NBAA is concerned that the FAA’s web portal used to collect operator activity data and manage letters of authorization will soon become obsolete. The web-based Operation Safety System (WebOPSS) can be accessed solely on Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE), which already creates issues for users trying to access the system.

Users attempting to access the site via Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, or other browsers are directed instead to use IE. However, Microsoft announced plans to sunset IE in June, NBAA explained. In addition, the FAA has indicated it will not have a replacement for WebOPSS until late 2024.

NBAA Domestic Operations Committee members continue to monitor the situation and have been exploring potential workarounds. “WebOPSS was a huge improvement over its predecessor, but uses old coding,” said Mike McCullough, chair of the committee’s Part 135 subcommittee. But the limited options “put the industry in a bind, since any new computer is likely to be Windows 11 and won’t support compatibility with WebOPSS,” added committee member Eric Canup.

Operators may need to keep an old computer with Windows 10 to continue to use WebOPSS, the committee leaders noted. Microsoft Edge has an IE tab that is a workable option for users operating on Windows 10. Additionally, a Chrome extension, IE Tab, also appears to work on both Microsoft and Mac systems, NBAA said.