Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to your FAA questions.
A “roundtable” in the aviation context is generally a term for an organization designed to address community concerns over a sustained period of time regarding aircraft operations often associated with a nearby airport. Roundtables are typically made of representatives from communities around an airport that may be affected by aircraft operations, the airline industry, and other stakeholders. These representatives often serve in an advisory role or on technical committees and working groups and can offer additional perspectives and expertise.
A roundtable brings together airport, community, and airline industry representatives to collaboratively identify and discuss issues of concern and possible resolutions at the same time. Representatives may elect to make recommendations, including possible changes in operations, to address community noise or other concerns. Ideally, applicable recommendations are first coordinated through the airport, which will forward them to the appropriate entity (e.g., the FAA, airlines, or zoning authority).
To learn more, please visit Community Roundtable Information Sheet
Under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) Part 1, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) defines a medical certificate as "acceptable evidence of physical fitness on a form prescribed by the Administrator." The primary goal of the airman medical certification program is to protect not only those who would exercise the privileges of a pilot certificate but also air travelers and the general public.
A person who meets FAA airmen medical standards, based on a medical examination and an evaluation of medical history, is entitled to a medical certificate without restriction or limitation other than the prescribed limitation as to its duration. Individuals required to hold a medical certificate must have it in their personal possession at all times when exercising the privileges for which they are licensed.
A Metroplex is a geographic area that includes several airports, serving major metropolitan areas and a diversity of aviation stakeholders such as National Airspace System users, the FAA, businesses, and airport operators. Congestion, airport activity in close geographical proximity, and other limiting factors, such as environmental constraints combine to reduce efficiency at busy Metroplex sites.
The FAA and aviation experts analyze the operational challenges of Metroplexes and explore opportunities to optimize airspace and procedures. To learn more about Metroplexes, please visit the Metroplex page.
A noise abatement procedure is a procedure used by aircraft at an airport to minimize the impact of noise on the communities surrounding an airport.
Visit the Airport Noise Compatibility Planning page to learn more.
Noise models are computer models used to predict the levels of aircraft noise exposure produced over a geographic area. Noise models are used to efficiently and accurately evaluate aircraft noise including assessing the potential noise impacts resulting from changes in aircraft operations.
The Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) is the FAA's required noise and environmental modeling application for all U.S. domestic regulatory analyses requiring FAA review. AEDT replaces several legacy environmental modeling tools, including the Integrated Noise Model (INM), the Noise Integrated Routing System (NIRS) and the Emissions Dispersion Modeling System (EDMS).
A sport pilot certificate allows pilots to operate light-sport aircraft. The medical requirements to use this certificate can be met by either a third class medical certificate or a U.S. driver's license. Restrictions may apply.
You can find more information about sport-pilot certification and light-sport aircraft on our website.
If an airman chooses not to use their true Social Security Number (SSN) on an FAA medical application, a pseudo SSN will be assigned. This happens very frequently, so the SSN is not a reliable search method in AMCS.
ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) provides real-time precision and shared situational awareness to pilots and air traffic controllers. It's a foundational NextGen technology. U.S. aircraft must be equipped with ADB-B by January 1, 2020. ADS-B is a Part 91 regulation, and most small UAS or drones operate under Part 107. Some type of remote ID may be required in the future, but how the system would work and the requirements has not been finalized.
Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.
An Environmental Assessment (EA) is a concise public document that provides sufficient evidence and analysis for determining whether to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The purpose of an EA level of review is to determine whether a proposed action has the potential to significantly affect the human environment. If none of the potential impacts assessed in the EA are determined to be significant, the responsible FAA official prepares a FONSI, which briefly presents, in writing, the reasons why an action, not otherwise categorically excluded, would not have a significant impact on the human environment.
EIS is an acronym for Environmental Impact Statement. An EIS is a clear, concise, and appropriately detailed document that provides the agency decision makers and the public with a full and fair discussion of the significant environmental impacts of the Proposed Action and reasonable alternatives.
An EIS is a detailed written statement required under NEPA when one or more environmental impacts would be significant and mitigation measures cannot reduce the impact(s) below significant levels. Direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts must be considered when determining significance.
Visit the Best Practices for Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Management page to learn more.
An environmental review is the process of reviewing a project and its potential environmental impacts to determine whether it complies with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and related laws and authorities.
