Conspicuously missing from the Senate’s fiscal year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (FY25 NDAA), though, is an amendment that would effectively ban new Chinese drone models from flying in U.S. skies.

The Countering CCP Drones Act made it into the House version of the FY25 NDAA, which passed in June with a vote of 217-199 and was largely backed by Republicans. But when contemplating its addition to the Senate legislation, lawmakers reportedly dropped the measure after hearing from over 6,000 public safety agencies that opposed the measure.

The bill is not dead yet, however. Last week, Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) introduced an amendment to the FY25 NDAA, cosponsored by Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.), that puts the Countering CCP Drones Act back on the table in committee discussions.

Even if the amendment is rejected in the Senate, it could resurface in reconciliations between the Senate and House due to its inclusion in the latter’s version of the NDAA.

The Countering CCP Drones Act is the culmination of U.S. government efforts to restrict Chinese-manufactured drones from dominating the country’s drone industry. Lawmakers have also accused the Chinese Communist Party of using the aircraft to spy on Americans, citing its ties to state-owned entities. At present, there is no conclusive evidence to verify the claims, and manufacturers such as DJI have pushed back on the allegations.

Chinese drones have been blacklisted by the Department of Defense, Department of Commerce, Department of the Treasury, and other federal agencies. The states too have taken aim at the aircraft, with Arkansas and Scott’s home state of Florida implementing the most sweeping bans.

One significant drone-related provision, the bipartisan American Security Drone Act, made it into last year’s NDAA. That measure prohibits U.S. federal agencies and federally funded programs from procuring drones manufactured in China or Russia.

Adding to the fervor, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security released a report detailing the threat of Chinese drones shortly after the NDAA was signed into law.

The Countering CCP Drones Act that will be contemplated by the Senate targets two manufacturers in particular, DJI and Autel. Those firms, and any subsidiaries, partners, or affiliates, would be added to the Federal Communications Commission’s covered list—essentially a list of companies with which the U.S. government refuses to do business.

The companies’ addition to the covered list would not impact DJI and Autel drones already being flown by hobbyists or private companies, for example. However, it would prevent the FCC from authorizing new equipment and prohibit newly sold drones from using U.S. communications infrastructure, effectively banning all sales in the country.

The legislation was first introduced in 2022 by Scott and Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) in the Senate and by Representative Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) in the House.

After failing to move it forward, Stefanik in 2023 reintroduced the bill in the House, pushing successfully for its inclusion in the House NDAA released in June. That month, the measure was also reintroduced in the Senate but did not receive enough support to be added to that chamber’s version of the bill.

DJI drones in particular are widely deployed by U.S. law enforcement and public safety agencies, who opposed the restrictions because other models are typically more expensive and less effective. Police departments in states that have not banned Chinese drones are continuing to buy them in droves.

Their efforts may be for naught, though, if the Senate is receptive to Scott’s amendment. Even if senators reject it, the measure’s inclusion in the House version of the NDAA could give it new life in the reconciliation process.

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This additional funding is part of the FAA’s Aviation Workforce Development Grants program, which provides support to aviation-related education programs. The $80 million in pilot development grants is part of a broader $240 million pool intended to also recruit aircraft mechanics and aviation manufacturing workers.

According to Yahoo Finance, an early version of the bill included $120 million in total funding, but that number was doubled with an amendment introduced by Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock. “This is a long-term issue,” he said during an interview.

‘The Pilot Shortage Myth’

The roughly $55 million in new funding comes as the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) – the world’s largest pilots union representing over 77,000 aviators—says the pilot shortage “isn’t real.” The labor group even goes as far as saying that the shortage is a so-called “myth,” instead pointing fingers at airline leadership.

“So, although we don’t have a pilot shortage, we do have a shortage of airline executives willing to stand by their business decisions to cut air service and be upfront about their intentions to skirt safety rules and hire inexperienced workers for less pay,” ALPA says on its website.

Despite the rhetoric, regional carriers say they aren’t quite out of the pilot supply woods yet with some offering lucrative bonuses for direct-entry captains. In a recent presentation, the Regional Airline Association (RAA)—a trade group—said, “We can’t believe we have to say this, but an abrupt, temporary hiring disruption—driven entirely by an abrupt aircraft delivery disruption—is not the same thing as fixing the pilot shortage.”

