FAA Issues New Airport Safety Rule

The FAA is mandating the implementation of safety management systems at 200 of the busiest U.S. airports.

Thursday, February 16, 2023 at 03:40 PM ET

Verified

FAA's final rule takes effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register and is designed to improve safety at some 200 of the nation's busiest airports. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA is mandating approximately 200 of the nation's busiest airports to develop and implement a Safety Management System (SMS) to enhance safety and proactively mitigate risks.
This final rule, effective 60 days after publication, applies to airports classified as large, medium, or small hubs, those with a 3-year average of 100,000+ annual operations, or those serving international non-general aviation flights.
SMS programs, proven successful in other aviation sectors, aim to identify and mitigate risks before accidents occur, with full implementation at airports expected to take between four and five and a half years.

See a mistake? Contact us.

In an effort to increase safety at airports, the Federal Aviation Administration is mandating certain airports develop and implement a safety management system (SMS), the agency announced Thursday.

According to a statement released by the FAA, the final rule takes effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register and is designed to improve safety at some 200 of the nation’s busiest airports.