Federal Aviation Administration#Designated Engineering Representative (DER)

The FAA's roles include:

• Regulating U.S. commercial space transportation
• Regulating air navigation facilities' geometric and flight inspection standards
• Encouraging and developing civil aeronautics, including new aviation technology
• Issuing, suspending, or revoking pilot certificates
• Regulating civil aviation to promote transportation safety in the United States, especially through local offices called Flight Standards District Offices
• Developing and operating a system of air traffic control and navigation for both civil and military aircraft
• Researching and developing the National Airspace System and civil aeronautics
• Developing and carrying out programs to control aircraft noise and other environmental effects of civil aviation

The FAA operates five "lines of business".[https://www.faa.gov/about/key_officials/ Key Officials] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628211750/https://www.faa.gov/about/key_officials/ |date=June 28, 2021 }} FAA. Retrieved on June 20, 2021. Their functions are:

• Air Traffic Organization (ATO): provides air navigation service within the National Airspace System. In ATO, employees operate air traffic control facilities comprising Airport Traffic Control Towers (ATCT), Terminal Radar Approach Control Facilities (TRACONs), and Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCC).[http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/ Air Traffic Organization] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507141532/http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/ |date=May 7, 2013 }}. FAA.gov (December 5, 2017). Retrieved on March 14, 2019.
• Aviation Safety (AVS): responsible for aeronautical certification of personnel and aircraft, including pilots, airlines, and mechanics.[http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/ Aviation Safety (AVS)] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508140832/http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/ |date=May 8, 2013 }}. FAA.gov (November 29, 2018). Retrieved on March 14, 2019.
• Airports (ARP): plans and develops the national airport system; oversees standards for airport safety, inspection, design, construction, and operation. The office awards $3.5 billion annually in grants for airport planning and development.[http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/arp/ Airports] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512191131/http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/arp/ |date=May 12, 2013 }}. FAA. Retrieved on June 20, 2021.
• Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST): ensures protection of U.S. assets during the launch or reentry of commercial space vehicles.[http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/ Office of Commercial Space Transportation] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200519092034/https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/ |date=May 19, 2020 }}. FAA.gov (June 5, 2018). Retrieved on March 14, 2019.
• Security and Hazardous Materials Safety (ASH): responsible for risk reduction of terrorism and other crimes and for investigations, materials safety, infrastructure protection, and personnel security.{{cite web |title=Security and Hazardous Materials Safety |url=https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ash/ |publisher=FAA |access-date=June 20, 2021 |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624212234/https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ash/ |url-status=live}}

File:US Overflight Fee Map.png, several U.S. island territories, and some small, foreign island nations and territories]]

The FAA is headquartered in Washington, D.C.,{{cite web |url=http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/arc/ro_center/index.cfm?file_name=contact_us_headquarters |title=Regional Offices & Aeronautical Center |publisher=FAA |date=April 6, 2011 |access-date=March 24, 2012 |archive-date=November 17, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181117233827/https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/arc/ro_center/index.cfm?file_name=contact_us_headquarters |url-status=live}} and also operates the William J. Hughes Technical Center near Atlantic City, New Jersey, for support and research, and the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for training. The FAA has nine regional administrative offices:

• Alaskan Region – Anchorage, Alaska
• Northwest Mountain – Seattle, Washington
• Western Pacific – Los Angeles, California
• Southwest – Fort Worth, Texas
• Central – Kansas City, Missouri
• Great Lakes – Chicago, Illinois
• Southern – Atlanta, Georgia
• Eastern – New York, New York
• New England – Boston, Massachusetts

{{more citations needed section|date=January 2023}}

The Air Commerce Act of May 20, 1926, is the cornerstone of the U.S. federal government's regulation of civil aviation. This landmark legislation was passed at the urging of the aviation industry, whose leaders believed the airplane could not reach its full commercial potential without federal action to improve and maintain safety standards. The Act charged the Secretary of Commerce with fostering air commerce, issuing and enforcing air traffic rules, licensing pilots, certifying aircraft, establishing airways, and operating and maintaining aids to air navigation. The newly created Aeronautics Branch, operating under the Department of Commerce assumed primary responsibility for aviation oversight.

In fulfilling its civil aviation responsibilities, the U.S. Department of Commerce initially concentrated on such functions as safety regulations and the certification of pilots and aircraft. It took over the building and operation of the nation's system of lighted airways, a task initiated by the Post Office Department. The Department of Commerce improved aeronautical radio communications—before the founding of the Federal Communications Commission in 1934, which handles most such matters today—and introduced radio beacons as an effective aid to air navigation.

The Aeronautics Branch was renamed the Bureau of Air Commerce in 1934 to reflect its enhanced status within the Department. As commercial flying increased, the Bureau encouraged a group of airlines to establish the first three centers for providing air traffic control (ATC) along the airways. In 1936, the Bureau itself took over the centers and began to expand the ATC system. The pioneer air traffic controllers used maps, blackboards, and mental calculations to ensure the safe separation of aircraft traveling along designated routes between cities.

In 1938, the Civil Aeronautics Act transferred the federal civil aviation responsibilities from the Commerce Department to a new independent agency, the Civil Aeronautics Authority. The legislation also expanded the government's role by giving the CAA the authority and the power to regulate airline fares and to determine the routes that air carriers would serve.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt split the authority into two agencies in 1940: the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) and the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB). CAA was responsible for ATC, airman and aircraft certification, safety enforcement, and airway development. CAB was entrusted with safety regulation, accident investigation, and economic regulation of the airlines. The CAA was part of the Department of Commerce. The CAB was an independent federal agency.

On the eve of America's entry into World War II, CAA began to extend its ATC responsibilities to takeoff and landing operations at airports. This expanded role eventually became permanent after the war. The application of radar to ATC helped controllers in their drive to keep abreast of the postwar boom in commercial air transportation. In 1946, meanwhile, Congress gave CAA the added task of administering the federal-aid airport program, the first peacetime program of financial assistance aimed exclusively at development of the nation's civil airports.

