New FAA Reauthorization Bill Clears All The Hurdles

After missing its own deadline by eight months, Congress got its act together long enough to finally agree on an FAA funding bill. It actually has a few goodies inside.

Joseph E. (Jeb) Burnside

Monday, June 24, 2024 at 08:00 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 was signed into law, providing policy direction and funding for the aviation industry through September 30, 2028.
The act introduces significant benefits for general aviation, including an expansion of BasicMed, a requirement for the FAA to finalize its MOSAIC aircraft certification proposal, and a prohibition on restricting 100LL fuel until 2031.
It allocates increased funding for airports, boosts the federal share of airport grants, creates an airman’s medical bill of rights, and prohibits the FAA from using ADS-B data for enforcement investigations.

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On May 16, 2004, President Biden signed into law the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, the latest policy direction from Congress on how to run this magazine’s Favorite Aviation Agency. The 1083-page measure is designed to meet the FAA’s and the industry’s needs for the next few years, until it expires on September 30, 2028. Despite the time it took to develop and pass, the wait appears to have been worth it.

Among the many items of possible interest among general aviation pilots in the bill are an expansion of BasicMed and a requirement that the FAA issue a final rule on its MOSAIC aircraft certification proposal. The bill also creates an airman’s medical bill of rights, prohibits FAA’s use of ADS-B data to initiate an enforcement investigation and requires a study on the Washington, D.C., Special Flight Rules Area and Flight Restricted Zone to assess reducing operational impacts and improving GA access to local airports.