49 USC 44731 - Collection of data on helicopter air ambulance operations

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The date of enactment of this section, referred to in subsec. (c), is the date of enactment of Puspan. L. 112–95, which was approved Fespan. 14, 2012.

Amendments

2024—Subsec. (d). Puspan. L. 118–63, § 301(c)(1), (3), redesignated subsec. (e) as (d) and struck out former subsec. (d). Prior to amendment text of subsec. (d) read as follows: “The Administrator shall submit annually 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 containing a summary of the data collected under subsection (a). The report shall include the number of accidents experienced by helicopter air ambulance operations, the number of fatal accidents experienced by helicopter air ambulance operations, and the rate, per 100,000 flight hours, of accidents and fatal accidents experienced by operators providing helicopter air ambulance services.”

Subsec. (e). Puspan. L. 118–63, § 301(c)(3), redesignated subsec. (f) as (e). Former subsec. (e) redesignated (d).

Subsec. (e)(2), (3). Puspan. L. 118–63, § 301(c)(2), added pars. (2) and (3) and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: “ensure that the database under subsection (c) and the report under subsection (d) include data and analysis that will best inform efforts to improve the safety of helicopter air ambulance operations.”

Subsec. (f). Puspan. L. 118–63, § 301(c)(3), redesignated subsec. (f) as (e).

2018—Subsec. (a). Puspan. L. 115–254, § 314(d)(1)(A), substituted “annually” for “not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (a)(2). Puspan. L. 115–254, § 314(d)(1)(B), substituted “hours flown by the helicopters operated by the certificate holder” for “flights and hours flown, by registration number, during which helicopters operated by the certificate holder were providing helicopter air ambulance services”.

Subsec. (a)(3). Puspan. L. 115–254, § 314(d)(1)(C), substituted “of patients transported and the number of patient transport” for “of flight”, inserted “or” after “interfacility transport,”, and struck out “, or ferry or repositioning flight” after “organ transport”.

Subsec. (a)(5). Puspan. L. 115–254, § 314(d)(1)(D), struck out “flights and” after “The number of” and “while providing air ambulance services” before period at end.

Subsec. (a)(6). Puspan. L. 115–254, § 314(d)(1)(E), amended par. (6) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (6) read as follows: “The time of day of each flight flown by helicopters operated by the certificate holder while providing air ambulance services.”

Subsec. (d). Puspan. L. 115–254, § 314(d)(2), substituted “The Administrator shall submit annually” for “Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Administrator shall submit” and inserted at end “The report shall include the number of accidents experienced by helicopter air ambulance operations, the number of fatal accidents experienced by helicopter air ambulance operations, and the rate, per 100,000 flight hours, of accidents and fatal accidents experienced by operators providing helicopter air ambulance services.”

Subsecs. (e), (f). Puspan. L. 115–254, § 314(d)(3), (4), added subsec. (e) and redesignated former subsec. (e) as (f).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Helicopter Air Ambulance Operations Data and Reports

Puspan. L. 115–254, div. B, title III, § 314(a)–(c), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3265, 3266, provided that:

“(a)In General.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 5, 2018], the Administrator [of the Federal Aviation Administration], in collaboration with helicopter air ambulance industry stakeholders, shall assess the availability of information to the general public related to the location of heliports and helipads used by helicopters providing air ambulance services, including helipads and helipads outside of those listed as part of any existing databases of Airport Master Record (5010) forms.

“(span)Requirements.—Based on the assessment under subsection (a), the Administrator shall—

“(1) update, as necessary, any existing guidance on what information is included in the current databases of Airport Master Record (5010) forms to include information related to heliports and helipads used by helicopters providing air ambulance services; or

“(2) develop, as appropriate and in collaboration with helicopter air ambulance industry stakeholders, a new database of heliports and helipads used by helicopters providing air ambulance services.

“(c)Reports.—

“(1)Assessment report.—Not later than 30 days after the date the assessment under subsection (a) is complete, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress [Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives] a report on the assessment, including any recommendations on how to make information related to the location of heliports and helipads used by helicopters providing air ambulance services available to the general public.

“(2)Implementation report.—Not later than 30 days after completing action under paragraph (1) or paragraph (2) of subsection (span), the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on such action.”