The approaching era of jet travel (and a series of midair collisions—most notably the 1956 Grand Canyon mid-air collision) prompted passage of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958. This legislation passed the CAA's functions to a new independent body, the Federal Aviation Agency. The act also transferred air safety regulation from the CAB to the FAA, and gave it sole responsibility for a joint civil-military system of air navigation and air traffic control. The FAA's first administrator, Elwood R. Quesada, was a former Air Force general and adviser to President Eisenhower.

The same year witnessed the birth of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which was created in response to the Soviet Union (USSR) launch of the first manmade satellite. NASA assumed NACA's aeronautical research role.

In 1967, a new U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) combined major federal responsibilities for air and surface transport. The Federal Aviation Agency's name changed to the Federal Aviation Administration as it became one of several agencies (e.g., Federal Highway Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, the Coast Guard, and the Saint Lawrence Seaway Commission) within DOT. The FAA administrator no longer reported directly to the president, but instead to the Secretary of Transportation. New programs and budget requests would have to be approved by DOT, which would then include these requests in the overall budget and submit it to the president.

At the same time, a new National Transportation Safety Board took over the Civil Aeronautics Board's (CAB) role of investigating and determining the causes of transportation accidents and making recommendations to the secretary of transportation. CAB was merged into DOT with its responsibilities limited to the regulation of commercial airline routes and fares.

The FAA gradually assumed additional functions. The hijacking epidemic of the 1960s had already brought the agency into the field of civil aviation security. In response to the hijackings on September 11, 2001, this responsibility is now primarily taken by the Department of Homeland Security. The FAA became more involved with the environmental aspects of aviation in 1968 when it received the power to set aircraft noise standards. Legislation in 1970 gave the agency management of a new airport aid program and certain added responsibilities for airport safety. During the 1960s and 1970s, the FAA also started to regulate high altitude (over 500 feet) kite and balloon flying.

File:FAA Joint Surveillance Site Canton Michigan.JPG]]

By the mid-1970s, the agency had achieved a semi-automated air traffic control system using both radar and computer technology. This system required enhancement to keep pace with air traffic growth, however, especially after the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 phased out the CAB's economic regulation of the airlines. A nationwide strike by the air traffic controllers union in 1981 forced temporary flight restrictions but failed to shut down the airspace system. During the following year, the agency unveiled a new plan for further automating its air traffic control facilities, but progress proved disappointing. In 1994, the FAA shifted to a more step-by-step approach that has provided controllers with advanced equipment.[http://www.faa.gov/about/history/brief%5Fhistory/ FAA History] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080702041843/http://www.faa.gov/about/history/brief_history/ |date=July 2, 2008 }} from official website.

In 1979, Congress authorized the FAA to work with major commercial airports to define noise pollution contours and investigate the feasibility of noise mitigation by residential retrofit programs. Throughout the 1980s, these charters were implemented.

In the 1990s, satellite technology received increased emphasis in the FAA's development programs as a means to improvements in communications, navigation, and airspace management. In 1995, the agency assumed responsibility for safety oversight of commercial space transportation, a function begun eleven years before by an office within DOT headquarters. The agency was responsible for the decision to ground flights after the September 11 attacks.

In December 2000, an organization within the FAA called the Air Traffic Organization,[http://ato.faa.gov Air Traffic Organization] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070419014949/http://www.ato.faa.gov/ |date=April 19, 2007 }} Official website. (ATO) was set up by presidential executive order. This became the air navigation service provider for the airspace of the United States and for the New York (Atlantic) and Oakland (Pacific) oceanic areas. It is a full member of the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation.

The FAA issues a number of awards to holders of its certificates. Among these are demonstrated proficiencies as an aviation mechanic (the AMT Awards), a flight instructor (Gold Seal certification), a 50-year aviator (Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award), a 50-year mechanic (Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award) or as a proficient pilot. The latter, the FAA "WINGS Program", provides a lifetime series of grouped proficiency activities at three levels (Basic, Advanced, and Master) for pilots who have undergone several hours of ground and flight training since their last WINGS award, or "Phase". The FAA encourages volunteerism in the promotion of aviation safety. The FAA Safety Team, or FAASTeam, works with Volunteers at several levels and promotes safety education and outreach nationwide.

On March 18, 2008, the FAA ordered its inspectors to reconfirm that airlines are complying with federal rules after revelations that Southwest Airlines flew dozens of aircraft without certain mandatory inspections.[http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/03/18/air.safety/index.html FAA looking to see if airlines made safety repairs] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080321214609/http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/03/18/air.safety/index.html |date=March 21, 2008 }}. The FAA exercises surprise Red Team drills on national airports annually.

