FAA General Statements

General statements are information shared with the public that was not addressed by an official press release.  

All issued press releases are posted separately on our Press Release page.

Statements related to General Aviation incidents may be found on our Accidents and Incidents page.

News media with questions on other topics may contact us at pressoffice@faa.gov.
 

Recent Statements - May 2025

May 18, 2025

FAA Statement on Houston Air Traffic Control Tower Outage

The air traffic control tower at William P. Hobby Airport in Houston, Texas, experienced a power issue around 2:30 p.m. local time on May 18. Inbound flights were briefly held while power was restored. The FAA will investigate.

May 15, 2025

FAA Statement on SpaceX Starship Flight 9 License Approval

The FAA approved license modifications for the SpaceX Starship Flight 9 mission. The approval includes final action allowing SpaceX to increase Starship operations from five up to 25 per year at Boca Chica, Texas.
 
However, SpaceX may not launch until the FAA either closes the Starship Flight 8 mishap investigation or makes a return to flight determination. The FAA is reviewing the mishap report SpaceX submitted on May 13.  Learn about the FAA Mishap Response Program.
 
For the Starship Flight 9 mission, the FAA is expanding the size of aircraft and maritime hazard areas both in the U.S. and other countries. This is a result of the FAA requiring SpaceX to revise the Flight Safety Analysis following the prior launch mishap and because SpaceX intends to reuse a previously launched Super Heavy booster rocket for the first time. Read the new Environmental Assessment for Updates to Airspace Closures to learn more.
 

May 13, 2025

Statement on All Makes and Models Authorization

Pilots with specific experience can now operate certain experimental aircraft without taking a practical test under a new Federal Aviation Administration program.
 
“Experimental aircraft pilots have had to jump through many cumbersome hoops in order to operate additional experimental aircraft,” said Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “Based on a requirement I fought hard to include in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, the FAA has now streamlined this process and made it easier for experienced pilots to operate multiple types of aircraft without all the red tape. This commonsense change will reduce costs for the agency and allow more pilots to enjoy their freedom to fly.” 
 
The program, which Congress mandated in Section 806 of the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act, applies to pilots who hold three Authorized Experimental Aircraft (AEA) authorizations in high-performance piston aircraft. It allows them to operate additional experimental aircraft by completing aircraft-specific ground and flight training only. 
 
Furthermore, the FAA will no longer require them to submit an application or documentation to obtain the authorization. The authorization will be a pilot logbook endorsement from the flight instructor who provided the training. 
 
This change is effective immediately. 
 
See this Federal Register Notice and this FAA Order for additional information.
 

May 12, 2025

FAA Statement on Denver Air Route Traffic Control Center Outage

Part of the Denver Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) experienced a loss of communications for approximately 90 seconds around 1:50 p.m. local time on Monday, May 12, when both transmitters that cover a segment of airspace went down. Controllers used another frequency to relay instructions to pilots. Aircraft remained safely separated and there were no impacts to operations. The FAA is investigating.

May 9, 2025

Notice of Newark Liberty International Airport Meeting

Transportation Secretary Duffy and acting FAA Administrator Rocheleau directed the FAA to submit notice to the Federal Register announcing a delay reduction meeting for Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). The meeting will take place Wednesday, May 14, at 9 a.m. at FAA headquarters in Washington, D.C.  

May 7, 2025

Update: Newark Liberty International Airport

The FAA has been slowing arrivals and departures at Newark Liberty International Airport due to runway construction at Newark and staffing and technology issues at Philadelphia TRACON, which guides aircraft in and out of the airport.  
 
What we’re doing: The FAA is taking immediate steps to improve the reliability of operations at Newark Liberty International Airport. This includes accelerating technological and logistical improvements and increasing air traffic controller staffing. 

Background: The FAA system – called STARS - that processes radar data for Newark is based in New York. Telecommunications lines feed this data from New York to the Philadelphia TRACON, where controllers handle Newark arrivals and departures. 

Secretary Duffy and Acting Administrator Rocheleau are taking the following actions:

  • Adding three new, high-bandwidth telecommunications connections between the New York-based STARS and the Philadelphia TRACON. This will provide more speed, reliability and redundancy. 
  • Replacing copper telecommunications connections with updated fiberoptic technology that also have greater bandwidth and speed. 
  • Deploying a temporary backup system to the Philadelphia TRACON that will provide redundancy during the switch to a more reliable fiberoptic network. 
  • Establishing a STARS hub at the Philadelphia TRACON so that the facility does not depend on a telecommunications feed from the New York STARS hub. 
  • Increasing controller staffing. The area in the Philadelphia TRACON that handles Newark traffic has 22 fully certified controllers and 21 controllers and supervisors in training. Ten of those 21 controllers and supervisors are receiving on-the-job training. All 10 are certified on at least one position and two are certified on multiple positions. We have a healthy pipeline with training classes filled through July 2026.  

When staffing or equipment issues occur, the FAA will ensure safety by slowing the rate of arrivals into the airport. We will continue to provide updates to the public as we work through these issues. The public can access real time information about the status of Newark and every airport at www.fly.faa.gov.

May 6, 2025

FAA Issues Final Environmental Assessment for SpaceX Starship in Texas

The FAA has issued its Final Environmental Assessment (EA) analyzing SpaceX’s proposal to increase Starship/Super Heavy orbital launches from five up to 25 per year at Boca Chica, Texas. Additional landings at the site by the Starship vehicle and the Super Heavy booster rocket were also analyzed, as well as various vehicle upgrades. 
 
