Little Immediate Change for Pilots in FSDO Reorganization

August 24, 2017 - The FAA’s organizational restructuring of its Flight Standards Service this week has been much publicized, but will not change how pilots and others directly connect with the offices throughout the country.  The FAA implemented the restructuring to “allow it to operate with greater accountability, better use of resources, and more readiness to adapt to change.” The updates change the names, structure, and alignment of offices and personnel within Flight Standards Service, but not how and when you contact the local FSDO.

The goal of the reorganization is to make these offices more efficient in both external and internal interactions. Under the updated structure, the Flight Standards District Offices (FSDOs) are functionally aligned under the Office of General Aviation Safety Assurance. Certification, surveillance, and certificate management of general aviation operations will be the primary responsibility of these offices. The FAA’s responsibilities in regard to airman education, compliance and enforcement, designee management, and accident investigation and prevention will also fall under the General Aviation Safety Assurance office.

On the policy level, the EAA government advocacy team is familiarizing itself with the reorganization efforts of both the Flight Standards and Aircraft Certification Services within the FAA. EAA will continue to leverage relationships with senior FAA staff to ensure major policy reform efforts are unaffected by the changes.