Government Advocacy
FAA withdraws controversial repair station proposal
A proposed rule that would have required every aviation repair station in the country to institute a quality control system to meet international standards will be withdrawn this summer by the FAA.
If the rule had gone through as proposed, the FAA said it estimated it would have cost smaller repair stations around $34,000 to come into compliance. “The proposal would have placed a substantial burden on operators of small repair stations that work on general aviation airplanes,” said Rob Hackman, AOPA’s senior director of regulatory affairs. “That, in turn, would have raised rates for pilots or put shops out of business.”
AOPA commented in opposition to the proposal in March 2007, something the FAA took to heart. “We are withdrawing the NPRM because we have determined that it does not adequately address the current repair station environment and because of the significant issues commenters raised,” the agency said.
The FAA plans to release a notice this summer that will formally withdraw the notice of proposed rulemaking.
April 28, 2009
