The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched a process aimed at enabling the authority to recognise non-US maintenance organisation certificates through bilateral agreements.

In a statement to ch-aviation, the FAA said it had “reviewed the petition from industry organisations about this issue and included the petition into our rulemaking process. The rulemaking process involves evaluating data and receiving stakeholder feedback.”

As reported by the Airspace Times, the proposed rulemaking would allow foreign repair stations to be recognised under US standards without requiring separate FAA approval, as currently happens with Canada, the only country with which the US has mutual recognition under existing regulations.

Industry groups, such as the Virginia-based Aeronautical Repair Station Association, have petitioned the FAA to make these changes. They emphasise that eliminating redundant audits and certifications would save costs and streamline operations while maintaining safety standards.