Aviation Innovation and Global Competitiveness Act
Sponsored By: Senator Peter Welch
Introduced
Summary
This bill would require the FAA to create public timelines and clearer rules to standardize and speed the type certification process for aircraft, engines, propellers, and advanced air mobility technologies. It aims to make certification more predictable for innovators and regulators.
Show full summary
- Manufacturers and advanced air mobility (AAM) applicants get clearer deadlines and methods. The FAA must publish a plan within 180 days and set standard milestone timelines within 270 days for major certification steps, issue papers, and compliance responses.
- FAA officials and certification staff must adopt stable policy and updated guidance. The bill directs amendment of FAA order 8110.112A to set expected response times and to create consistent approaches for issue papers, special conditions, airworthiness criteria, and means of compliance while allowing the Administrator to exclude issues that pose unsafe conditions.
- Airports, labor groups, and stakeholders gain formal input and oversight. The Administrator must consult trade groups, affected airports or vertiports, and certified bargaining representatives and then report annually to Congress on timeline performance, causes of delays, and corrective steps.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
New FAA certification delegation rules
This bill would require the FAA Administrator to post updated delegation guidance on the FAA website within 90 days of enactment. The guidance would set who is eligible for delegation and how to classify routine versus safety‑critical compliance findings. It would require processes for documentation and management review when the FAA chooses not to use authorized representatives. The guidance would require consideration of safety, predictability for new technologies, and impacts on U.S. leadership in aircraft development.
Faster FAA aircraft certification timelines
This bill would require the FAA to publish a public plan within 180 days to improve the type‑certification issue paper process. It would require the FAA to set standard expected timelines for major certification milestones within 270 days. The FAA would be asked to convert stable issue papers into official guidance and to update product airworthiness standards annually when practicable. Timelines would not apply to complex issues the Administrator deems unsafe and would not create new legal rights or be subject to judicial review. The FAA would have to consult industry, labor, and infrastructure stakeholders and report to Congress annually, starting 180 days after timelines are set.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Peter Welch
VT • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC]
NC • R
Sponsored 2/12/2026
John Curtis
UT • R
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Cynthia Lummis
WY • R
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Sheehy, Tim [R-MT]
MT • R
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS]
KS • R
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Young, Todd [R-IN]
IN • R
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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