Some in Washington also believe the so-called pilot shortage isn’t over. During a press briefing at Austin’s Bergstrom airport on Tuesday, Texas Senator and Senate commerce committee ranking member Ted Cruz said he ‘absolutely’ still believes there’s a shortage, adding that Congress should have done more.

“So this bill…takes modest steps in the direction of addressing the pilot shortage, but I wish we had been able to take more, and I’m going to continue working to take even bolder steps,” he added.

Cruz strongly supported raising the airline pilot retirement age from 65 to 67, which failed after a narrow party-line vote. ALPA and other pilot unions opposed the increase.

“The pilots union has an interesting position on this. It’s one of the very rare circumstances I know of where a union picked some members over other members,” Cruz said at the briefing.

Diversity Push

With the bill now passed, the FAA will be tasked with distributing the funding as grants to flight schools and other institutions. Sen. Warnock said he pushed to include provisions in the bill to distribute some of the funding to ‘underrepresented populations’ in the aviation sector.

“I’m making the business case for diversity,” Warnock told Yahoo Finance. “It’s in our enlightened self-interest to find that talent and create a robust pipeline so that they can become pilots.”

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.

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After months of several short-term extensions, the $105 billion legislation passed the House on Wednesday and the Senate last week before being sent to the president’s desk for final approval.

“The bipartisan [FAA] reauthorization is a big win for travelers, the aviation workforce, and our economy,” said Biden in a statement. “It will expand critical protections for air travelers, strengthen safety standards, and support pilots, flight attendants, and air traffic controllers.”

Several aviation leaders echoed the president’s sentiments—applauding the bill for its commitment to strengthen aviation safety, grow the workforce, and advance technology and innovation.

The Air Line Pilots Associaiton (ALPA) called the bill a “major step forward” for the safety of our nation’s aviation system.

“This bill addresses runway and airport near misses, maintains rigorous pilot training standards and ensures that the United States remains the global leader in aviation safety,” said ALPA president Captain Jason Ambrosi.

FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker commended the new reauthorization that “allows for more runway safety technology, more air traffic controllers, and stronger oversight of aircraft production.”

The package includes language with a requirement for airlines to install 25-hour cockpit voice recorders on new and existing aircraft, up from two hours currently.

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy also praised the bill.

“We appreciate Congress’s safety leadership in mandating the FAA to implement many of our most critical recommendations, which, once acted upon, will further strengthen our nation’s ‘gold standard’ of aviation safety,” Homendy said.

Notably, the FAA Reauthorization Act also includes the first general aviation title, drawing praise from groups such as the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). There are several provisions in the bill that support GA including expanding BasicMed, mandating a 24-month deadline for the FAA’s final rule on MOSAIC, and sections that address the continued availability of avgas among others.

“We appreciate the leadership of lawmakers who see the importance of this section and worked in a bipartisan manner to include provisions that enhance safety and support general aviation,” said EAA president Jack Pelton.

Full text of the bill can be found here.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the legislation with a 387-26 vote after the Senate approved it last week, meaning the only thing standing in the way of the bill becoming law is a signature from President Joe Biden. The bill would reauthorize the FAA for the next five years.

Drone and AAM industry stakeholders have plenty of reasons to be excited. Within the legislation are several critical provisions intended to move the industries forward and assert the U.S. as a global leader in emerging aviation technology.

For example, the bill would require the FAA, within four months of passage, to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for drone flights beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) of a human operator. A BVLOS regulation has long been sought by the drone industry, as it would allow drones to fly farther than they do with humans directly watching them, opening new use cases.

The bill also contains a mandate for the FAA to publish a final special rule for operations of powered-lift aircraft—a new category that includes eVTOL air taxis—within seven months of passage. It would expand FAA research into preparing the U.S. for the safe integration of electric, hydrogen-electric, and other new aircraft types, including type and pilot certification, the electrification of existing aviation infrastructure, and the installation of vertiports.

Immediate reactions to the legislation’s House passage have been overwhelmingly positive.

The Commercial Drone Alliance (CDA), which comprises U.S. uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) companies and organizations, offered general praise for the long-awaited bill.

“The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 brings much-needed stability to both the FAA and aviation industry and enables the U.S. drone industry to keep pace with other countries,” said Lisa Ellman, executive director of the CDA. “This legislation reflects years of dedicated collaboration between lawmakers and industry stakeholders, including the CDA.”

The Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), a global nonprofit, highlighted a few provisions in particular, such as the progress toward a final BVLOS rule and powered-lift aircraft operations.

“We look forward to working with the FAA and Administrator [Michael] Whitaker on the implementation of congressional mandates on key issues for our industries, including a Part 108 BVLOS rule and a special final rule for powered lift aircraft operations, which will safely unlock scalability and new, high-value commercial drone and AAM operations,” said Michael Robbins, president and CEO of AUVSI.

Pete Bunce, president and CEO of the General Aircraft Manufacturers Association (GAMA), applauded the bill for “furthering air traffic and airport operations through…electric aircraft infrastructure, fostering future improvements in certification and production oversight, expanding sustainability research programs, and following through on initiatives focused on a safe transition to unleaded avgas.”

U.S. lawmakers—on both sides of the aisle—similarly applauded the bill’s passage in the House.

Representative Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), who authored provisions in the legislation that would invest $1 billion into airport improvement projects, praised the bipartisanship of the House vote and several forward-thinking provisions within the bill.

“Our reauthorization legislation addresses several critical priorities, including…addressing environmental resiliency, strengthening the general aviation sector, [and] ensuring the safe operation and integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) aircraft,” said Cohen.

Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) highlighted the bill’s benefits to the domestic drone industry. The legislation would ban federal procurement and use of drones produced by Chinese manufacturers—a longtime target of U.S. lawmakers, who perceive the foreign drones as a threat to U.S. industry and national security. Attempts to restrict Chinese-made drones have been the subject of controversy among industry stakeholders.

“This bill contains many provisions important to the Hoosier [State] aviation industry and the flying public,” said Young. “I am pleased that it passed the Senate in a strong bipartisan vote and urge the House to pass this critical bill.”

Manufacturers of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis have heaped praise on the bill’s AAM provisions.

Joby Aviation singled out language around the type certification of novel aircraft and propulsion sources, training of eVTOL pilots, development of AAM operational rules, and production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

Joby board members Michael Huerta, who was FAA administrator from 2013 to 2018, and Dan Elwell, who served as deputy and acting FAA administrator from 2017 to 2020, went into more detail in a blog post.

“This congress has implemented foundational legislation that sets the stage for U.S. leadership in the next hundred years of aviation,” Huerta and Elwell wrote. “By mandating the FAA to lean into AAM, Congress aims to ensure that the FAA will serve as a driving force for innovation and continued U.S. leadership while keeping safety at the heart of its mission.”

Across the Atlantic, German eVTOL manufacturer Lilium, which is seeking type certification with both the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and FAA, spoke highly of the bill’s commitment to modernizing AAM and eVTOL infrastructure in particular.

“We commend the United States Congress for their dedication to electrifying aviation and for recognizing the vital role that our industry will play in the future of transportation,” said Matt Broffman, head of partnerships and public affairs for the Americas at Lilium.

Added Klaus Roewe, CEO of Lilium: “The U.S. is a globally important market for aircraft like the Lilium Jet and we welcome this additional guidance from the U.S. Congress as we seek dual certification in both the U.S. and at home in Europe.”

Similarly, U.S. manufacturer Beta Technologies, which is building a network of proprietary electric aircraft chargers nationwide, praised the legislation’s emphasis on eVTOL infrastructure. The company shared with FLYING last year’s congressional testimony from CEO Kyle Clark, in which Clark lauded several measures. Among them are provisions around building new infrastructure, such as vertiports, as well as the electrification of existing airports.

“This is the first comprehensive piece of federal legislation that specifically advances the priorities of the AAM industry, which feels like a big win,” Beta told FLYING. “It’s the result of a multiyear effort by the whole industry, and we look forward to working with the FAA and DOT to implement these provisions.”

While FAA reauthorization still awaits the president’s signature, the industry, evidently, expects it to happen soon. At first glance, it appears to be a crowd pleaser: the rare piece of legislation that satisfies the demands of all, or nearly all, parties. The next challenge will be to ensure that the implementation of these provisions goes smoothly.

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The House vote was 387-26, following last week’s Senate vote of 88-4. Passing the long-term funding bill ended a frustrating chain of four short-term extensions.

The bill faced much less contention in the House than it had in the Senate, where a string of unrelated controversial amendments threatened to scuttle passage. House leadership declined to schedule votes on amendments, specifically to avoid the same sort of logjam negotiations.

