Carry-forward compliance

This regulation established a "carry-forward" credit system for operators who exceeded noise compliance requirements ahead of schedule during the phase-out of Stage 2 (noisier) aircraft in the 1990s.

If an operator eliminated or modified more Stage 2 airplanes than required by the December 31, 1994 or December 31, 1996 deadlines, they earned credits. These credits could be applied in two ways at later compliance dates:

• Reduce future Stage 2 reduction requirements – The extra airplanes already eliminated could count toward future reduction obligations
• Offset Stage 3 fleet percentage requirements – Credits could substitute for having to operate additional Stage 3 (quieter) airplanes to meet mandated fleet composition percentages

This incentivized operators to accelerate their transition to quieter aircraft by rewarding early compliance with flexibility at subsequent deadlines. While these specific deadlines have long passed, the regulation remains part of the historical framework that phased out Stage 2 aircraft from U.S. operations.

*This is a plain-English summary for study only. The official 14 CFR text on this page is controlling — always read the current regulation and consult a CFI.*