Environmental reviews are a critical element in FAA's efforts to manage airspace capacity and change aircraft routing while ensuring that environmental impacts, enhancements, and protection considerations are fully and properly analyzed. We provide environmental reviews for all of FAA's airspace redesign and procedure development projects concerning air space use and air traffic. Visit the Environmental Reviews page to learn more.
An unmanned aircraft system is an unmanned aircraft and the equipment necessary for the safe and efficient operation of that aircraft. An unmanned aircraft is a component of a UAS. It is defined by statute as an aircraft that is operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft (Public Law 112-95, Section 331(8)).
Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.
The FAA recognizes that the current process needs to be streamlined to allow for more rapid access to the NAS.
Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.
A Categorical Exclusion (CATEX) level of NEPA review is applicable for an established list of actions that do not, individually or cumulatively, have a significant impact on the environment. Additionally, the CATEX analyzes for the potential for extraordinary circumstances that could require more detailed NEPA review.
To find out more about FAA NEPA procedures, visit the Airport Environmental Review Process page.
Community Engagement is the FAA's initiative to inform and involve the public, engage with communities, and meaningfully consider community concerns and views as the FAA makes aviation decisions. To learn more, please visit the Community Engagement page..
The Day Night Average Sound Level (DNL or Ldn) noise metric is used to reflect a person's cumulative exposure to sound over a 24-hour period. DNL takes into account both the amount of noise from each aircraft operation as well as the total number of operations flying throughout the day and applies an additional 10dB weighting for nighttime flights between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.
DNL is the FAA's required noise metric for the assessment of aircraft noise and was adopted through 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 150 as required to meet the provisions of the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act of 1979. It should be made clear that DNL is an agency metric, not just used for specific lines of business.
Part 150 applies broadly across the agency for this purpose not just for the airport specific provisions. Visit the Fundamentals of Noise and Sound page to learn more.
You can find information about clear titles on our website.
NEPA stands for the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 that requires analysis of potential impacts to the environment and when there are, considering alternatives and mitigation before approving federal actions. It was enacted in response to federal decision-making that did not adequately consider environmental impacts. Visit the Airport (NEPA) Environmental Review Process page to learn more.:.
Noise is sound that is unwanted and, when measured for its effect on people, considers the response of the human ear. The human ear hears sound pressures over a wide range but also perceives how loud a sound is differently depending on the pitch or frequency of the sound.
The loudness of a noise is most often described in decibels, which are measured on a logarithmic scale, corresponding to the way our ears interpret sound pressures. When considering the noise exposure levels for people, the A-weighted frequency scale is most often used, which most closely approximates how the human ear responds to different sound frequencies. Different noise metrics such as the Day-Night Level (DNL) or Sound Exposure Level (SEL) can then be created to take into account different ways of looking at noise.
A virtual inspection is not much different than an onsite inspection (see our related Frequently Asked Question), except that it is conducted using phone or video conferencing (e.g., Zoom or Microsoft Teams) and you would provide your records to the inspection lead prior to the scheduled date and time. This method of inspecting is typically used for small employers that employ approximately 10 or fewer safety-sensitive employees. Like an onsite inspection, you will be notified of your scheduled inspection and provided a list of documents to make available for review. Prior to your virtual inspection, it is important for the Designated Employer Representative (DER) to provide the records via a secure email to the FAA’s Drug and Alcohol Compliance and Enforcement Inspector or through FAA’s secure Huddle web portal. To access the secure web portal, we will send you an invitation via email to join your Huddle Workspace at aam.huddle.com. Please refer to our Huddle user guide for assistance.
Please keep in mind that whether we conduct an onsite or virtual inspection, an employer is obligated under 49 CFR § 40.331 to release all written, printed, and computer-based records and reports, files, materials, data, documents/documentation, agreements, contracts, policies, and statements related to your drug and alcohol program. Cooperation with providing records before and during an inspection is paramount to the process and our ability to verify your compliance with 49 CFR part 40 and 14 CFR part 120.
Unlike an onsite inspection, a virtual inspection may take anywhere from a couple of hours to a few days to complete depending on our review of the records and your cooperation.
If you have any further questions about our inspection process, please contact your FAA Inspector or write to the FAA Drug Abatement Division at (202) 267-8442 or drugabatement@faa.gov.
Please visit our website to learn more about our program.