Pressure is mounting on the US Government to take legal action against the European Union (EU) unless it repeals legislation banning the addition of Stage 3 hushkitted airliners to the European register after next May.
Lobbyists for US hushkit manufacturers believe the government could file a protest this month with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
The US Senate has called on the government to ask the ICAO Council to rule whether the EU's hushkit ban complies with international standards. The USA has delayed action in the hope that the EU would repeal the ban.
That hope faded with a 20 July letter from the European Commission (EC) saying that, while it is ready to address US concerns, "the environmental objective of the regulation cannot be undermined".
The EC agreed in April to delay implementation of its non-addition rule by a year after the USA undertook to push for the accelerated introduction by ICAO of more stringent Stage 4 noise limits (Flight International, 7-11 May).
Source: Flight International