On October 31, 2013, after outcry from media outlets, including heavy criticism {{cite news |title=If the FAA changes its electronics rules, you can thank a reporter |url=http://blog.chron.com/techblog/2013/10/if-the-faa-changes-its-electronics-rules-you-can-thank-a-reporter/ |author=Dwight Silverman |date=October 7, 2013 |newspaper=Houston Chronicle |access-date= November 16, 2014 |archive-date=May 25, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150525075115/http://blog.chron.com/techblog/2013/10/if-the-faa-changes-its-electronics-rules-you-can-thank-a-reporter/ |url-status=live}} from Nick Bilton of The New York Times,{{cite web|url=http://skift.com/2013/10/31/the-internet-is-thanking-nick-bilton-for-the-faas-new-rules/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150525062418/http://skift.com/2013/10/31/the-internet-is-thanking-nick-bilton-for-the-faas-new-rules/|archive-date=May 25, 2015|title = The Internet Is Thanking Nick Bilton for the FAA's New Rules|first = Jason|last= Clampet|work = Skift|date = 31 October 2013|url-status = live}}{{cite news |last=Bilton |first= Nick |title= Disruptions: How the F.A.A., Finally, Caught Up to an Always-On Society |work=The New York Times|date=October 9, 2013 |url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/06/disruptions-as-society-changes-a-brighter-future-for-devices-on-planes/ |access-date=July 28, 2019 |archive-date=September 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190930223922/https://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/06/disruptions-as-society-changes-a-brighter-future-for-devices-on-planes/ |url-status=live}} the FAA announced it will allow airlines to expand the passengers use of portable electronic devices during all phases of flight, but mobile phone calls would still be prohibited (and use of cellular networks during any point when aircraft doors are closed remains prohibited to-date). Implementation initially varied among airlines. The FAA expected many carriers to show that their planes allow passengers to safely use their devices in airplane mode, gate-to-gate, by the end of 2013. Devices must be held or put in the seat-back pocket during the actual takeoff and landing. Mobile phones must be in airplane mode or with mobile service disabled, with no signal bars displayed, and cannot be used for voice communications due to Federal Communications Commission regulations that prohibit any airborne calls using mobile phones. From a technological standpoint, cellular service would not work in-flight because of the rapid speed of the airborne aircraft: mobile phones cannot switch fast enough between cellular towers at an aircraft's high speed. However, the ban is due to potential radio interference with aircraft avionics. If an air carrier provides Wi-Fi service during flight, passengers may use it. Short-range Bluetooth accessories, like wireless keyboards, can also be used.{{cite web |title=At last! FAA green lights gadgets on planes |url=https://www.foxnews.com/tech/at-last-faa-green-lights-gadgets-on-planes/ |publisher=Fox News |access-date=October 31, 2013 |archive-date=November 1, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101070053/http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2013/10/31/faa-oks-air-passengers-using-gadgets-on-planes/ |url-status=live}}

In July 2014, in the wake of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, the FAA suspended flights by U.S. airlines to Ben Gurion Airport during the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict for 24 hours. The ban was extended for a further 24 hours but was lifted about six hours later.{{cite news |title=British Airways CEO insists flights over Iraq are safe |url=http://www.theuknews.com/index.php/sid/224382415/scat/0f440bf3fff89f01/ht/British-Airways-CEO-insists-flights-over-Iraq-are-safe |access-date=August 2, 2014 |publisher=The UK News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808053222/http://www.theuknews.com/index.php/sid/224382415/scat/0f440bf3fff89f01/ht/British-Airways-CEO-insists-flights-over-Iraq-are-safe |archive-date=August 8, 2014 |url-status=dead}}

The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 gives the FAA one year to establish minimum pitch, width and length for airplane seats, to ensure they are safe for passengers.{{Cite news |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/27/airplane-seat-sizes-would-be-regulated-in-faa-law.html |title=House passes bill to require minimum standards for airplane seat size, legroom |last=Josephs |first=Leslie |date=September 27, 2018 |work=CNBC|access-date=September 28, 2018 |archive-date=September 28, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928073614/https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/27/airplane-seat-sizes-would-be-regulated-in-faa-law.html |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.congress.gov/115/bills/hr302/BILLS-115hr302enr.pdf |title=FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 |date=October 5, 2018 |access-date=July 28, 2019 |archive-date=August 3, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190803034132/https://www.congress.gov/115/bills/hr302/BILLS-115hr302enr.pdf |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.enotrans.org/article/summary-of-final-compromise-faa-reauthorization-act-of-2018/ |title=Summary of Final Compromise FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 |publisher=Eno Center for Transportation |date=September 24, 2018 |first=Jeff |last=Davis |quote=Section 577 of the bill requires the FAA to issue rules establishing minimum width, length and seat pitch of airline seats. |access-date=July 28, 2019 |archive-date=July 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190728044050/https://www.enotrans.org/article/summary-of-final-compromise-faa-reauthorization-act-of-2018/ |url-status=live}}

As of 2018,

the FAA plans to replace the "FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure" (FTI) program with the "FAA Enterprise Network Services" (FENS) program.

Daniel Elwell.

[https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/2021-11/FTI-Mission-Support-Network-submitted-to-Congress.pdf "FTI Mission Support Network Status and Future Plans: Report to Congress"].

2018.

p. 6 and p. A-1.

[https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/technology/cinp/fens "FAA Enterprise Network Services Program"].

The first FAA licensed orbital human space flight took place on November 15, 2020, carried out by SpaceX on behalf of NASA.{{Cite news |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/space/article/Crew-1-is-headed-to-Space-Station-launching-the-15729280.php |title=Crew-1 is headed to Space Station, launching the NASA/SpaceX venture |date=November 10, 2020 |work=CNBC|access-date=November 10, 2020 |archive-date=November 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116004235/https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/space/article/Crew-1-is-headed-to-Space-Station-launching-the-15729280.php |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.space.com/nasa-certifies-spacex-crew-1-astronaut-mission-go-for-launch |title=NASA certifies SpaceX's Crew Dragon for astronaut flights, gives 'go' for Nov. 14 launch |website=Space.com |date=November 11, 2020 |access-date=November 16, 2020 |archive-date=November 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113004627/https://www.space.com/nasa-certifies-spacex-crew-1-astronaut-mission-go-for-launch |url-status=live}}

{{anchor|FAA Administrator|List of FAA administrators}}

The administrator is appointed for a five-year term.{{cite web |last1=Rose |first1=Joel |title=FAA chief Mike Whitaker announces that he will step down in January |url=https://www.npr.org/2024/12/12/nx-s1-5226796/faa-head-resign-mike-whitaker-january-boeing |website=NPR |access-date=10 January 2025 |date=December 12, 2024}}

