Role of the FAA in the Aviation Industry
Created by the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, the Federal Aviation Administration is the government agency charged with creating and maintaining safety standards for civil aviation in the United States. It accomplishes this task by regulating many aspects of the industry, ranging from licensing all civilian pilots to maintaining a nationwide air traffic control system.
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Pilot Licenses
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A primary way that the FAA ensures safe skies is by mandating that all pilots undergo an appropriate amount of training and maintain proficiency in the cockpit. The agency requires pilots to complete specific training to receive licenses for certain tasks. For instance, a pilot licensed to fly single-engine airplanes will not be able to fly gilders unless she has undergone the appropriate training and been licensed as a glider pilot. The FAA licenses all pilots, ranging from private pilots all the way up to commercial and airline transport pilots.
Regulations
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The FAA also creates, maintains and enforces a wide variety of regulations that assures the skies are governed by a standard set of rules and procedures. Known as Federal Aviation Regulations, these rules govern everything from the division and rules surrounding different types of airspace to the medical standards all pilots must meet to fly an aircraft.
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Traffic Control
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Around 7,000 aircraft are in the sky at any given time during the day, the FAA states. The agency maintains a nationwide air traffic control system that directs planes between airports and prevents them from mid-air collisions. With a network of air traffic controllers around the country, the FAA controls aircraft during taxi and take-off, en route to their destinations, on approach to their destination airports and all the way on to the ground.
Airworthiness
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In addition to licensing pilots, the FAA also licenses aircraft with what is referred to as airworthiness certificates. Such a certificate, which all aircraft must carry, designates that the airplane has met all maintenance standards laid out by the FAA and is safe for flight. The FAA can revoke an airworthiness certificate if the airplane is no longer within standards. Aircraft mechanics are certified by the FAA and must maintain their licenses to work on airplanes without supervision.
Airports
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The FAA also regulates airports and enforces standards that ensure safe operation in areas where aircraft are arriving or departing. Among the items the FAA requires include proper signage, fire-fighting equipment or emergency materials and notification of any runway closures or airshows that may be scheduled.
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