FAA SCALES BACK REPAIR STATION RULE
September 16, 2014
In an attempt to address industry concerns, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has scaled back its latest revamp of the repair station regulations by eliminating a proposed new ratings system and several other significant changes that were strongly opposed by industry groups after the Administration’s release of a May 2012 notice of proposed rulemaking on the subject.
In addition to the new ratings system, which FAA intended to align with technological shifts since its last update, the Administration has also decided to drop proposals that would have required both supervisors and inspection personnel to speak English and that supervisors be present to oversee work being done by their staffs. The FAA also removed a proposed requirement that would have mandated that repair stations have the tooling and equipment needed to earn certifications or rating approvals. In addition, the new rule proposes to amend provisions on records falsification and the ability for FAA to weigh an applicant’s enforcement history when it considers a new certificate application.
It is likely that a follow-up draft regulation that addresses key outstanding issues, like those mentioned above, will be published at some future date. We will continue to keep you appraised of new developments.