On March 19, 2019, President Donald Trump announced he would nominate Stephen Dickson, a former executive and pilot at Delta Air Lines, to be the next FAA Administrator.{{Cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2019/03/19/704900992/trump-to-nominate-former-delta-airlines-executive-to-lead-faa |title=Trump To Nominate Former Delta Airlines Executive To Lead FAA |website=NPR|date=March 19, 2019 |access-date=March 19, 2019 |archive-date=March 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190320000543/https://www.npr.org/2019/03/19/704900992/trump-to-nominate-former-delta-airlines-executive-to-lead-faa |url-status=live |last1=Naylor |first1=Brian}} On July 24, 2019, the Senate confirmed Dickson by a vote of 52–40.{{Cite web |url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=116&session=1&vote=00225 |title=U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 116th Congress - 1st Session |website=U.S. Senate|access-date=July 24, 2019 |archive-date=August 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190804173543/https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=116&session=1&vote=00225 |url-status=live}}{{Cite press release |url=https://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=24094 |date=August 12, 2019 |title=Stephen M. Dickson Sworn in as Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration |publisher=Federal Aviation Administration |language=en-us |access-date=August 14, 2019 |archive-date=July 31, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731052926/https://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=24094 |url-status=live}} He was sworn in as Administrator by Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao on August 12, 2019. On February 16, 2022, Dickson announced his resignation as FAA Administrator, effective March 31, 2022.{{Cite news |title=FAA administrator Steve Dickson to resign next month |language=en-US |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2022/02/16/faa-steve-dickson-resignation/ |url-access=subscription |date=Feb 16, 2022 |first1=Ian |last1=Duncan |access-date=2022-02-17 |issn=0190-8286 |archive-date=February 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220165030/https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2022/02/16/faa-steve-dickson-resignation/ |url-status=live }} In September 2023, President Joe Biden announced that he would be nominating Mike Whitaker to lead the FAA. Whitaker previously served as deputy administrator of the FAA under President Barack Obama.{{cite web |last1=Tangel |first1=Andrew |title=Mike Whitaker Is President Biden's Pick to Lead FAA |url=https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/biden-picks-mike-whitaker-to-lead-faa-b4630e6d |date=Sep 7, 2023 |website=Wall Street Journal |access-date=7 September 2023}}

The FAA has been cited as an example of regulatory capture, "in which the airline industry openly dictates to its regulators its governing rules, arranging for not only beneficial regulation, but placing key people to head these regulators."{{cite news |last=Solomon |first=Steven Davidoff |title=The Government's Elite and Regulatory Capture |work=DealBook |publisher=The New York Times|date=June 11, 2010 |url=https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2010/06/11/the-governments-elite-and-regulatory-capture/ |access-date=July 28, 2019 |archive-date=January 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200120214649/https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2010/06/11/the-governments-elite-and-regulatory-capture |url-status=live}} Retired NASA Office of Inspector General Senior Special Agent Joseph Gutheinz, who used to be a Special Agent with the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Transportation and with FAA Security, is one of the most outspoken critics of FAA. Rather than commend the agency for proposing a $10.2 million fine against Southwest Airlines for its failure to conduct mandatory inspections in 2008, he was quoted as saying the following in an Associated Press story: "Penalties against airlines that violate FAA directives should be stiffer. At $25,000 per violation, Gutheinz said, airlines can justify rolling the dice and taking the chance on getting caught. He also said the FAA is often too quick to bend to pressure from airlines and pilots." Other experts have been critical of the constraints and expectations under which the FAA is expected to operate. The dual role of encouraging aerospace travel and regulating aerospace travel are contradictory. For example, to levy a heavy penalty upon an airline for violating an FAA regulation which would impact their ability to continue operating would not be considered encouraging aerospace travel.

On July 22, 2008, in the aftermath of the Southwest Airlines inspection scandal, a bill was unanimously approved in the House to tighten regulations concerning airplane maintenance procedures, including the establishment of a whistleblower office and a two-year "cooling off" period that FAA inspectors or supervisors of inspectors must wait before they can work for those they regulated.Congress.gov, "[http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.uscongress/legislation.110hr6493 H.R.6493 - Aviation Safety Enhancement Act of 2008]". {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001040721/https://www.congress.gov/bill/110th-congress/house-bill/6493 |date=October 1, 2021 }}. The bill also required rotation of principal maintenance inspectors and stipulated that the word "customer" properly applies to the flying public, not those entities regulated by the FAA. The bill died in a Senate committee that year.Congress.gov, "[http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.uscongress/legislation.110s3440 S.3440 - Aviation Safety Enhancement Act of 2008]". {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001040738/https://www.congress.gov/bill/110th-congress/senate-bill/3440 |date=October 1, 2021 }}.

In September 2009, the FAA administrator issued a directive mandating that the agency use the term "customers" to refer to only the flying public.{{cite news |title=FAA will stop calling airlines 'customers' |work=USA Today |date=September 18, 2009 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2009-09-17-faa-airline-customers_N.htm |access-date=October 17, 2009 |agency=Reuters |archive-date=December 24, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101224184815/http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2009-09-17-faa-airline-customers_N.htm |url-status=dead }}

In 2007, two FAA whistleblowers, inspectors Charalambe "Bobby" Boutris and Douglas E. Peters, alleged that Boutris said he attempted to ground Southwest after finding cracks in the fuselage of an aircraft, but was prevented by supervisors he said were friendly with the airline.Johanna Neuman, [http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-trw-airlines4apr04,0,4935961.story "FAA's 'culture of coziness' targeted in airline safety hearing"], Los Angeles Times (April 3, 2008). {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123163445/http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-trw-airlines4apr04,0,4935961.story |date=January 23, 2013 }}. Retrieved April 11, 2011. This was validated by a report by the Department of Transportation which found FAA managers had allowed Southwest Airlines to fly 46 airplanes in 2006 and 2007 that were overdue for safety inspections, ignoring concerns raised by inspectors. Audits of other airlines resulted in two airlines grounding hundreds of planes, causing thousands of flight cancellations.{{cite web |url-status=dead |first1=Paul |last1=Lowe |url=http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aviation-international-news/2008-08-31/bill-proposes-distance-between-airlines-and-faa-regulators |title=Bill proposes distance between airlines and FAA regulators |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115173911/http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aviation-international-news/2008-08-31/bill-proposes-distance-between-airlines-and-faa-regulators |archive-date=January 15, 2013 |website=AINonline |date=September 1, 2008 |access-date=April 11, 2011}} The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee held hearings in April 2008. Jim Oberstar, former chairman of the committee, said its investigation uncovered a pattern of regulatory abuse and widespread regulatory lapses, allowing 117 aircraft to be operated commercially although not in compliance with [https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/ FAA safety rules]. Oberstar said there was a "culture of coziness" between senior FAA officials and the airlines and "a systematic breakdown" in the FAA's culture that resulted in "malfeasance, bordering on corruption". In 2008 the FAA proposed to fine Southwest $10.2 million for failing to inspect older planes for cracks,{{cite web |first1=David |last1=Koenig |url=http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080307/BIZ/803070316/-1/rss05 |title=Southwest Airlines faces $10.2 million fine |website=Mail Tribune |agency=Associated Press |date=March 6, 2008 |access-date=April 11, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925031746/http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080307/BIZ/803070316/-1/rss05 |archive-date= Sep 25, 2012 }} and in 2009 Southwest and the FAA agreed that Southwest would pay a $7.5 million penalty and would adopt new safety procedures, with the fine doubling if Southwest failed to follow through.John Hughes for Bloomberg News. March 2, 2009. [https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=avFzkpTRRnHc&refer=us Southwest Air Agrees to $7.5 Million Fine, FAA Says (Update2)] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924190006/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=avFzkpTRRnHc&refer=us |date=September 24, 2015 }}

