Covid-19: FAA Extends Only Some Deadlines

Editorial Staff

Tuesday, October 20, 2020 at 09:15 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

The FAA issued SFAR 118-2, extending certain aviation deadlines (e.g., medical certificates, knowledge tests) until April 30, 2021, to address COVID-19 related backlogs, but reduced relief in areas like instrument currency and flight instructor certificates.
The NTSB warned pilots of increased carbon monoxide risks in colder weather, advising thorough inspections and the use of effective electrochemical CO detectors with audible/visual alerts.
The NTSB also cautioned pilots about the dangers of flying in wet snow, recommending risk assessment, careful review of icing forecasts, and staying updated with weather advisories.

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As the Covid-19 pandemic’s effects on aviation stretched into the final calendar quarter of 2020, the FAA on October 1 released a final rule extending deadlines for “persons who have been unable to meet certain requirements during the national emergency” surrounding the disease. The updated special federal aviation regulation (SFAR 118-2) was scheduled to be published October 6, 2020, after this issue’s deadline, and “allows operators to continue to use pilots and other crewmembers in support of essential operations” while providing “regulatory relief to additional persons unable to meet duration and renewal requirements due to the public health emergency,” the FAA said. The provisions of SFAR 118-2 are effective through April 30, 2021.