DER Awareness Information

Are you the Designated Employer Representative (DER) for your company's Department of Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration (DOT/FAA) drug and alcohol testing program? The Drug Abatement Division wants to help you, the DER, be sure that you are Doing Everything Right.

We’ve created a video series covering five topics that are direct threats to aviation safety. They include scenarios based on real-life situations that often lead to an employer being out of compliance, and best practices to help the DER or program manager ensure compliance and Do Everything Right.

View the Doing Everything Right Video Series

Pre-Employment Testing Education

Download the Brochure and Posters

We’ve also created a brochure that provides helpful information and best practices, and employee posters you can use in your workplace to remind safety-sensitive employees they are subject to testing.

• Drugs and Alcohol Don't Fly (poster)
• Drugs and Alcohol Don't Fly at Home or Abroad (poster)
• Do You Know What You Can Lose if You Refuse? (poster)
• Compliance Ahead (brochure)

Visit our Stakeholder Feedback page to provide feedback on our materials or website

Flight Technologies and Procedures Division

Flight Procedures and Airspace Group

Mission

The Flight Procedures and Airspace Group ensures safe and efficient flight paths from takeoff to landing and provides operational safety reviews and support to the NAS.

Group Contact Information

• Division of Work – Group
• Division of Work – Service Center Area(PDF)

Projects and Programs

• Orders, Advisory Circulars, Letters, and Memos

Flight Procedures

• Approval and distribution of special IFPs
  • Special Instrument Flight Procedures List
  • Special Instrument Procedures Application Guides
• FDC NOTAMs policy
• Flight inspection policy oversight
• Foreign terminal IFP approvals
• IFP environment assessment
• IFP implementation, airspace redesign
• IFP initiation, design, documentation, and charting policy
• Oversight of non-FAA IFP Providers
  • Non-FAA Service Provider Contact List (PDF)
• Review and approval of IFP waivers to standards

Airspace

• Airport and Heliports
  • AAA/NRA studies
  • Airport Authority
  • ALP, CSPP, and airport planning
  • Heliport evaluation program
  • Modification of standards
• Analysis of Air Traffic airspace studies
• FAA-Recognized Identification Areas (FRIA) analysis
• High intensity lighting and laser operations
• LVO/SMGCS Acceptance and Reviews
• National Airspace System (NAS) and change proposals (NCPs)
• NAVAID decommissioning and relocation
• Non-rule aeronautical studies
• Obstruction evaluations

Useful Links

• Aeronautical Charting Meeting – Instrument Procedures Group (ACM-IPG)
• Category I/II/III ILS Information
• Heliport Evaluation Tools
• IFP Information Gateway
• Subscribe for future content updates

Address:
Federal Aviation Administration
Flight Technologies and Procedures Division
Flight Procedures and Airspace Group
6500 S. MacArthur Blvd.
Building 26, Suite 217
Oklahoma City, OK 73169

Email:9-AWA-AVS-AFS420@faa.gov

About the Drug Abatement Division

The Drug Abatement Division (AAM-800) is located at FAA headquarters in Washington, D.C., and responsible for the development, implementation, administration, and surveillance monitoring of the aviation industry drug and alcohol testing programs as set forth in the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations, 49 CFR part 40 and 14 CFR part 120. The regulations require all part 119 certificate holders authorized to operate under parts 121 and 135, air tour operators (as defined in 14 CFR § 91.147) and air traffic control facilities not operated by FAA or under contract to the U.S. Military to implement drug and alcohol testing programs that cover safety-sensitive employees hired directly or by contract (including subcontract at any tier).

The Program Administration Branch (AAM-810) is located at FAA headquarters in Washington, D.C., and has oversight of inspection scheduling activities associated with all regulated employers. It manages the program registration and drug and alcohol paragraph (A449 or A049) activities, as well as the annual Management Information System (MIS) reporting process. It assists with administrative, data analysis and program functions associated with budget, logistics, and information technology (including maintenance of the Division's Compliance and Enforcement Tracking Subsystem). It has responsibility for the program's credentialing program, training, Voluntary Disclosure Reporting Program established in FAA Advisory Circular (AC 120-117), and serves as the focal point for program-related Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.

The Program Policy Branch (AAM-820) is located at FAA headquarters in Washington, D.C., and has the primary responsibility for development of all program and enforcement policy, directives (including Credential Order 9000.3 and Surveillance Handbook Order 9120.1), and rulemaking activities in cooperation with other elements of the division and FAA or DOT. It provides technical guidance to the flying public, regulated stakeholders and agency personnel on drug and alcohol testing regulations. It also serves as the focal point for public website resources, congressional inquiries, exemption requests, and international initiatives.

The Special Investigations Branch (AAM-830) is located at FAA headquarters in Washington, D.C., and has the primary responsibility for investigating all complaints associated with rule violations or allegations. It conducts all investigations concerning individual or employee-related violations, e.g., refusals to submit to testing, positive drug test results, alcohol violations, and return-to-duty violations.

