Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

What Is the FAA?

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the national aviation authority of the United States, operating as an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Established in 1958 by the Federal Aviation Act, the FAA holds authority over civil aviation safety, airspace regulation, and the certification of aircraft, pilots, and air traffic controllers across the country.

The FAA's mandate covers an extraordinarily broad scope — from issuing a student pilot's first license to approving the type certificate for a wide-body aircraft carrying hundreds of passengers. Its regulations, published in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 14, are collectively known as the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs).

Why It Matters

The FAA's regulatory framework underpins the safety record of U.S. commercial aviation, which is among the safest forms of transportation in the world. Its functions include:

• Aircraft Certification: Granting type certificates and supplemental type certificates (STCs) to ensure designs meet airworthiness standards.
• Pilot Licensing: Issuing certificates for student, private, commercial, and airline transport pilot (ATP) ratings.
• Air Traffic Control: Managing the National Airspace System (NAS), coordinating over 45,000 flights per day.
• Airport Standards: Setting design, safety, and operational requirements for U.S. airports.
• ETOPS Authorization: Approving ETOPS certification, allowing twin-engine airliners to fly extended overwater routes.

Regulatory Framework

The FAA's key regulatory parts include FAR Part 25 (airworthiness standards for transport category aircraft), Part 121 (air carrier operations), Part 135 (commuter and on-demand operations), and Part 91 (general operating rules). The FAA works in close coordination with its European counterpart, EASA, through bilateral aviation safety agreements (BASAs) to harmonize certification standards and reduce redundant testing requirements for aircraft approved in both jurisdictions.

Notable Cases

The FAA's 2019 grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX following two fatal crashes (Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302) was one of the most significant regulatory actions in aviation history. The grounding lasted 20 months and prompted major reviews of the FAA's delegation-based certification process. The agency subsequently required extensive software and training changes before recertifying the aircraft, illustrating both the power and responsibility of a national aviation authority.