The notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for the proposed revision of Part 23, published by the FAA in March, is a remarkable document. During an election campaign in which the inability of Washington to get anything done is a central theme, the NPRM is a libertarian’s fever dream of deregulation. It’s hard to imagine how bureaucrats, notoriously more timid than hermit crabs, were able to emerge from the crusty shelters of decades to stretch their limbs like awakening Olympians. The NPRM is not just a superficial rewrite; it’s a fundamental rethinking of one of the FAA’s principal roles.
Technicalities: Simplifying Part 23
Key Takeaways:
- The FAA is proposing a significant overhaul of Part 23 aircraft certification rules, shifting from outdated, prescriptive design requirements to performance-based and risk-based standards.
- The revised framework will replace traditional weight and propulsion-based categories with new divisions based on passenger capacity and cruising speed, eliminating old distinctions like Utility/Acrobatic.
- This initiative aims to streamline the certification process by requiring applicants to demonstrate safety outcomes, accepting industry-developed "consensus standards," and aligning U.S. requirements with international aviation authorities.
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