• READ MORE: FAA Reauthorization Bill Exempts Boeing 767 From 2028 Production Cutoff

That said, a controversial measure adding airline slots to Washington Reagan National Airport (KDCA) was among the more prominent provisions of the bill. Members of Congress were divided for and against the measure, dependent on their homes. Those from states close to Washington, D.C., were opposed based on congestion and the fear of midair collisions. Those from states farther away were in favor of adding slots. Their opponents accused them of advocating for their own convenience.

Other important measures included agreeing to hire and train up to 3,000 new air traffic controllers; increasing the length of cockpit voice recordings to 25 hours (from two hours); and extending the time frame for airline passengers to redeem travel credits to at least five years.

From the general aviation side, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) praised passage of the long-term legislation to fund and support the FAA.\

“The final bill contains many of the important provisions that GAMA strongly advocated for throughout the process, including during our Capitol Hill Day last week, when our board members met with over 120 lawmakers while the Senate was finalizing the bill,” GAMA president and CEO Pete Bunce said. “Overall, the bill supports safety, innovation, infrastructure investment, sustainability, and the aviation workforce.”

Bunce listed some key provisions, including adding a new assistant administrator for rulemaking and regulatory improvement, which mandates a review of the rulemaking process to reduce bureaucratic delays. He said the bill also strengthens workforce development grants for pilots and maintenance technicians by adding manufacturing workers to the eligibility list.

Bunce also added that the bill includes “furthering air traffic and airport operations through pilot programs for mobile delivery of air traffic clearances and electric aircraft infrastructure; fostering future improvements in certification and production oversight; expanding sustainability research programs; and following through on initiatives focused on a safe transition to unleaded avgas.”

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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The bill gives Boeing (NYSE: BA) a bridge, in case the express carriers need extra capacity, until it can develop a new freighter next decade. Multiple industry sources familiar with the process said FedEx (NYSE: FDX) and UPS (NYSE: UPS) joined Boeing in lobbying Congress for a reprieve from the January 1, 2028, production deadline. The legislation previously passed the Senate and will be sent to President Joe Biden to sign into law.

At face value, a split from international consensus would limit operation of freighters produced between 2028 and 2033 to the domestic U.S. market, but it’s possible some countries could permit access, according to experts. Freighters delivered before the end of 2027 aren’t covered by the enhanced carbon emission rules and won’t face any restrictions. 

Under International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) agreements, commercial aircraft manufacturers effectively can’t sell aircraft that don’t meet the 2028 carbon emissions standards. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency adopted the fuel efficiency standard in 2021 with the FAA following suit in February.

Even if post-2027 freighters end up being limited to domestic flying, it makes sense for FedEx and UPS to buy them, said Tom Crabtree, a Seattle-based industry consultant and former Boeing market analyst, in an email exchange with FreightWaves.

“The 767-300 production and converted freighter provides the lowest trip costs of any widebody freighter in production today while simultaneously allowing service to smaller markets where 50 metric tons of payload, or more, simply isn’t needed,” Crabtree said. “They also have sufficient range to serve international markets to/from Europe and/or northern South America from the U.S.”

Boeing stopped making the 767 as a passenger jet many years ago. It also supplies a tanker variant for militaries. FedEx and UPS are the only customers for the 767-300 freighter. Traditional cargo airlines opt for used 767s that have been converted to a cargo configuration because they don’t have the consistent, daily volumes of integrated express carriers and can’t afford more expensive new models.

UPS was the launch customer for the Boeing 767 freighter in 1995. The parcel logistics giant has 88 B767-300s in its fleet, including 10 converted freighters, and 19 additional factory aircraft on order from Boeing. 

“We expect to receive all outstanding orders before that time,” said UPS spokeswoman Michelle Polk.

FedEx has 137 B767s flying in its network, with 15 more deliveries scheduled through mid-2026, according to the company’s latest statistics.

Aviation publication The Air Current was first to unearth the 767 freighter waiver, tucked away on page 1,038 of the FAA bill. The language doesn’t mention the 767 by name, but the maximum takeoff weight of 180,000 kilograms to 240,000 kilograms squarely fits the 767.

Boeing officials have increasingly signaled that they plan to develop a freighter version of the 787 Dreamliner as a replacement for the 767F, but the first delivery is expected to take at least eight to 10 years.

