49 U.S.C. § 44716 : US Code - Section 44716: Collision avoidance systems

Search 49 U.S.C. § 44716 : US Code - Section 44716: Collision avoidance systems

(a) Development and Certification. - The Administrator of the
Federal Aviation Administration shall -
(1) complete the development of the collision avoidance system
known as TCAS-II so that TCAS-II can operate under visual and
instrument flight rules and can be upgraded to the performance
standards applicable to the collision avoidance system known as
TCAS-III;
(2) develop and carry out a schedule for developing and
certifying TCAS-II that will result in certification not later
than June 30, 1989; and
(3) submit to Congress monthly reports on the progress being
made in developing and certifying TCAS-II.
(b) Installation and Operation. - The Administrator shall require
by regulation that, not later than 30 months after the date
certification is made under subsection (a)(2) of this section, TCAS-
II be installed and operated on each civil aircraft that has a
maximum passenger capacity of at least 31 seats and is used to
provide air transportation of passengers, including intrastate air
transportation of passengers. The Administrator may extend the
deadline in this subsection for not more than 2 years if the
Administrator finds the extension is necessary to promote -
(1) a safe and orderly transition to the operation of a fleet
of civil aircraft described in this subsection equipped with TCAS-
II; or
(2) other safety objectives.
(c) Operational Evaluation. - Not later than December 30, 1990,
the Administrator shall establish a one-year program to collect and
assess safety and operational information from civil aircraft
equipped with TCAS-II for the operational evaluation of TCAS-II.
The Administrator shall encourage foreign air carriers that operate
civil aircraft equipped with TCAS-II to participate in the program.
(d) Amending Schedule for Windshear Equipment. - The
Administrator shall consider the feasibility and desirability of
amending the schedule for installing airborne low-altitude
windshear equipment to make the schedule compatible with the
schedule for installing TCAS-II.
(e) Deadline for Development and Certification. - (1) The
Administrator shall complete developing and certifying TCAS-III as
soon as possible.
(2) Necessary amounts may be appropriated from the Airport and
Airway Trust Fund established under section 9502 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 9502) to carry out this subsection.
(f) Installing and Using Transponders. - The Administrator shall
prescribe regulations requiring that, not later than December 30,
1990, operating transponders with automatic altitude reporting
capability be installed and used for aircraft operating in
designated terminal airspace where radar service is provided for
separation of aircraft. The Administrator may provide for access to
that airspace (except terminal control areas and airport radar
service areas) by nonequipped aircraft if the Administrator finds
the access will not interfere with the normal traffic flow.
(g) Cargo Collision Avoidance Systems. -
(1) In general. - The Administrator shall require by regulation
that, no later than December 31, 2002, collision avoidance
equipment be installed on each cargo aircraft with a maximum
certificated takeoff weight in excess of 15,000 kilograms.
(2) Extension of deadline. - The Administrator may extend the
deadline established by paragraph (1) by not more than 2 years if
the Administrator finds that the extension is needed to promote -

(A) a safe and orderly transition to the operation of a fleet
of cargo aircraft equipped with collision avoidance equipment;
or
(B) other safety or public interest objectives.
(3) Collision avoidance equipment defined. - In this
subsection, the term "collision avoidance equipment" means
equipment that provides protection from mid-air collisions using
technology that provides -
(A) cockpit-based collision detection and conflict resolution
guidance, including display of traffic; and
(B) a margin of safety of at least the same level as provided
by the collision avoidance system known as TCAS-II.