The Compliance and Enforcement Centers are located in Miramar, FL
(AAM-860), Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX (AAM-840), and Los Angeles, CA (AAM-850). The Centers have the responsibility of oversight for all field inspection activities.

Office of Safety Standards

Executive Leadership:

• Timothy R. Adams (A)
  Director, Office of Safety Standards
• Robert Reckert (A)
  Acting Deputy Director, Office of Safety Standards
• Vacant
  Acting Deputy Director, Office of Safety Standards
• Office of Safety Standards (AFS) Services and Contacts

The Office of Safety Standards focuses on establishing standards within the Service’s purview for operations, repair and alteration of aircraft and operations, the use of designees or delegation, flight technologies, safety promotion, and international operations. This office represents the safety policy component and shares in the representation of the Safety Risk Management (SRM) and safety promotion components of the Service’s SMS. These responsibilities are balanced across eight divisions.

The eight divisions of the Office of Safety Standards focus on the following:

1. Air carrier and air taxi operations, and the maintenance and alteration of aircraft
2. International agreements and certification and oversight for foreign entities, and determining operational suitability of aircraft
3. Operating airmen, general flight operations, UAS, and flight technologies associated with air traffic management, airspace requirements, and Instrument Flight Procedures (IFP).

The Office of Safety Standards is responsible for the following:

1. Develops, implements, and tracks regulations, guidance, and directives
2. Works collaboratively and interdependently with other Service offices, divisions, and internal and external stakeholders to identify and create awareness of trends impacting aviation safety.

The Office of Safety Standards comprises the following eight divisions:

• International Program Division
• Aircraft Evaluation Division
• Air Transportation Division
• Aircraft Maintenance Division
• Flight Technologies and Procedures Division
• General Aviation & Commercial Division
• Safety Analysis & Promotion Division

International Validation Branch

Mission

The International Validation Branch is responsible for all inbound and outbound validation activity for aviation products and appliances. This branch improves aviation safety by distributing responsibilities and staff related to validation work efficiently, and by centralizing communication focal points for the FAA and bilateral partners and facilitating future process and bilateral relationships for both inbound and outbound validation activities.

For Inbound Validations: Contact the International Validation Branch

For current AIR contact information replacing contacts in the IPAs please reference:
Aircraft Certification – New Contact Information

Aircraft Certification Service (AIR)

Compliance and Airworthiness Division (AIR-700)

The Compliance and Airworthiness Division Issues all design approvals for both domestic and foreign manufacturers as well as production and airworthiness certificates, executes COS processes, and provides flight test support.

Contact AIR-700

Leadership

• Paul Bernado, Acting Director

AIR-700 Offices

• Certification Branches
• International Validation Branch
• Military Certification Branch

Industry Drug and Alcohol Testing Program

Are you keeping our skies safe?

Drug and alcohol testing of safety-sensitive aviation employees helps protect public safety and keep our skies safe. Testing is required by the Omnibus Transportation Employees Testing Act of 1991 and by DOT and FAA regulations (49 CFR part 40 and 14 CFR part 120).

The Drug Abatement Division oversees the aviation industry's compliance with the drug and alcohol testing law and regulations. We accomplish this by performing on-site inspections, providing guidance to companies, individuals, contractors, and service agents, and establishing policies and procedures to increase the program's effectiveness. We also develop and implement regulations for DOT/FAA drug and alcohol testing.

If you can't find the answer here, please visit our Contact Us page and ask for the help you need.

Air Carrier Training Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ACT ARC)

The ACTARC provides a forum for the United States aviation community to discuss, prioritize, and provide recommendations to the FAA concerning operations conducted under parts 121, 135, and 142. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is committed to maintaining the safest air transportation system in the world. One key area to ensure a safe system is maintaining the quality of air carrier training.

The FAA must continue to review existing air carrier training and qualification regulations, policies, and guidance to ensure it is current and relevant. In addition, the FAA continues to identify new challenges with changing technology and new research that may necessitate the development of new regulations, policies, and guidance. The ARC is a key resource in the FAA’s ability to identify and address these challenges.

Brief History of the ACTARC

• Sponsored by AVS, the ACTARC was chartered on January 21, 2014.
• The ACTARC member organizations include pilot, flight attendant, and dispatcher training stakeholders across part 121 air carriers, part 135 air carriers and operators, part 142 training centers, and safety advocacy organizations.

Industry Co-Chair: Rob Thomas, Managing Director Flight Standards, United Airlines
FAA Co-Chair: Lee P. Abbott, Manager, Air Transportation Division, Training & Simulation Group Manager, AFS-280

ACTARC Charter

ACTARC Products

Flight Procedures and Airspace Group

LVO/SMGCS Program

Low Visibility Operations/Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (LVO/SMGCS)

The following lists are continually revised and although information is believed to be accurate, users should confirm the latest information from the airport such as Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS):

• Accepted LVO/SMGCS Airports(MS Excel)
• Order 8000.94, Procedures for Establishing Airport Low-Visibility Operations and Approval of Low-Visibility Operations/Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems Operations.
• AC 120-57, Surface Movement Guidance and Control System

Flight Operations Group