“The 767F continues to be the most environmentally sound mid-size freighter available. We are working with our customers and are in communication with regulators regarding the requirements for this market segment,” Boeing said in a statement before the vote. “As we look ahead to future medium-widebody freighter options, the 787 is a natural place for us to look. We continue to evaluate our options in this space and are listening to our customers. Any future decisions regarding whether to launch a new program, will be largely driven by customer needs and market demand.”

Without the exemption, FedEx and UPS could be limited to Airbus A330 converted cargo jets, a model neither currently operates, if they need more medium-widebody aircraft in four or five years. The feedstock for 767 conversions is drying up because passenger airlines like Delta and United are holding on to aircraft longer than anticipated in response to supply chain, manufacturing and engine-related problems that have delayed delivery of replacement aircraft. The airlines probably won’t be ready to let go of the 767s until “they are well beyond the age of conversion or have too many flight cycles and flight hours accumulated on them to make it worth a while to convert it,” said Crabtree.

The new law will enable Boeing to compete with Israel Aircraft Industries, which installs 767 conversion kits, and an Airbus subsidiary that rebuilds A330s into freighters, and give it time to bring a 787 freighter to market, said the former chief editor of the biennial Boeing World Air Cargo Forecast. And A330 conversion providers would be able to demand higher pricing without that competition.

“Express firms like the certainty of production freighters even though they are more expensive than conversions of the same airplane models,” he said. That certainty takes the form of more consistent delivery schedules and meeting of specifications.

FedEx and UPS put pressure on Congress to keep the 767 option open and keep the playing field level until Boeing brings out the 787 freighter, the sources said.

Many have interpreted the carve-out to the international fuel efficiency standards to mean that noncompliant aircraft will be prohibited from flying outside the United States. But there is no universal enforcement mechanism. ICAO’s carbon emission standard will be implemented by individual countries as new domestic regulations updating their system for certifying aircraft types. Production will essentially be banned starting in 2028 because noncompliant models will not be certified for sale by civil aviation authorities in their area of jurisdiction.

Countries that ban the sale of noncompliant models are likely to ban aircraft with an exemption from entering their airspace on the basis of having an unfair advantage.

But an aviation industry source, who didn’t want to be identified because of the political sensitivity of the topic, said FedEx and UPS access to airspace in foreign countries would depend on what individual governments are willing to accept. Smaller countries that typically follow FAA and European Union regulations rather than certify aircraft themselves might have fewer qualms with allowing exempted 767s to operate.

Boeing also continues to deliver 777 cargo jets to FedEx and other airlines around the world. The FAA reauthorization doesn’t provide a waiver for the 777, probably because it is a transcontinental aircraft that wouldn’t make economic sense to operate only in the domestic market.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on FreightWaves.

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The $105 billion bipartisan bill, dubbed the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act, was overwhelmingly passed in an 88-4 vote. Following its passage, the Senate also approved a one-week extension to ensure the House had enough time to vote on the bill before it is sent to the President Joe Biden’s desk for final approval.

According to the Senate, the reauthorization bill “sets national priorities to strengthen aviation safety standards, grow air traffic controller [and] safety inspector workforce, implement safety technology on runways [and] in cockpits” among other initiatives. While the package does not include an amendment to increase the pilot retirement age from 65 to 67, it does contain language to increase the cockpit voice recorder length from two hours to 25 hours.

The legislation was stalled for several days in the Senate this week, primarily over provisions to increase flights into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) and unrelated measures proposed by some congressional leaders.

FAA reauthorization is considered the last “must-pass” measure for Congress before this fall.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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The House voted in favor of a reauthorization bill in July that would have included raising the mandatory airline pilot retirement age to 67 from 65. But in February, the Senate Commerce Committee rejected that element of the proposed five-year, $105 billion FAA reauthorization measure.

According to a Reuters report, the mandatory-retirement-age extension is not in the bill agreed to by House and Senate negotiators. The Senate is expected to vote on the bill later this week.

• READ MORE: FAA Data Shows Student Pilot Numbers on the Rise

Among the provisions that are still included in the 1,000-page document are measures prohibiting airlines from charging extra for families to sit together; a required five-year period for airlines’ vouchers and credits to remain valid; and a mandate for 24-hour cockpit voice recorders. Not included, according to Reuters, were other “stricter consumer rules” proposed by the Biden administration.

