Comment Period Extended on FAA Mx Options Proposal

The FAA has extended the comment period to May 1 for proposed amendments to maintenance inspection rules for small, corporate-sized, and uncrewed aircraft. Proposed changes include additional inspection program options for owners of single-engine turbine-powered airplanes and uncrewed aircraft; relaxed mechanical reliability reporting requirements for Part 91 Subpart K aircraft; and several changes to clarify and simplify various maintenance-related regulations.

According to the FAA, these proposed amendments would “relieve aircraft owners, operators, maintenance providers, and the FAA” of certain regulatory burdens. They would also provide “greater flexibility for aircraft maintenance [and] standardized reporting requirements, and clarify several maintenance-related regulations.”

After publishing the original NPRM (notice of proposed rulemaking) on January 31, the FAA became aware that certain information in the preamble was incorrect and that the preliminary regulatory impact analysis that supports the proposal had not been placed in the docket (FAA–2024–0025). Based on the time required to correct those errors and integrate them into the docket, the agency determined it was appropriate to extend the comment period by one month.