Sponsors (9)
The bill trades faster, more predictable certification and clearer FAA accountability—benefiting manufacturers, applicants, and U.S. competitiveness—against increased FAA workload, higher compliance costs, and some reduced regulatory flexibility that could complicate responses to novel safety issues.
Aircraft manufacturers, certification applicants, and small aerospace businesses get clearer, published timelines and standardized criteria (90–270 days range) for type/supplemental certifications and certain delegation decisions, reducing regulatory uncertainty and speeding approvals.
Manufacturers and developers can rely more on industry consensus and performance-based standards, encouraging innovation (including advanced air mobility) and potentially shortening approval time by using established, outcome-focused compliance paths.
Converting stable issue papers into published policy, advisory circulars, or annual regulatory updates and identifying responsible FAA roles increases predictability and reduces repetitive guidance, which should lower administrative back-and-forth and speed routine certifications.
FAA staff and authorized representatives (and therefore taxpayers) may face increased workload and diverted resources as the agency must meet tight timelines and produce new guidance, risking delays in other oversight and safety work.
Greater reliance on industry consensus standards and converting temporary issue papers into binding policy can reduce regulatory flexibility and slow rapid responses to novel or unique safety issues, potentially favoring industry convenience over stricter safety approaches.
Applicants, manufacturers, and operators may incur administrative and compliance costs—from responding to new consultation/timeline-driven requests, adapting to annual regulatory updates, and meeting stricter delegation eligibility—which can delay deliveries and raise program costs.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Requires the FAA to publish plans, timelines, issue‑paper rules, and delegation guidance to make aircraft type certification more transparent, predictable, and standards‑based.
Official title: Provide for updates to the Federal Aviation Administration type certification process to support development of new and novel technologies, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 12, 2026 by Peter Welch · Last progress February 12, 2026
Requires the FAA to make the aircraft and engine type certification process more transparent, predictable, and consistent by publishing a public plan, setting standard timelines for major certification milestones, strengthening rules for when and how the agency issues "issue papers," and posting updated delegation guidance for use of authorized representatives. The bill sets short statutory deadlines (90–270 days) for the FAA to publish the plan, amend internal orders and guidance, consult stakeholders, and report to Congress with metrics on performance and timeline compliance.