AOPA supports FAA as single safety regulator
AOPA and other aviation industry players signed a letter urging Congress to codify longstanding law that the FAA is the sole regulator on all matters concerning aviation operations, air traffic management, and safety.
As the growth of aviation users of the national airspace system continues, specifically with new entrants, such as drones, there has also been an increase in the number of state and local laws attempting to limit and restrict aviation operations, air traffic, and safety, which are typically under the purview of the FAA. Per Title 49, Chapter 447 of the United States Code, the FAA has fully occupied the field of safe operation of aircraft in the national airspace system; however, there have been growing concerns regarding the impact to general aviation and the safe integration of uncrewed aircraft resulting from a patchwork of state and local rules across the country.
In particular, the letter calls out nonfederal entities proposing flight paths for UAS and “haphazardly building a state-by-state patchwork of laws attempting to regulate aviation operations, which has proven confusing for the industry and detrimental to safety. This potential patchwork also undermines and unravels Congress’ constitutional power to regulate the instrumentalities of interstate commerce to the detriment of all users of the aviation system.”
The letter urges Congress to confirm and codify longstanding law that the federal government has express authority over any state and local laws as they pertain to aviation safety or aircraft operations that will in turn enhance the agency’s ability to respond more “authoritatively and effectively” to safety issues.
“Without question, the United States has both the safest and most robust aviation system in the world,” the letter states. “Center to this preeminence has been the existence of a single Federal system of aviation policy and regulation…Protection of this single Federal, standardized framework is integral to continued FAA and U.S. leadership in safety, innovation, and transportation options for all communities.”