{{More citations needed section|date=February 2025}}

In 2014, the FAA modified its approach to air traffic control hiring. It launched more "off the street bids", allowing anyone with either a four-year degree or five years of full-time work experience to apply, rather than the closed college program or Veterans Recruitment Appointment bids, something that had last been done in 2008. Thousands were hired, including veterans, Collegiate Training Initiative graduates, and people who are true "off the street" hires. The move was made to open the job up to more people who might make good controllers but did not go to a college that offered a CTI program. Before the change, candidates who had completed coursework at participating colleges and universities could be "fast-tracked" for consideration. However, the CTI program had no guarantee of a job offer, nor was the goal of the program to teach people to work actual traffic. The goal of the program was to prepare people for the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, OK. Having a CTI certificate allowed a prospective controller to skip the Air Traffic Basics part of the academy, about a 30- to 45-day course, and go right into Initial Qualification Training (IQT). All prospective controllers, CTI or not, have had to pass the FAA Academy in order to be hired as a controller. Failure at the academy means FAA employment is terminated. In January 2015 they launched another pipeline, a "prior experience" bid, where anyone with an FAA Control Tower Operator certificate (CTO) and 52 weeks of experience could apply. This was a revolving bid, every month the applicants on this bid were sorted out, and eligible applicants were hired and sent directly to facilities, bypassing the FAA academy entirely.

In the process of promoting diversity, the FAA revised its hiring process.{{cite news |last1=Shapiro |first1=Adam |last2=Browne |first2=Pamela |title=Trouble in the Skies |url=http://www.foxbusiness.com/industries/2015/05/20/trouble-in-skies/ |access-date=January 3, 2016 |publisher=Fox Business |date=May 20, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222092710/http://www.foxbusiness.com/industries/2015/05/20/trouble-in-skies/ |archive-date=December 22, 2015 |url-status=dead}}{{cite news |last1=Reily |first1=Jason L. |title=Affirmative Action Lands in the Air Traffic Control Tower |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/affirmative-action-lands-in-the-air-traffic-control-tower-1433283292 |access-date=January 3, 2016 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=June 2, 2015 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=January 2, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102035652/http://www.wsj.com/articles/affirmative-action-lands-in-the-air-traffic-control-tower-1433283292 |url-status=live}} The FAA later issued a report that the "bio-data" was not a reliable test for future performance. However, the "Bio-Q" was not the determining factor for hiring, it was merely a screening tool to determine who would take a revised Air Traffic Standardized Aptitude Test (ATSAT). Due to cost and time, it was not practical to give all 30,000 some applicants the revised ATSAT, which has since been validated. In 2015 Fox News levied criticism that the FAA discriminated against qualified candidates.{{cite news |title=Unqualified air traffic control candidates cheating to pass FAA exams? |url=http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/4247596762001/unqualified-air-traffic-control-candidates-cheating-to-pass-faa-exams/?intcmp=related#sp=show-clips |access-date=January 3, 2016 |publisher=Fox Business |date=May 20, 2015 |archive-date=January 23, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123021144/http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/4247596762001/unqualified-air-traffic-control-candidates-cheating-to-pass-faa-exams/?intcmp=related#sp=show-clips |url-status=live}}

In December 2015, a reverse discrimination lawsuit was filed against the FAA seeking class-action status for the thousands of men and women who spent up to $40,000 getting trained under FAA rules before they were abruptly changed. The prospects of the lawsuit are unknown, as the FAA is a self-governing entity and therefore can alter and experiment with its hiring practices, and there was never any guarantee of a job in the CTI program.{{cite news |last1=Shapiro |first1=Adam |title=Reverse Discrimination Suit Filed Against FAA, Hiring Fallout Continues |url=http://www.foxbusiness.com/industries/2015/12/30/reverse-discrimination-suit-filed-against-faa-hiring-fallout-continues/ |access-date=January 3, 2016 |publisher=Fox Business |date=December 30, 2015 |archive-date=January 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101160030/http://www.foxbusiness.com/industries/2015/12/30/reverse-discrimination-suit-filed-against-faa-hiring-fallout-continues/ |url-status=dead }}

In August 2023 The New York Times published an investigative report that showed overworked air traffic controllers at understaffed facilities making errors that resulted in 46 near collisions in the air and on the ground in the month of July alone.{{Cite news |last1=Ember |first1=Sydney |last2=Steel |first2=Emily |last3=Abraham |first3=Leanne |last4=Lutz |first4=Eleanor |last5=Koeze |first5=Ella |date=2023-08-21 |title=Airline Close Calls Happen Far More Often Than Previously Known |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/08/21/business/airline-safety-close-calls.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=2023-08-22 |issn=0362-4331}}

