Safety: On the Ground
We regulate and certify aircraft and airports to ensure they are developed with the highest safety standards.
![]() |
Aircraft Safety and CertificationThe FAA’s comprehensive aircraft certification regulations cover the airplane from initial design to final assembly and everything in between. They address not only the engines and fuselage, but also seat durability, cabin flammability, evacuation testing, and performance standards for emergency slides. The FAA requires aircraft to undergo regular inspections, maintenance and overhauls. Read more about the Airworthiness Certification Process. |
![]() |
Safety OversightThe U.S. commercial aviation system operates at an unprecedented level of safety. We achieved this safety record by continually evolving our approaches to safety oversight – both in detecting and responding to risks. The Commercial Aviation Safety Team is a collaborative industry-government forum that focuses on detecting risk and implementing mitigation strategies before accidents or serious incidents occur. Aviation safety professionals submit safety information which is analyzed to identify hazards and unsafe trends. Additionally, safety inspectors from FAA Certificate Management Offices oversee each airline by conducting regular surveillance and inspections. When the FAA uncovers a violation, it identifies the most appropriate method for the person or operator to comply with the safety regulations. This can range from counseling to strict enforcement action. Read more about safety oversight. |
![]() |
Airport safetyDid you know the FAA has comprehensive safety regulations for commercial airports? They encompass everything from the condition of runway pavement and the number of required firefighters to airfield lighting and signs – and even wildlife hazard management. The FAA also conducts annual inspections of commercial airports and requires them to hold thorough emergency response exercises. In 2023, the FAA added a requirement for commercial airports to implement Safety Management Systems to better ensure they identify and address potential or actual risks. |
![]() |
Runway SafetyRunway Safety is one of our highest priorities and we are pursuing a goal of zero close calls. Cutting-edge technologies alert controllers to the position of airplanes and vehicles on the airfield, and whether an airplane is lined up for the correct runway as it approaches to land. We hold annual Runway Safety Action Team meetings at each airport with a control tower to pinpoint and address airport-specific risk. We continually invest in infrastructure projects that improve lighting and signage and make airfield geometry simpler and safer. |