Private jets will have to meet Stage 3 noise level requirements. In the July 2 issue of the Federal Register, the FAA announced a ban on operating Stage 2 aircraft within the contiguous U.S. As part of the FAA Modernization and Reform act of 2012, the ban takes effect Dec. 31, 2015. The ban is in response to noise level complaints from communities around airports, where private jets are the last Stage 2 aircraft left. Larger Stage 2 planes, like commercial airliners, were phased out beginning in 1999. The ban is also in response to the international community’s desire to move to an all Stage 4 fleet.
The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) said that negotiations about the phase out of Stage 2 private jets have been underway for a long time, and that they’ve pushed for a reasonable timetable to make the deadline workable for jet owners. That’s part of the reason smaller jets have been exempt from the phase out that previously affected larger aircraft.
The ban leaves owners of Stage 2 jets with few options. Jets that can meet Stage 3 noise levels with the use of a hushkit will be immune from the ban. Of the models affected by the ban, only about six models have hushkits available. And for some of the aircraft, the value of the hushkit exceeds the value of the aircraft itself. That’s leaving some jet owners with a dilemma about what to do. The market outside of the U.S. is limited for Stage 2 jets, so many of the planes will have to be scrapped. And while the ban is going to cost operators an estimated $330 million, the FAA and Congress feel that the benefits achieved by the rule are worth it.
If your company owns a Stage 2 aircraft, contacting a knowledgeable and reputable company like L&L International well before the December 2015 deadline is essential. We have relationships with owners, brokers, and manufacturers to help you find a solution that works for your company. If a hushkit isn’t available for your Stage 2 aircraft, you’ll have the help of an experienced, reputable private jet broker to help you find a new or used aircraft with minimal disturbance to your business.