SENATE COMMITTEE PASSES FAA REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2023
By Tyler Dobbs, Government Affairs Director | tylerd@modelaircraft.org
ON FEBRUARY 8, 2024, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation passed the bipartisan Senate FAA Reauthorization Act of 2023. The legislation includes several provisions to strengthen safety standards and oversight at the FAA and responds to safety concerns from recent aviation accidents and near-misses.
The AMA Government Affairs team is happy to announce that AMA’s amendment was included in the bill’s Managers Package, which will ultimately become part of the final Senate bill.
AMA thanks Senator Todd Young of Indiana and Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska for sponsoring the amendment. We want to thank the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation for recognizing the need for reform and ultimately including the aforementioned amendment.
Some of the notable changes in the bill include:
- UAS operations permitted up to controlled airspace without FAA authorization (not just at fixed flying sites).
- A process to request flights into controlled airspace from uncontrolled airspace.
- Community-based organization (CBO) designation to self-declare FAA-Recognized Identification Areas (FRIAs).
- CBOs must be The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) administrators.
- Updates educational provision to allow elementary and secondary schools to fly under recreational rules.
- Provides $1 million a year for the Know Before You Fly program.
- Changes the term “sanctioned events” to “CBO-sponsored operations.”
- Uses the word “drone” in place of UAS (definition remains the same from 2018).
- Better clarifies large model aircraft operations in Class G airspace.
Although we are one step closer to new legislation for our community, there is still much to be done. AMA looks forward to working toward a final FAA Reauthorization bill with both the House of Representatives and Senate in the next weeks and months.
AMA Submits Public Comment to the FAA
The FAA’s Office of Airports is looking to change the definition of “aeronautical activity” and exclude recreational UAS/model aircraft from this definition. This could create an issue with clubs that AMA has on airport properties and events throughout the country that receive FAA funding because this money is often prohibited if the airport allows non-aeronautical activity to take place.
AMA, along with EAA, drafted a public comment and submitted it to the Federal Register, outlining the FAA’s history of regulating, publishing rules, and advising recreational UAS/model aircraft operations as an aeronautical activity. AMA is also requesting that model aircraft be included in the definition or, at the very least, provide a carveout for CBO-chartered clubs, sanctioned events, and model aircraft air shows.
To remain current with the most recent government-related news, regularly visit the AMA Government Affairs blog. If you have any further questions or concerns, contact the Government Affairs department at (765) 287-1256 or amagov@modelaircraft.org.
