Change To One-Year Requirement Hailed By Many

A burdensome piece of regulation has received a welcome facelift... as this week, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it will amend the guidelines for the Inspection Authorization (IA) renewal period.

The current IA regulation has a one-year renewal period. The rulemaking change alters that to once every two years --  which will save both the agency and repair shops money. The change to § 65.92(a) goes into effect immediately, and changes the IA expiration date from March 31 of each year, to March 31 of each odd-numbered year.

The FAA states the change will cut administrative costs of the renewal process in half; mechanics, in turn, won't have to fork over money to be recertified every year.

The agency stresses aviation safety will not be affected, as the new regulation will not change the requirements of the prior rule for annual activity -- work performed, training, or oral examination.

This rulemaking was in response to concerns about reducing the administrative burden associated with the renewal of inspection authorizations, and is effective immediately.

Representatives with the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) said the group is "fully supportive" of this final rule.

"The 1-year Inspection Authorization renewal was a legacy marker from the "old" way of doing business that offered little benefit to the FAA or to industry to offset the high administrative cost that it incurred," the AEA states.

Comments on the new regulation are due on or before March 1, 2007, and should be identified by the docket number FAA-2007-27108.

FMI: View The Final Ruling (.pdf)