FAA Flight Standards Revamp Takes Effect in August

The FAA’s multi-year Flight Standards Service reorganization will become reality on August 20, when a new organizational structure goes into effect. However, the division’s top official said the industry won’t see major changes immediately.

"I don’t see any magic in moving the [org chart] boxes around,” said FAA Flight Standards Service director John Duncan. “What’s important here is the change in mindset of how we’re doing business.” The new organization groups operators under a single executive by function, rather than by region. Current plans call for Part 91 and 135 operators and Part 145 organizations to be grouped into a general aviation branch. Three other branches, encompassing air carrier oversight, standards personnel and support staff round out the new structure. Each will be led by an executive who reports to Duncan.

While the branch names might change, Duncan said the goal of streamlining eight “relatively independent” FAA regions will not. The changes will help industry “elevate issues that you have, so you get the answers you need, and get consistent responses,” he concluded.