All licensing requirements must be met in order for the FAA to grant SpaceX the proposed license modification. 

For more information, read the FAA’s Final EA, Finding of No Significant Impact and Record of Decision.

May 5, 2025

Newark Liberty International Airport

Our antiquated air traffic control system is affecting our workforce. As Secretary Duffy has said, we must get the best safety technology in the hands of controllers as soon as possible. We are working to ensure the current telecommunications equipment is more reliable in the New York area by establishing a more resilient and redundant configuration with the local exchange carriers. In addition, we are updating our automation system to improve resiliency.
 
Frequent equipment and telecommunications outages can be stressful for controllers. Some controllers at the Philadelphia TRACON who work Newark arrivals and departures have taken time off to recover from the stress of multiple recent outages. While we cannot quickly replace them due to this highly specialized profession, we continue to train controllers who will eventually be assigned to this busy airspace. 
 
When staffing or equipment issues occur, the FAA will ensure safety by slowing the rate of arrivals into the airport. We will keep the public updated as we work through these issues. The FAA will continue to be transparent with the public about the status of Newark and every airport at fly.faa.gov.

April 29, 2025

FAA Statement on Firefly Aerospace Alpha Flight 6 Mishap

The FAA is aware an anomaly occurred during the Firefly Aerospace Alpha Flight 6 mission that launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on April 29, 2025. No public injuries or public property damage have been reported. The FAA is requiring Firefly to conduct a mishap investigation. Contact Firefly for additional information.

Background 

A mishap investigation is designed to enhance public safety, determine the root cause of the event, and identify corrective actions to avoid it from happening again.  

The FAA will be involved in every step of the mishap investigation process and must approve Firefly’s final report, including any corrective actions.  

A return to flight is based on the FAA determining that any system, process, or procedure related to the mishap does not affect public safety. In addition, Firefly may need to request and receive approval from the FAA to modify its license that incorporates any corrective actions and meet all other licensing requirements.  
 

April 23, 2025

Thailand Achieves an FAA Category 1 Safety Assessment Rating

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced today that Thailand achieved an International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) Category 1 rating.

Under the Category 1 rating, Thailand’s civil aviation authority follows the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) safety standards. It can provide service in the United States and enter into code-share agreements with U.S. carriers without limitation.

The FAA’s IASA program assesses a country’s ability to follow ICAO’s safety standards. Carriers from the countries the FAA assesses have either applied to fly in the U.S., currently conduct operations in the U.S., or participate in code-sharing agreements with U.S. airlines whereby they carry or seek to carry a U.S. airline code on their flights. 

April 22, 2025

Air Tour Aviation Rulemaking Committee

An FAA Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) will begin developing recommendations for improving commercial air tour safety. 

The FAA established the ARC to comply with a provision of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. The committee, which will hold its first meeting on May 20, will provide recommendations that consider: 

  • Potential changes to operations regulations or requirements. 
  • Establishing a standard for flight data monitoring to identify potential safety issues and deviations from established operating areas. 
  • Requiring operators to install flight data recording devices and implement a flight data monitoring program. 
  • Establishing terrain warning and awareness methods. 
  • Establishing ways to avoid other aircraft in high-traffic areas, such as requiring operators to equip aircraft with ADS-B Out and In systems. 

The ARC will consider recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board, industry organizations, previous ARCs, and data from aviation safety reporting programs. 

Members include representatives from aircraft and aircraft technology manufacturers, air tour operators and organizations and aviation safety experts with knowledge of safety management systems and flight data monitoring programs. The ARC’s FAA co-chair is Mike Mosher, an aviation safety inspector in Flight Operations. The industry co-chair is Sean Elliott, vice president of industry and regulatory affairs for the Experimental Aircraft Association. 

The ARC will submit a report to the FAA by Sept. 22, 2025. 

April 13, 2025

FAA Statement on New York Helicopter Tours

New York Helicopter Tours, the company involved in the deadly crash on the Hudson earlier this week, is shutting down their operations immediately.

We will continue to support NTSB investigation. Additionally, the FAA will be launching an immediate review of the tour operator's license and safety record.

Lastly on the topic of helicopter safety broadly: The FAA is already analyzing airplane/helicopter hotspots nationwide, and we will be hosting a helicopter safety panel on April 22 to discuss the findings, risks, and additional mitigation options.

Safety is the FAA’s number one priority, and we will not hesitate to act to protect the flying public.

April 1, 2025

FAA Supports AOPA National Pause for General Aviation Safety

In support of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s (AOPA) National Pause for General Aviation Safety, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is encouraging general aviation pilots to take some time in the next six months to ensure they continue to operate at the highest levels of safety. The National Pause for General Aviation Safety is a partnership between dozens of aviation organizations and the FAA to help pilots focus on aviation safety. Pilots are encouraged to use online resources like the FAA’s From the Flight Deck Series, earn FAA WINGS credits, and participate in local aviation safety events to discuss Call to Action topics such as best practices, avoiding safety drift and implementing safety management systems. 
 
On March 6, 2025, the FAA hosted a General and Business Aviation Call to Action meeting, identifying concrete steps to address recent safety incidents and make general and business aviation safer. Safety recommendations raised during the Call to Action were further discussed during the General Aviation Joint Safety Committee meeting the following week. 


Past Statements

Last updated: Monday, May 19, 2025