{{Main|Next Generation Air Transportation System#Criticism}}

A May 2017 letter from staff of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to members of the same committee sent before a meeting to discuss air traffic control privatization noted a 35-year legacy of failed air traffic control modernization management, including NextGen. The letter said the FAA initially described NextGen as fundamentally transforming how air traffic would be managed. In 2015, however, the National Research Council noted that NextGen, as currently executed, was not broadly transformational and that it is a set of programs to implement a suite of incremental changes to the National Airspace System (NAS).{{Cite web |url=https://transportation.house.gov/uploadedfiles/2017-05-17_-_full_committee_ssm.pdf |date=May 12, 2017 |publisher=Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure |title=Committee Hearing on "The Need to Reform FAA and Air Traffic Control to Build a 21st Century Aviation System for America" |access-date=December 18, 2019 |archive-date=January 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180120124201/https://transportation.house.gov/uploadedfiles/2017-05-17_-_full_committee_ssm.pdf |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=https://transportation.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400893 |title=Latest Inspector General Report Underscores Need for Air Traffic Control Reform |access-date=December 18, 2019 |archive-date=December 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181223140555/https://transportation.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400893 |url-status=live}}

More precise Performance Based Navigation can reduce fuel burn, emissions, and noise exposure for a majority of communities, but the concentration of flight tracks also can increase noise exposure for people who live directly under those flight paths.{{Cite web |url=http://atwonline.com/air-traffic-management/faa-facing-backlash-over-noise-issues-created-pbn-flight-paths |title=FAA facing backlash over noise issues created by PBN flight paths |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021124915/http://atwonline.com/air-traffic-management/faa-facing-backlash-over-noise-issues-created-pbn-flight-paths |archive-date=October 21, 2016 |url-status=dead}}{{Cite web |url=http://aireform.com/a-closer-look-at-how-faa-is-tone-deaf-on-nextgen-noise-impacts/ |title=A Closer Look at How FAA is 'Tone-Deaf' on NextGen Noise Impacts |work=Aviation Impact Reform |date=April 19, 2015 |access-date=December 18, 2019 |archive-date=December 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218185346/http://aireform.com/a-closer-look-at-how-faa-is-tone-deaf-on-nextgen-noise-impacts/ |url-status=live}} A feature of the NextGen program is GPS-based waypoints, which result in consolidated flight paths for planes. The result of this change is that many localities experience huge increases in air traffic over previously quiet areas. Complaints have risen with the added traffic and multiple municipalities have filed suit.{{cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/affluentand-angryhomeowners-raise-ruckus-over-roar-of-overhead-planes-1530806379 |last=McLaughlin |first=Katy |date=July 6, 2018 |title=Affluent—and Angry—Homeowners Raise Ruckus Over Roar of Overhead Planes |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=December 18, 2019 |archive-date=December 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218185347/https://www.wsj.com/articles/affluentand-angryhomeowners-raise-ruckus-over-roar-of-overhead-planes-1530806379 |url-status=live}}

In 2025, despite the ongoing overhaul of the U.S. ATC system—spanning past administrations and on into the Trump presidency—DOGE elimination of numerous FAA management positions has not only demoralized staff, but by eliminating deep expertise at a very critical juncture also threatens to degrade the ability of the agency to expedite modernization efforts.{{Cite news |last=Duncan |first=Ian |last2=Aratani |first2=Lori |last3=Natanson |first3=Hannah |last4=Gilbert |first4=Daniel |date=2025-05-08 |title=Trump accelerates upgrades of air traffic control systems amid FAA departures |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/05/08/air-traffic-modernization-trump-cuts/ |access-date=2025-05-15 |work=The Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}} In the resulting leadership vacuum, “ …the FAA is losing not only its chief air traffic official, Tim Arel, but also its associate administrator for commercial space, his deputy, the director of the audit and evaluation office, the assistant administrator for civil rights and the assistant administrator for finance and management …” in addition to: multiple leadership positions in programs within the Air Traffic Organization, including mission support and safety, technical operations, and technical training.

{{See also|Boeing 737 MAX groundings}}

As a result of the March 10, 2019 Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash and the Lion Air Flight 610 crash five months earlier, most airlines and countries began grounding the Boeing 737 MAX 8 (and in many cases all MAX variants) due to safety concerns, but the FAA declined to ground MAX 8 aircraft operating in the U.S.{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/12/africa/airlines-suspend-boeing-flights-intl/index.html |title=US and Canada are the only two nations still flying many Boeing 737 MAX planes |agency=CNN|date=March 12, 2019 |access-date=March 13, 2019 |archive-date=April 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412025015/https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/12/africa/airlines-suspend-boeing-flights-intl/index.html |url-status=live}} On March 12, the FAA said that its ongoing review showed "no systemic performance issues and provides no basis to order grounding the aircraft." Some U.S. Senators called for the FAA to ground the aircraft until an investigation into the cause of the Ethiopian Airlines crash was complete.{{cite news |title=U.S. Senate to hold crash hearing as lawmakers urge grounding Boeing 737 MAX 8 |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ethiopia-airline-usa/u-s-senate-to-hold-crash-hearing-as-lawmakers-urge-grounding-boeing-737-max-8-idUSKBN1QT1WR |work=Reuters|date=March 12, 2019 |access-date=March 13, 2019 |archive-date=July 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190710175443/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ethiopia-airline-usa/u-s-senate-to-hold-crash-hearing-as-lawmakers-urge-grounding-boeing-737-max-8-idUSKBN1QT1WR |url-status=live}} U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said that "If the FAA identifies an issue that affects safety, the department will take immediate and appropriate action."{{cite news |title=U.S. to mandate design changes on Boeing 737 MAX 8 after crashes |url=https://www.euronews.com/2019/03/12/us-to-mandate-design-changes-on-boeing-737-max-8-after-crashes |publisher=Euronews |date=March 12, 2019 |access-date=March 13, 2019 |archive-date=May 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502052942/https://www.euronews.com/2019/03/12/us-to-mandate-design-changes-on-boeing-737-max-8-after-crashes |url-status=live}} The FAA resisted grounding the aircraft until March 13, 2019, when it received evidence of similarities in the two accidents. By then, 51 other regulators had already grounded the plane,{{Cite web |date=2019-03-14 |title=Editorial: Why was the FAA so late to deplane from Boeing's 737 Max? |url=https://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-trump-faa-737-max-grounded-20190314-story.html |access-date=2021-07-20 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US |archive-date=July 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720135818/https://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-trump-faa-737-max-grounded-20190314-story.html |url-status=live}} and by March 18, 2019, all 387 aircraft in service were grounded. Three major U.S. airlines--Southwest, United, and American Airlines—were affected by this decision.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/13/business/canada-737-max.html |title=Trump Announces Ban of Boeing 737 Max Flights |last1=Austen |first1=Ian |date=March 13, 2019 |work=The New York Times|access-date=March 13, 2019 |last2=Gebrekidan |first2=Selam |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=September 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190913163144/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/13/business/canada-737-max.html |url-status=live}}

