The small-airplane industry has been eagerly awaiting changes in the FAA certification rules for several years, but GAMA President Pete Bunce said today the FAA has failed to meet today’s deadline, set by Congress, for issuing a proposed rule. “It is very disappointing that [FAA officials] have not found ways to comply with the law of the land, despite repeated requests by, and assistance from, industry to do so,” Bunce said, in a news release. The Small Airplane Revitalization Act, passed by Congress in 2013, called on the FAA to revise its rules for certifying small aircraft, to reduce regulatory costs while improving safety.
Bunce said the aviation industry in Europe has made faster progress on a similar overhaul, working collaboratively with regulators. The new FAA rules would create an ASTM compliance system, similar to what’s used today by light sport aircraft manufacturers. The new system also would establish international standards, opening up a global marketplace for manufacturers. Bunce asked the administration to overcome its “bureaucratic paralysis” and publish the NPRM before the end of the year. “In the interests of general aviation safety and innovation, it is the strong desire of the entire general aviation community for the Administration to rapidly place priority on an effort to publish the NPRM,” Bunce said.
