ROTORCRAFT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE.

SEC. 711. [49 U.S.C. 44504 note] ROTORCRAFT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE. (a) Objective.—The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall establish a rotorcraft initiative with the objective of developing, and demonstrating in a relevant environment, within 10 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, technologies to enable rotorcraft with the following improvements relative to rotorcraft existing as of the date of the enactment of this Act: (1) 80 percent reduction in noise levels on takeoff and on approach and landing as perceived by a human observer. (2) Factor of 10 reduction in vibration. (3) 30 percent reduction in empty weight. (4) Predicted accident rate equivalent to that of fixed-wing aircraft in commercial service within 10 years after the date of the enactment of this Act. (5) Capability for zero-ceiling, zero-visibility operations. (b) Implementation.—Within 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, in cooperation with the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, shall provide a plan to the Committee on Science of the House of Representatives and to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate for the implementation of the initiative described in subsection (a). * * * * * * *