Further investigations also revealed that the FAA and Boeing had colluded on recertification test flights, attempted to cover up important information and that the FAA had retaliated against whistleblowers.{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/18/22189609/faa-boeing-737-max-senate-report-coverup-tests-whistleblowers |title=FAA and Boeing manipulated 737 Max tests during recertification |date=December 18, 2020 |access-date=August 25, 2022 |archive-date=July 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220710123547/https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/18/22189609/faa-boeing-737-max-senate-report-coverup-tests-whistleblowers |url-status=live }}

A Designated Engineering Representative (DER) is an engineer who is appointed under 14 CFR section 183.29 to act on behalf of a company or as an independent consultant (IC).{{Cite web |url=http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/designees_delegations/designee_types/der/ |title=faa.gov: "Engineering and Flight Test Designees - Designated Engineering Representative (DER)" |access-date=May 31, 2009 |archive-date=June 8, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090608212350/http://www.faa.gov/other%5Fvisit/aviation%5Findustry/designees%5Fdelegations/designee%5Ftypes/der/ |url-status=live}} The DER system enables the FAA to delegate certain involvement in airworthiness exams, tests, and inspections to qualified technical people outside of the FAA.{{cite web |url=https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/FAA_Order_8110.37F.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191029215814/https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/FAA_Order_8110.37F.pdf |archive-date=2019-10-29 |url-status=live |title=FAA Order 8110.37F |page=2-1}} Qualifications and policies for appointment of Designated Airworthiness Representatives are established in FAA Order 8100.8, Designee Management Handbook. Working procedures for DERs are prescribed in FAA Order 8110.37, Designated Engineering Representative (DER) Handbook.

• Company DERs act on behalf of their employer and may only approve, or recommend that the FAA approves, technical data produced by their employer.
• Consultant DERs are appointed to act as independent DERs and may approve, or recommend that the FAA approves, technical data produced by any person or organization.

Neither type of DER is an employee of either the FAA or the United States government. While a DER represents the FAA when acting under the authority of a DER appointment; a DER has no federal protection for work done or the decisions made as a DER. Neither does the FAA provide any indemnification for a DER from general tort law. "The FAA cannot shelter or protect DERs from the consequences of their findings."{{cite web |url=https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/FAA_Order_8100.8D.pdf |title=FAA Order 8100.8D |page=3-1 |accessdate=2021-12-14 |archive-date=January 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118213845/https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/FAA_Order_8100.8D.pdf |url-status=live }}

{{Main|Designated Airworthiness Representative}}

A DAR{{Cite web |url=http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/designees_delegations/designee_types/dar/ |title=Designated Airworthiness Representative (DAR) |access-date=December 17, 2013 |archive-date=December 17, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217224400/http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/designees_delegations/designee_types/dar/ |url-status=live}} is an individual appointed in accordance with 14 CFR 183.33 who may perform examination, inspection, and testing services necessary to the issuance of certificates. There are two types of DARs: manufacturing, and maintenance.

• Manufacturing DARs must possess aeronautical knowledge, experience, and meet the qualification requirements of FAA Order 8100.8.
• Maintenance DARs must hold:
• # a mechanic's certificate with an airframe and powerplant rating, under 14 CFR part 65 Certification: Airmen Other Than Flight Crewmembers, or
• # a repairman certificate and be employed at a repair station certificated under 14 CFR part 145, or an air carrier operating certificate holder with an FAA-approved continuous airworthiness program, and must meet the qualification requirements of Order 8100.8, Chapter 14.

Specialized Experience – Amateur-Built and Light-Sport Aircraft DARs Both Manufacturing DARs and Maintenance DARs may be authorized to perform airworthiness certification of light-sport aircraft. DAR qualification criteria and selection procedures for amateur-built and light-sport aircraft airworthiness functions are provided in Order 8100.8.

A Continued Airworthiness Notification to the International Community (commonly abbreviated as CANIC) is a notification from the FAA to civil airworthiness authorities of foreign countries of pending significant safety actions.{{Cite web |url=https://lessonslearned.faa.gov/ll_main.cfm?TabID=1&LLID=24&LLTypeID=10 |title=Lessons Learned |website=lessonslearned.faa.gov |access-date=October 20, 2019 |archive-date=June 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607171030/https://lessonslearned.faa.gov/ll_main.cfm?TabID=1&LLID=24&LLTypeID=10 |url-status=live}}

The FAA Airworthiness Directives Manual,{{Cite book |url=http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgOrders.nsf/0/66ddd8e1d2e95db3862577270062aabd/%24FILE/FAA-IR-M-8040_1C.pdf |title=Airworthiness Directives Manual |date=May 17, 2010 |publisher=FAA |pages=Chapter 6, section 8. Continued Airworthiness Notification to the International Community (CANIC) |id=FAA-IR-M-8040.1C |access-date=November 29, 2019 |archive-date=August 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806015859/https://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgOrders.nsf/0/66ddd8e1d2e95db3862577270062aabd/%24FILE/FAA-IR-M-8040_1C.pdf |url-status=live}} states the following:

8. Continued Airworthiness Notification to the International Community (CANIC).

:a. A CANIC is used to notify civil airworthiness authorities of other countries of pending significant safety actions. A significant safety action can be defined as, but not limited to, the following:

::(1) Urgent safety situations;

::(2) The pending issuance of an Emergency AD;

::(3) A safety action that affects many people, operators;

::(4) A Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR);

::(5) Other high interest event (e.g., a special certification review).