While consumer concerns are prominent in the news about the agreement (it includes raising the maximum civil penalty for airline passengers’ consumer violations to $75,000 from $25,000), in large part, the reauthorization legislation addresses concerns over aviation safety following months of alarm over near collisions and quality-control discrepancies, primarily focused on Boeing.

• READ MORE: FAA Adopts New Rules for Air Traffic Controller Rest

The negotiator-approved version of the legislation addresses FAA staffing shortfalls in air traffic controllers (a need for 3,000 new controllers) as well as inspectors, engineers, and technical specialists. The five-year time frame for the FAA reauthorization bill also includes five years of funding for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

In a joint statement, Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) joined the top Republican on the panel Ted Cruz (R-Texas), House Transportation Committee Chair Sam Graves (R-Mo.), and top Democratic member of the committee Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) in writing, “…now more than ever, the FAA needs strong and decisive direction from Congress to ensure America’s aviation system maintains its gold standard…”

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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In a recent social media post on X (formerly known as Twitter), the world’s largest pilots union—which represents more than 77,000 pilots at mainline and regional carriers—pushed back against ongoing legislative efforts to raise the retirement age from 65 to 67.

“The pilot shortage isn’t real,” the ALPA said in the post. “In fact, there’s a surplus of airline pilots. Yet Congress is considering raising the pilot retirement age to 67, which will hurt air travel.”

The union has strongly opposed proposals to raise the mandatory retirement age, citing a slew of potential operational and training issues.

In February, the Senate Commerce Committee voted 14-13 to reject a proposal raising the mandatory retirement age for airline pilots. Both ALPA and the Allied Pilots Association (APA)—which represents American Airlines pilots—say that similar proposals are still on the table in Congress.

The pilot shortage isn’t real. In fact, there’s a surplus of airline pilots. Yet Congress is considering raising the pilot retirement age to 67, which will hurt air travel. Learn what’s at risk from this ill-conceived plan. https://t.co/8J9v5GWC9o #Avation #Airlines #Flying pic.twitter.com/SZ0VVflqPB

— Air Line Pilots Association (@ALPAPilots) April 18, 2024

“The argument hinges on a false claim that there’s a pilot shortage, even though there are more than enough pilots to meet current demand, with plenty more in the training pipeline,” ALPA said in a recent Politico report. “Raising the retirement age from 65 to 67 to address this fake pilot shortage is nothing more than an ill-conceived plan to a fake problem.”

Despite ALPA’s claims, consultancy firm Oliver Wyman expects the gap between pilot supply and demand to be around 13,300 by 2032, which is a 23 percent improvement from the group’s 2022 projections. In 2023, the FAA also issued a record number of Airline Transport Pilots (ATP) certifications.

Regional Airlines Still Struggling

Regional carriers continue to be some of the hardest hit by a shortage of pilots. In a recent presentation, the Regional Airline Association (RAA)—a trade group—said it “can’t believe we have to say this, but an abrupt, temporary hiring disruption —driven entirely by an abrupt aircraft delivery disruption—is not the same thing as fixing the pilot shortage.”

The RAA claims that an aging pilot workforce coupled with aircraft delivery woes at mainline carriers is only temporarily moderating the pilot shortage. Several regional airlines continue to shell out lucrative sign-on bonuses, especially for captains as they look to retain pilots in the left seat.

On Thursday, regional carrier GoJet announced a new bonus structure for direct-entry captains with up to $200,000 “paid out within the first 12 months without any contractual obligations or strings attached.” The company says that captains will have the ability to earn over $400,000 during their first year of employment. ALPA represents GoJet pilots along with aviators at several other regional operators in the U.S. and Canada.

“We can hire first officers. I think almost every regional airline right now has a stack of first officers,” said CommuteAir CEO Rick Hoefling during an October 2023 interview with AirlineGeeks. “The problem is building their time at the same time you’re attriting out captains at a pretty high rate in the industry. We went from a pilot shortage to a captain shortage now in the industry. So the pendulum is starting to move.”

Major airlines—including Southwest, Delta, and United—have slowed or completely halted pilot hiring in 2024.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.

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Three members of an FAA-appointed safety panel created to review Boeing’s safety culture following 737 Max crashes appeared before the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee in Washington, D.C., to review its findings in a February report that were critical of the aerospace giant. 

