FAA Announces New Safety Rules for Charter Flights

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced today plans to implement two significant measures to address the rapidly expanding public charter flight sector, which has seen a surge in frequency and complexity.

Many of these services appear to operate like scheduled airlines but are subject to less rigorous safety regulations, often leaving the flying public unaware of the potential differences. The FAA aims to integrate charter flights into the airspace in a way that maintains flexibility while ensuring safety for all flyers.

The first measure involves a proposed rulemaking to amend part 110 definitions of “scheduled,” “on demand,” and “supplemental” operations. If finalized, this rule change would subject public charters to the same safety regulations as other non-public charter operations. This initiative follows a request for comments in August 2023, during which the FAA received and reviewed approximately 60,000 public comments.

In addition to this rule change, the FAA is committed to expanding air service to small and rural communities. To support this goal, the agency will convene a Safety Risk Management Panel (SRMP) to evaluate the feasibility of a new operating authority for scheduled part 135 operations in 10-30 seat aircraft. This panel will analyze current data to address existing risks and consider the future needs of the national airspace system.

The FAA’s efforts are being coordinated with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which focuses on the security of transportation systems. The TSA is reviewing the security requirements of certain operators under the Twelve-Five Standard Security Program (TFSSP).

This includes a proposal for the screening of passengers and their accessible property on public charter flights. The TSA has provided a 45-day comment period for impacted operators, ending on June 27. The TSA will consider all feedback before finalizing any changes.