The FAA issued a CANIC to state the continued airworthiness of the Boeing 737 MAX, following the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302.{{Cite book |url=https://www.faa.gov/news/updates/media/CAN_2019_03.pdf |title=Continued Airworthiness Notification to the International Community |date=March 11, 2019 |publisher=FAA |access-date=November 29, 2019 |archive-date=November 3, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191103142508/https://www.faa.gov/news/updates/media/CAN_2019_03.pdf |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/20/faa-says-reviewing-737-max-software-fix-is-an-agency-priority.html |title=FAA says reviewing 737 Max software fix is 'an agency priority' |last=LeBeau |first=Phil |date=March 20, 2019 |website=CNBC|language=en |access-date=October 20, 2019 |archive-date=October 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020192945/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/20/faa-says-reviewing-737-max-software-fix-is-an-agency-priority.html |url-status=live}}{{Cite magazine |url=https://time.com/5549342/boeing-737-airworthy-despite-crashes/ |title=FAA Says Boeing 737 MAX 8 Is 'Airworthy' Despite Second Crash |magazine=Time |language=en |access-date=October 20, 2019 |archive-date=May 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521190328/http://time.com/5549342/boeing-737-airworthy-despite-crashes/ |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |url=https://thehill.com/policy/transportation/433465-former-faa-safety-inspector-urges-caution-over-boeing-737-ive-never |title=Former FAA safety inspector urges caution over Boeing 737: 'I've never, ever done this' |last=Rodrigo |first=Chris Mills |date=March 11, 2019 |website=The Hill|language=en |access-date=October 20, 2019 |archive-date=October 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020192945/https://thehill.com/policy/transportation/433465-former-faa-safety-inspector-urges-caution-over-boeing-737-ive-never |url-status=live}}

Another CANIC notified the ungrounding of the MAX, ending a 20-month grounding.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=November 18, 2020 |title=CANIC |url=https://www.faa.gov/foia/electronic_reading_room/boeing_reading_room/media/737_CAN-2020-24.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124073334/https://www.faa.gov/foia/electronic_reading_room/boeing_reading_room/media/737_CAN-2020-24.pdf |archive-date=November 24, 2020 |access-date= |website=Federal Aviation Administration}}

U.S. law requires that the FAA's budget and mandate be reauthorized on a regular basis. On July 18, 2016, President Obama signed a second short-term extension of the FAA authorization, replacing a previous extension that was due to expire that day.{{Cite web |url=http://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Government/FAA-reauthorization-signed-into-law |title=FAA reauthorization signed into law: Travel Weekly |website=www.travelweekly.com |access-date=March 8, 2017 |archive-date=March 9, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170309062820/http://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Government/FAA-reauthorization-signed-into-law |url-status=live}}

The 2016 extension (set to expire itself in September 2017) left out a provision pushed by Republican House leadership, including House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA). The provision would have moved authority over air traffic control from the FAA to a non-profit corporation, as many other nations, such as Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom, have done.{{Cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/senate-passes-faa-reauthorization-bill-1468437144 |title=Senate Passes FAA Reauthorization Bill |last1=Carey |first1=Susan |date=July 13, 2016 |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=March 8, 2017 |last2=Pasztor |first2=Andy |issn=0099-9660 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=March 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312033940/https://www.wsj.com/articles/senate-passes-faa-reauthorization-bill-1468437144 |url-status=live}} Shuster's bill, the Aviation Innovation, Reform, and Reauthorization (AIRR) Act,{{cite web |title=H.R.4441 - 114th Congress (2015-2016): Aviation Innovation, Reform, and Reauthorization Act of 2016 |url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/4441 |website=Congress.gov |date=February 11, 2016 |access-date=March 8, 2017 |archive-date=February 15, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215061105/https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/4441 |url-status=live}} expired in the House at the end of the 114th Congress.{{Cite news |url=https://cei.org/blog/congress-trump-administration-must-prioritize-air-traffic-control-reform |title=Congress, Trump Administration Must Prioritize Air Traffic Control Reform |date=December 12, 2016 |work=Competitive Enterprise Institute |access-date=March 8, 2017 |archive-date=March 9, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170309065521/https://cei.org/blog/congress-trump-administration-must-prioritize-air-traffic-control-reform |url-status=live}}

The House T&I Committee began the new reauthorization process for the FAA in February 2017. It is expected that the committee will again urge Congress to consider and adopt air traffic control reform as part of the reauthorization package. Shuster has additional support from President Trump, who, in a meeting with aviation industry executives in early 2017 said the U.S. air control system is "....totally out of whack."{{Cite news |url=http://www.natlawreview.com/article/congressional-hearings-faa-reauthorization-and-automated-vehicles-fta-withholds |title=Congressional Hearings on FAA Reauthorization and Automated Vehicles; FTA Withholds Funding from DC, MD, VA for Missing WMATA Safety Oversight Deadline |work=The National Law Review |access-date=March 8, 2017 |archive-date=March 9, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170309063542/http://www.natlawreview.com/article/congressional-hearings-faa-reauthorization-and-automated-vehicles-fta-withholds |url-status=live}}

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{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Commons category|Federal Aviation Administration}}

• {{Official website}}
• [https://catalog.archives.gov/id/564 Records of the Federal Aviation Administration in the National Archives (Record Group 237)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116180853/https://catalog.archives.gov/id/564 |date=January 16, 2017 }}
• [https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/federal-aviation-administration Federal Aviation Administration] in the Federal Register
• {{Internet Archive author |sname=Federal Aviation Administration |sopt=t}}
• {{Librivox author |id=9721}}
• [https://faahimsprogram.com FAA HIMS Program Overview] – An independent educational resource explaining the FAA’s Human Intervention Motivation Study (HIMS) Program structure and certification process.

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