Also testifying Wednesday in a separate hearing on Capitol Hill was Sam Salehpour, a Boeing engineer and whistleblower, who told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s investigations subcommittee that more than 1,000 Boeing 787s should be grounded due to safety risks.

• READ MORE: FAA Critical of Boeing Safety Culture

“Good engineering wins the day, but you have to listen to them,” said Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.),  who also chairs the Commerce Committee, said during the hearing to determine if there are more steps the federal government can take to ensure Boeing aircraft are safe to fly. 

In 2018, Lion Air Flight 610 crashed, killing all 189 on board. The next year, 157 died when Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed shortly after takeoff. Following the incidents, investigators determined that both crashes were attributed to the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, commonly referred to as MCAS, acting on false data from a single angle of attack sensor that put the aircraft into unrecoverable dives shortly after takeoff.

In response, the FAA grounded the jets worldwide for several months while the cause of the crashes were investigated. The investigation pointed to a series of faulty technical assumptions by Boeing’s engineers, a lack of transparency on the part of the company’s management, and what was described as “grossly insufficient oversight” by the FAA. 

The FAA panel reviewing Boeing consisted of 24 members, all considered experts in their field. Among them, Javier de Luis, an aeronautics lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, whose sister was killed in the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash. De Luis noted the panel spent a year reviewing 4,000 pages of documents provided by Boeing and interviewed 250 company employees at all levels of the organization, across six Boeing locations. The effort resulted in “27 findings and 53 recommendations” for the improvement of safety at the company, he told lawmakers Wednesday.

According to the panel’s findings, Boeing has made changes since the 737 Max crashes, but there is still room for improvement. Although management tells the employees to speak up if they have a safety concern, they are reluctant to do so, fearing retaliation. Others interviewed by the panel noted that their concerns—even when raised— are ignored.

An engineer, for example, warned Boeing about the potential for lithium-ion batteries aboard the Boeing 787 Dreamliners to overheat due to thermal runaway. The Dreamliner entered service in 2011 and was grounded by FAA emergency order in 2013 due to fires from overheated batteries.

“There exists a disconnect between the words that are being said by Boeing management and what is being seen and experienced by the technicians and engineers,” de Luis said.

Following the hearing, Boeing released a statement, saying it took the FAA review panel’s critiques “to heart and will act on their findings and feedback. Since 2020, Boeing has taken important steps to foster a safety culture that empowers and encourages all employees to raise their voice. We know we have more work to do, and we are taking action across our company.” 

According to the company, employee reports through its “Speak Up” portal increased 500 percent since January, which it said indicated “progress toward a robust reporting culture that is not fearful of retaliation.”

The FAA panel released its findings in February just a few days after a Boeing 737 Max 9 experienced explosive decompression when it lost a door plug in its fuselage midflight while en route to California from Portland, Oregon.

The accident resulted in a mass grounding of the aircraft and reopened questions about the manufacturer’s process and attention to safety, including the documentation of repairs made during the production phase. It was determined the bolts that hold the door plug in place had not been reinstalled after corrective maintenance on a line of rivets in the fuselage.

Boeing was given 90 days to issue a plan to address the results and recommendations. That deadline for release of the plan is May 28.

During Wednesday’s hearing, Senator Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) noted there were no representatives from Boeing in attendance: “We should be hearing directly from Boeing.”

The 737 is not the only aircraft under scrutiny. The 787 Dreamliner is under examination as well. 

• READ MORE: Boeing Whistleblower Wants 787 Fleet Grounded

Salehpour, who has worked for Boeing for 10 years as a quality engineer, called for a global grounding of the 787 Dreamliners, saying the shortcuts he allegedly witnessed on the factory floor during the building of 787s and 777s that may have led to the misalignment of parts in the jet fuselage. In an interview with NBC, he suggested that employees took shortcuts that may have resulted in parts of the jet being misaligned, which could lead to metal fatigue and weakened fuselage.

Boeing pushed back on those claims.

“Extensive and rigorous testing of the fuselage and heavy maintenance checks of nearly 700 in-service airplanes to date have found zero evidence of airframe fatigue,” Boeing said in a statement Wednesday. “Under FAA oversight, we have painstakingly inspected and reworked airplanes and improved production quality to meet exacting standards that are measured in the one hundredths of an inch. We are fully confident in the safety and durability of the 787 Dreamliner.”

WATCH: Whistleblower Testifies at Senate Hearing on Boeing Safety Culture

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