This matters to you as an aviator because none of the updates and improvements this bill contains can be implemented until the President signs it into law. The most recent version to come out of committee is H.R. 3935, aka the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. The Senate Commerce Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee worked together to pass this bill on to Congress. The Senate overwhelmingly approved the bill on May 9, and this is expected to be taken up by the House next week before it moves on to be signed by the President.

The FAA and aviation industry are chomping at the bit to have this new legislation passed as it offers quite a few updates and paths to improvement for current aviation systems, as well as increased funding for many of the FAA’s programs. The bill sets the FAA budget, and therefore, the initiatives for the next five years. The focus areas of the bill and a few examples of how the bill works to improve each area follow.

• The enhancement of aviation safety is paramount and well represented in the bill. Some of the provisions in this area include the implementation of tracking for high-altitude balloons and adding new technology to avoid runway close-calls, along with improvements to cabin air quality and aircraft cybersecurity.
• Aviation workforce support and growth are priorities with directives included to address air traffic controller, pilot, aviation mechanic, aerospace engineers and manufacturing technical worker shortages, streamline pathways from military to civil aviation, provide self-defense training for flight attendants, and deal with the backlog of special medical approvals for pilots.
• Consumer protections are also highlighted, incorporating requirements for setting clear procedures for a customer’s right to a refund, improving customer communication, and establishing fee-free family seating, among others.
• The bill works to improve aircraft accessibility by compelling the study of evacuation standards, easing the obtaining of onboard wheelchairs, and offering grants for improving airport accessibility, alongside other accessibility assistances.
• Airport updates and expanded air travel services are vital, and the bill ensures access and protects service for rural America and increases funding for airport improvement and modernization.
• Continuing the modernization of the NAS (National Airspace System), the bill requires the completion of the NextGen air transportation system by the end of 2025 and includes funding for upgraded software and infrastructure. It also provides powers to FAA regarding commercial UAS (uncrewed aircraft systems) and air taxis.
• The reauthorization also supports research and development for such areas as advanced materials, aviation information systems, alternative jet fuels, UAS, and AAM (advanced air mobility). It also directs the FAA to explore the best path to introduce new technologies into the airspace.
• The bill also includes funding to empower the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board), incorporating allowances for additional workforce training, data access, and giving the board new investigative authorities around highway accidents.

What can you do? Encourage the members of Congress from your area to pass the bill. Need help finding these people and how to contact them? Check out Congress.gov’s Find Your Members tool. Just put in your address, and your senators and representatives will be listed. Let them know you think passing this bill is important. The continued safe operation of general aviation in the US depends on it.

Images by Maria Tyutina (https://www.pexels.com/@mtyutina/) and Eilis Garvey (https://unsplash.com/@eilisgarvey).

The post The FAA Reauthorization: Why It’s Important first appeared on Learn To Fly.

Through IBR, several brand-new ACS are now available:

This amendment also requires updates to several of the standards:

The Aviation Mechanic (ACS-1) and Remote Pilot (ACS-10B) standards were not affected and remain in effect.

What does this mean for you? The FAA is clear that no major substantive changes were made to the testing standards already in use. The incorporation of the ACS and PTS creates a clear, easy-to-use organization of the material a student is expected to know (knowledge elements), consider (risk management elements), and do (skill elements) to qualify for an airman certificate or rating. The ACS assigns a unique code to each task element, which allows for better feedback and clear alignment between the standards, handbooks, and test questions. These ACS codes replace the Learning Statement Codes (LSC) previously seen on Airman Knowledge Test Reports (AKTR) once the new publications become effective.

A common question among many applicants is, “Which ACS or PTS should I use, the newly published or the current?” The simple answer is—it depends on when you plan on taking your knowledge exam or practical test. If you plan to test prior to the May 31st effective date you will want to use the ‘‘old’’’ ACS/PTS. If you plan on testing after May 31st you will want to use the newly published ACS/PTS for the airman certificate or rating you are testing for.

All of these new or updated ACS and PTS are available for preorder at ASA to ship in late April.

The post FAA Releases New Airman Certification Standards first appeared on Learn To Fly.

The law requiring Remote ID* was enacted January 15, 2021, with a compliance date of September 16, 2023. Because creating, distributing, and affording drones capable of broadcasting, receiving FRIA approval, and registering drones took longer than anticipated, the FAA enacted a six-month enforcement policy** to exercise discretion in determining how to handle noncompliance, including whether or not to take enforcement action on Remote ID. This discretionary period ended, and enforcement went into full effect on March 16, 2024.

What does this mean for you? Well, if your drone was made after September 16, 2022 it most likely already has Standard Remote ID built in, or at least it should as that is the FAA requirement. For older drones, you will need to attach a Remote ID broadcast module or only operate your drone in a FRIA. In both cases, you will also need to add the Remote ID serial number to your FAA registration.

To check if your drone or broadcast module is Remote ID compliant, go to the FAA UAS Declaration of Compliance website and click on “View public DOC list” (you may need to scroll down to see it).

Filter by type: “RID” and status: “accepted,” then search for your drone or broadcast module.

Only drones or broadcast modules listed on the FAA DOC are considered to be in compliance (even if your drone was advertised as “Remote ID ready”). If your drone or broadcast module is on the list, you will still need to register or update your registration through the FAADroneZone to include your Remote ID drone or broadcast module serial number (note that this serial number is not always the same as your drone’s serial number).

If you’re a recreational drone pilot and have one registration number that applies to multiple aircraft, you can list one Remote ID broadcast module serial number and move the module from aircraft to aircraft (as long as they are all listed on the registration). For more information on Remote ID and registration visit the FAA Remote ID webpage.

And, if all of this sounds a little overwhelming, check out ASA’s Getting Started with Drones and Model Airplanes, and let Patrick Sherman guide you through the process.

* 86 FR 4390
** 88 FR 63518

The post Remote ID Now Enforced for Drones first appeared on Learn To Fly.