FAA SFAR Provides Reprieve from Range of Requirements
The FAA's SFAR builds on previous actions to provide relief to the industry facing time-sensitive requirements.

The FAA is building on its efforts to keep the national air transportation system operational to the extent possible during the Covid-19 pandemic with yesterday’s release of a “wide-ranging” Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) providing regulatory relief to pilots and other certificate holders from numerous time-sensitive requirements.


Marking the latest of a series of relief efforts the agency has extended to the industry in recent weeks, the SFAR provides temporary reprieve from requirements that business and general aviation operators and training providers must meet surrounding recency-of-experience, testing, checking, renewals, and inspection authorizations, as well as the validity periods of FAA medical certificates. In addition, the rulemaking facilitates air carrier relocation of overflow aircraft. The agency previously has addressed training and medical deadlines for 121 and 135 carriers, among other requirements.


In the SFAR, the FAA said it “recognizes that there are aviation operations outside of air carrier and commercial operations conducted under Part 119…that are critical during the Covid-19 outbreak, including operations that support essential services and flights that support fighting the outbreak. These operations are likely to face disruption due to a decreased supply of qualified pilots.”


Concerned that every month, a new group of pilots will become unavailable to perform key operations because they are unable to comply with training, testing, or checking requirements, the FAA said, “This SFAR will provide temporary relief to certain individuals whose qualifications would otherwise lapse, to ensure there are a sufficient number of qualified personnel available to conduct essential aviation activities during this period.”


Under the SFAR, medical certificates that were to expire between March 31 and May 31 will remain valid through June 30. The same extension is provided for flight instructor certificates. Further, a three-month grace period is provided for flight review deadlines, under certain conditions, as well as for instrument recency.


Additional time is given to returning U.S. military and civilian personnel for flight and airframe and powerplant (A&P) mechanic inspection authorization requirements, as well as to certain A&P mechanics to meet inspection authorization requirements.


Industry groups, who had worked with the FAA on the package, welcomed the relief. John McGraw, NATA v-p of regulatory affairs, praised the “amazing work of the FAA in issuing a rulemaking of this scale in such a short amount of time."


NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen added, “The important actions taken on these matters preserve aviation safety, while thoughtfully and appropriately responding to the unprecedented times caused by the Covid-19 crisis.”


“We appreciate the FAA’s work on this relief package,” said Mark Baker, president of AOPA, as the association provided initial details of the SFAR. “There appear to be some very useful provisions in the 94-page document, and we will address more of its details soon.”