Waivers from final compliance

This regulation established a now-expired waiver process that allowed air carriers to temporarily continue operating Stage 2 (noisier) aircraft beyond the normal phase-out deadline. To qualify, carriers had to demonstrate that at least 85% of their fleet serving the contiguous U.S. already met Stage 3 noise standards by July 1, 1999.

Carriers had to apply by January 1, 1999 (U.S. carriers) or April 20, 2000 (foreign carriers), submitting a plan with firm orders to upgrade or replace remaining Stage 2 aircraft. The Secretary of Transportation evaluated applications based on public interest factors including competition and small community service impacts.

Even if granted, waivers had strict limits: no Stage 2 aircraft could operate in the contiguous U.S. beyond December 31, 2003. All waiver requests were published for public comment (minimum 14 days).

Since all deadlines have passed, this regulation is now historical and no longer applicable to current operations.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.*