SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On December 17, 2024, the FAA issued a final rule titled “Foreign Air Operator Certificates Issued by a Regional Safety Oversight Organization” that was published in the Federal Register at 89 FR 101870. The final rule allowed the FAA to review and, if acceptable to the Administrator, recognize as valid air operator certificates issued by a Regional Safety Oversight Organization to foreign air carriers when the State of the Operator is a member of that Regional Safety Oversight Organization, for purposes of evaluating foreign applicants for operating specifications. The final rule became effective on January 16, 2025.

On January 20, 2025, the President issued a memorandum titled “Regulatory Freeze Pending Review,” 90 FR 8249 (Jan. 28, 2025), to direct executive departments and agencies to consider postposing for 60 days the effective date for any rules that had been published in the Federal Register but had not taken effect for the purpose of reviewing any questions of fact, law, and policy that the rules may raise. While not explicitly subject to the President's memorandum, the FAA is providing notice that it will exercise its enforcement discretion and not enforce the provisions of the FAA's final rule titled “Foreign Air Operator Certificates Issued by a Regional Safety Oversight Organization” until March 20, 2025, to allow the officials appointed or designated by the President to review the final rule to ensure that it is consistent with the law and Administration policies.

90 FR 11669