
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 49USC44717]

 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
                     SUBTITLE VII--AVIATION PROGRAMS
 
                     PART A--AIR COMMERCE AND SAFETY
 
                           subpart iii--safety
 
                     CHAPTER 447--SAFETY REGULATION
 
Sec. 44717. Aging aircraft

    (a) Inspections and Reviews.--The Administrator of the Federal 
Aviation Administration shall prescribe regulations that ensure the 
continuing airworthiness of aging aircraft. The regulations prescribed 
under subsection (a) of this section--
        (1) at least shall require the Administrator to make 
    inspections, and review the maintenance and other records, of each 
    aircraft an air carrier uses to provide air transportation that the 
    Administrator decides may be necessary to enable the Administrator 
    to decide whether the aircraft is in safe condition and maintained 
    properly for operation in air transportation;
        (2) at least shall require an air carrier to demonstrate to the 
    Administrator, as part of the inspection, that maintenance of the 
    aircraft's age-sensitive parts and components has been adequate and 
    timely enough to ensure the highest degree of safety;
        (3) shall require the air carrier to make available to the 
    Administrator the aircraft and any records about the aircraft that 
    the Administrator requires to carry out a review; and
        (4) shall establish procedures to be followed in carrying out an 
    inspection.

    (b) When and How Inspections and Reviews Shall Be Carried Out.--(1) 
Inspections and reviews required under subsection (a)(1) of this section 
shall be carried out as part of each heavy maintenance check of the 
aircraft conducted after the 14th year in which the aircraft has been in 
service.
    (2) Inspections under subsection (a)(1) of this section shall be 
carried out as provided under section 44701(a)(2)(B) and (C) of this 
title.
    (c) Aircraft Maintenance Safety Programs.--The Administrator shall 
establish--
        (1) a program to verify that air carriers are maintaining their 
    aircraft according to maintenance programs approved by the 
    Administrator;
        (2) a program--
            (A) to provide inspectors and engineers of the 
        Administration with training necessary to conduct auditing 
        inspections of aircraft operated by air carriers for corrosion 
        and metal fatigue; and
            (B) to enhance participation of those inspectors and 
        engineers in those inspections; and

        (3) a program to ensure that air carriers demonstrate to the 
    Administrator their commitment and technical competence to ensure 
    the airworthiness of aircraft that the carriers operate.

    (d) Foreign Air Transportation.--(1) The Administrator shall take 
all possible steps to encourage governments of foreign countries and 
relevant international organizations to develop standards and 
requirements for inspections and reviews that--
        (A) will ensure the continuing airworthiness of aging aircraft 
    used by foreign air carriers to provide foreign air transportation 
    to and from the United States; and
        (B) will provide passengers of those foreign air carriers with 
    the same level of safety that will be provided passengers of air 
    carriers by carrying out this section.

    (2) Not later than September 30, 1994, the Administrator shall 
report to Congress on carrying out this subsection.

(Pub. L. 103-272, Sec. 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1199.)

                                          Historical and Revision Notes
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------
           Revised  Section                    Source (U.S. Code)              
 Source (Statutes at Large)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------
44717(a)..............................  49 App.:1421 (note).             Oct. 2
8, 1991, Pub. L. 102-143, Secs.
                                                                          402(a
), (b)(1), (c)-(e), 405, 105
                                                                          Stat.
 951, 952.
44717(b)..............................  49 App.:1421 (note).             Oct. 2
8, 1991, Pub. L. 102-143, Sec.
                                                                          402(b
)(2), (3), 105 Stat. 951.
44717(c)..............................  49 App.:1421 (note).             Oct. 2
8, 1991, Pub. L. 102-143, Sec.
                                                                          403, 
105 Stat. 952.
44717(d)..............................  49 App.:1421 (note).             Oct. 2
8, 1991, Pub. L. 102-143, Sec.
                                                                          404, 
105 Stat. 952.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------

    In subsections (a) and (c), before clause (1), the words ``Not later 
than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this title'' are 
omitted as obsolete.
    In subsection (a), before clause (1), the text of section 405 of the 
Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 
1992 (Public Law 102-143, 105 Stat. 952) is omitted as surplus because 
the complete name of the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration is used the first time the term appears in a section. The 
word ``regulations'' is substituted for ``rule'' because the terms are 
synonymous. In clauses (2)-(4), the words ``required by the rule'' are 
omitted as surplus. In clause (2), the words ``structure, skin, and 
other'' are omitted as surplus. In clause (3), the words ``inspection, 
maintenance, and other'' are omitted as surplus.
    In subsection (c)(1), the word ``Administrator'' is substituted for 
``Federal Aviation Administration'' for consistency in the revised 
title.
    In subsection (d)(1), before clause (A), the words ``governments of 
foreign countries'' are substituted for ``foreign governments'' for 
consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United 
States Code.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 46301 of this title.
