On July 23, 2017, the Federal Aviation Administration began implementing what it called its “new, functionally-aligned organizational structure to execute the certification strategy,” as the agency revamped its Aircraft Certification Service (AIR) after officials spent several months crafting a reorganization plan.
According to the FAA, “The Aircraft Certification Service Transformation is aimed at increasing the FAA’s efficiency and effectiveness. As part of the FAA’s efforts to improve its responsiveness to the U.S. aviation industry as it certificates new products, the agency is refreshing its certification strategy, investing in management systems to improve performance and the organization. Streamlining its regulations and policies will help the industry move products to market faster and retain competitiveness.”
The long-term realignment strategy is part of the FAA’s Blueprint for AIR Transformation, which you can read more about by clicking here.
The FAA noted the following benefits of the new, functionally-aligned organization:
- Consistency and Standardization – Improves consistency and standardization by establishing single functional lines for certification, standards, and system oversight.
- Innovation – Fosters innovation by engaging applicants and industry early to understand new concepts and ensure a viable path to compliance.
- System Oversight – Shifts focus from transactional compliance activities to system oversight and early involvement in standards development.
- Streamlined Certification – Facilitates early industry engagement and risk-based monitoring to eliminate unnecessary FAA involvement in the “critical path” during certification.
- Metrics-Based Analysis – Establishes business practices for utilizing metrics to determine efficacy of Industry/FAA associated with compliance and time to market.
- Agility and Adaptability – Provides agility and adaptability to meet the challenges of the dynamic global aviation industry.
The agency also confirmed that the directorate structure will no longer exist due to the realignment.
Click here to learn more about the FAA’s Aircraft Certification Service Transformation.