Congress has finally passed a long-term FAA reauthorization bill after several short-term extensions.
The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 was approved by a 387-26 vote May 15 after the full Senate passed it in an 88-4 vote on May 9. President Joe Biden was expected to sign the bill into law by May 17, the day the agency’s authorization expired.
This 1,000-page bill “is a comprehensive piece of legislation that authorizes programs and policies administered by the FAA through 2028 — impacting every sector of aviation,” said officials with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.
“Many months of hard work and bipartisan collaboration has resulted in legislation that serves general aviation in a way like never before,” said AOPA President Mark Baker. “AOPA members and the GA community will reap the benefits of this reauthorization for years to come.”
Included in the bill is an increase in funding for general aviation airports, the expansion of BasicMed, and “much more” for GA, AOPA officials added.
And, for the first time, FAA reauthorization includes a general aviation title.
“One of my highest priorities in developing and passing the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 was ensuring that the bill included the first-ever title in an FAA reauthorization dedicated to general aviation,” said Representative Sam Graves (R-Mo.), who is a general aviation pilot and airplane owner. “GA is the foundation of our civil aviation system and we need to make sure that remains true. Working closely with AOPA, we secured provisions in this bill to protect and expand pilot privileges, make robust investments in our GA airports, and encourage more young people to pursue careers in aviation, including by removing barriers and improving career pathways for high school students.”
Highlights of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024
According to elected officials, the bill addresses several safety issues to ensure the United States, and the FAA, remain the world’s gold standard in aviation safety.
It also makes targeted changes to the organizational structure of the FAA to improve overall efficiency of the agency, allow for innovation, and streamline the regulatory process.
It also will help grow the aviation workforce by investing in workforce development and training, removing barriers to pursuing aviation careers, improving pilot training standards, and more.
It includes “robust funding” for airport infrastructure, including prioritizing investments for small and GA airports.
Encourages aviation innovation by ensuring “the safe and efficient testing and integration of new technologies, such as drones and advanced air mobility (AAM), into the airspace.”
The bill also authorizes the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is responsible for investigating all civil aviation accidents. The NTSB’s was last authorized in 2018.
For more information: Transportation.House.gov