Within 6 Months

June 1, 2009: GA Security Badging at Commercial Service Airports
As of June 1, the TSA will require background checks and security badges for pilots based at airports served by airlines. TSA Security Directive SD-1542-04-08F will require all people with unescorted access to a commercial service airport to undergo a fingerprint-based security threat assessment and receive an airport-issued security badge. The TSA released the SD late last year, and those affected are being urged to work closely with their federal security directors and airport management to ensure they are in compliance by the June 1 deadline.

Nov. 14, 2009: FAA Designee Program
On Nov. 14, 2005, the FAA implemented its organization delegation authorization program to replace the current designee program. Current designated airworthiness inspectors, maintenance inspectors, engineers and other designees have until Nov. 14, 2009, to transition their credentials to qualify for the new designation
(FAR Parts 21, 121, 135, 145 and 183).

Within 12 Months

Dec. 16, 2009: Fuel Tank Safety
Pats Aircraft Completions of Georgetown, Del., has submitted a request to the FAA for approval of a service bulletin (SB) for Alternate Means of Compliance. The SB would meet an FAA airworthiness directive (AD) issued in October regarding Pats auxiliary fuel tanks in the Boeing Business Jet and the BBJ2. The AD requires that affected auxiliary fuel systems be brought into compliance with the SFAR 88 or
be deactivated by Dec. 16, 2009.

January 14, 2010: Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC)
Although the compliance dates for rulemakings finalized in 2002 and 2006 are now July 1, 2009, new rule changes made in December 2008 have had their compliance date extended to Jan. 14, 2010. When this was done, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) removed all references to the Nov. 20, 2009, date of compliance for rule changes made in 2002 and 2006 and reverted to the earlier July 1, 2009, date of compliance. The National Air Transportation Association said it is possible that the EPA could further amend the compliance dates for the various regulatory changes.

Beyond 12 Months

Jan. 12, 2012: Emissions Trading in Europe
The European Union is instituting an emissions trading scheme (ETS) beginning Jan. 1, 2012, for flights within European airspace as well as to and from it, and operators of aircraft with an mtow of more than 12,566 pounds must submit a monitoring plan by August and have it approved by year-end. Operators within the EU are accountable to authorities in their own countries for complying with ETS. The European Aviation Safety Agency has assigned non-European operators to one of the EU states to meet ETS obligations. Operators from outside the EU can be exempt from the ETS if they are part of an equivalent emissions trading system in their home country. More detailed guidelines for compliance will become law in June.

April 7, 2012: CVR and DFDR for Parts 23 and 25
The existing fleet of Part 23 and Part 25 airplanes must use separate crashworthy containers for CVRs and DFDRs by April 7, 2012. All aircraft manufactured after 2010 will have to meet several new recording requirements. The final rule requires modifications to recording time, power supplies, sampling rates and installation locations. The FAA will not require CVR retrofits that incorporate a two-hour recording capability and an independent power supply for aircraft currently in operation under Parts 91 and 135.