for 
compensation or hire, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Helicopter Safety Parity Act of 
2026''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:
(1) Certain helicopter operators conduct passenger service 
under part 135 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, that 
is substantially similar to part 121 of such title scheduled 
passenger operations.
(2) These operations avoid the more rigorous standards for 
pilot training, duty and rest, maintenance, and equipment 
required under part 121 of such title.
(3) The Federal Aviation Administration has acknowledged 
this gap and proposed rulemaking to close it, but such 
rulemaking has not been finalized.
(4) Public safety requires that rotorcraft providing 
passenger service comply with standards equivalent to those 
governing airlines.
(5) This Act builds on, and does not duplicate, the 
requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration Safety 
Management System final rule issued in 2024.
(6) A series of helicopter accidents in recent years, 
including fatal crashes involving tour operators, charter 
services, and air taxi operations, have revealed recurring 
issues with pilot fatigue, inadequate maintenance, and 
insufficient equipment, including the April 2025 Hudson River 
helicopter crash, which demonstrated that inadequate 
maintenance oversight under part 135 of title 14, Code of 
Federal Regulations, can contribute to catastrophic failures, 
highlighting the need for harmonized standards with part 121 of 
such title.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Part 121 operations.--The term ``part 121 operations'' 
means operations conducted under part 121 of title 14, Code of 
Federal Regulations.
(2) Part 121 operators.--The term ``part 121 operators'' 
means operators conducting part 121 operations.
(3) Part 135 operations.--The term ``part 135 operations'' 
means operations conducted under part 135 of title 14, Code of 
Federal Regulations.
(4) Part 135 operators.--The term ``part 135 operators'' 
means operators conducting part 135 operations.
(5) Rotorcraft.--The term ``rotorcraft'' has the meaning 
given that term in section 1.1 of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations.

SEC. 4. SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND OPERATIONAL STANDARDS FOR HELICOPTER 
OPERATIONS.

(a) Applicability.--This section applies to all turbine-powered 
helicopters carrying 2 or more passengers for compensation or hire.
(b) Requirements.--Operators subject to subsection (a) shall comply 
with safety equipment, training, and maintenance requirements 
equivalent to those applicable to part 121 operations, including--
(1) equipment capable of providing terrain awareness, or 
equivalent technology approved by the Administrator;
(2) equipment capable of cockpit voice recording, or 
equivalent technology approved by the Administrator;
(3) equipment capable of flight data recording, or 
equivalent technology approved by the Administrator; and
(4) compliance with standards under part 121 of title 14, 
Code of Federal Regulations, for pilot qualification, duty and 
rest, and maintenance programs.
(c) Compliance Timeline.--
(1) In general.--Operators subject to this section shall 
achieve full compliance not later than 24 months after the date 
of enactment of this Act.
(2) Extension.--The Administrator may grant an extension of 
up to 6 additional months upon a showing of good faith progress 
toward compliance.
(d) Exception.--This section shall not apply to operations 
conducted exclusively for emergency medical services under subpart L of 
part 135 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.

SEC. 5. RULEMAKING.

(a) Final Rule.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration shall issue final regulations to carry out this Act.
(b) Termination of Inconsistent Exemptions.--The Administrator 
shall rescind or modify any exemptions, interpretations, or guidance 
inconsistent with this Act.

SEC. 6. ENFORCEMENT.

An operator that fails to comply with the requirements of this Act 
shall be subject to the same penalties, certificate actions, and 
enforcement measures applicable to violations by part 121 operators 
under chapter 447 of title 49, United States Code.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Federal Aviation 
Administration $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030 
to carry out the requirements of this Act, including rulemaking, 
enforcement, oversight, and the hiring and training of aviation safety 
inspectors to strengthen maintenance and operational surveillance of 
rotorcraft operators.

SEC. 8. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.

Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall submit 
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate a report describing--
(1) staffing needs for implementation of this Act;
(2) steps taken to hire and train additional aviation 
safety inspectors; and
(3) progress in integrating rotorcraft operators into 
oversight systems consistent with part 121 of title 14, Code of 
Federal Regulations.

SEC. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE.

The requirements of this Act shall take effect on the date that is 
2 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
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