Ruling To Affect Nearly 1000 Repair Station Sites Worldwide

The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a new rule enforcing drug and alcohol testing for employees of international repair stations. The decision is expected to affect around 977 repair stations across 65 nations.

The ruling requires certificated locations outside of the US to build a testing program for workers who perform safety-sensitive maintenance duties on applicable airliners. Test data must be electronically transferred to the US Department of Transportation (DOT).

“This is an important step in our safety mission because few countries require testing of aviation maintenance personnel,” explained FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker. “This rule will ensure these employees are held to the equivalent high level of safety standards, regardless of where they are physically located.”

Though this regulation has been on the table for decades, it was not officially proposed until December 2023 and then required through the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. It provides some relief for the several aviation unions that have been concerned about outsourcing crucial maintenance functions.

Transport Workers Union President John Samuelsen stated in 2023 that the rule would bridge a “big safety gap” since “airline mechanics in China and other lower-wage, lower-standard countries who work on U.S. commercial aircraft will have to undergo drug and alcohol testing - just like mechanics here.”

There are currently almost 1000 international repair shops that will be forced to comply, with that number increasing by around 30% over the last four years. However, certain foreign governments and repair stations may earn waivers to the rule depending on pre-existing testing systems.

FMI: www.faa.gov