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Congress·In Committee

Bipartisan Senate Bill Requires FAA to Streamline Safety Approvals for New Aviation Technologies

A bill to provide for updates to the Federal Aviation Administration type certification process to support development of new and novel technologies, and for other purposes.

20 days ago·View on Congress.gov

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
Senate
House
President

Key Points

  • This bill requires the FAA to update its rules for approving new types of aircraft, specifically focusing on "novel" technologies. This includes things like electric air taxis and advanced drones that don't fit into traditional categories. The goal is to make the safety approval process faster and more predictable for companies building these new machines.
  • The FAA would have to set and publish official timelines for reaching major milestones in the approval process. Currently, companies often face long, uncertain waits. Under this bill, the FAA must report to Congress every year on whether they are meeting these deadlines and explain any delays.
  • Instead of making up brand new rules for every single project, the FAA is encouraged to use industry-wide standards and "performance-based" rules. This means focusing on whether a part works safely rather than following a rigid, outdated checklist that might not apply to new technology.
  • The bill asks the FAA to clarify when it can trust qualified outside experts or the companies themselves to perform routine safety checks. By delegating some of the smaller tasks, the FAA can focus its own experts on the most critical safety issues, helping new technology get to market sooner without cutting corners on safety.
Infrastructure TransportationTechnology Digital

Impact Analysis

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Feb 12, 2026Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Feb 12, 2026

Introduced in Senate

Related News

4 articles
Aviation Week Network·14 days ago

Lawmakers Push FAA Certification Reforms For eVTOLs

A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced the Aviation Innovation and Global Competitiveness Act to streamline the FAA's type certification process. The bill requires the FAA to publish clearer timelines for reviews and expand the use of delegated authority for routine compliance findings.

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FlightGlobal·14 days ago

US senators introduce bill to aid air taxi certification

The measure, introduced on 12 February, aims to make the FAA's certification process for advanced air mobility aircraft more efficient. It would give the FAA 270 days to define standard expected timelines and publish a plan for using industry consensus standards as a means of compliance.

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FLYING Magazine·16 days ago

Congress Wants FAA to Simplify Electric Air Taxi Certification

The Aviation Innovation and Global Competitiveness Act would require the FAA to maximize the use of industry-developed consensus standards and provide clearer timelines for certification projects. It aims to simplify the path to market for eVTOL air taxis and other advanced aircraft.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

A bill to provide for updates to the Federal Aviation Administration type certification process to support development of new and novel technologies, and for other purposes.

Bill NumberS 3866
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(8)
D: 2R: 6

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.