MARPA has received information about the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) realignment efforts, including organizational charts that we have been authorized to share with our Board and membership.
Why Is AIR-600 Realigning?
As part of FAA Administrator Bedford’s agency-wide realignment, AIR-600 is undertaking structural changes intended to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its certification standards responsibilities. The division is also changing its name from the Policy and Standards Division to the Certification Standards Division, more accurately reflecting its statutory authority and primary functions. It’s important to note that their safety mission remains the same! AIR-600 will continue to support aerospace safety by developing regulations, policy, and standards for the design, manufacturing, and airworthiness of aerospace products.
To address the growing complexity and volume of work, AIR-600 is transitioning from its matrix organizational model to a more straightforward, hierarchical structure organized around product categories. The new structure is intended to:
- Simplify coordination and establish clear, individual accountability for deliverables.
- Divide the former Technical Policy Branch (AIR-620) into two branches focused on Transport and General Aviation/Vertical Takeoff & Landing (VTOL) products, allowing for more specialized technical expertise and improved stakeholder support.
- Align AIR-600’s structure with those of the FAA’s compliance divisions: the Integrated Certificate Management Division (AIR-500) and the Compliance & Airworthiness Division (AIR-700).
- Enable more effective application of the Safety Continuum.
What Will Change?
The new product-focused structure will establish clear ownership and decision-making authority across four branches, providing greater visibility into AIR-600’s resource capacity, workload distribution, and project priorities.
The changes respond to feedback from FAA employees and managers, industry stakeholders, and Congress. By reducing redundant review layers, the realignment aims to accelerate decision-making and, ultimately, help bring products and innovations to market sooner.
During the transition, AIR-600 will maintain operational continuity. Managers and employees will continue their current work, completing existing tasks while minimizing disruption to external stakeholders.
Overview of the New Branches
- Operations & Integration Branch (AIR-660) – This branch will serve as the division’s operational foundation and central coordination hub. It will establish process governance, standardized workflows, and real-time performance analytics. It will also manage international policy, bilateral agreement frameworks, and working groups within AIR-600’s area of responsibility.
- Organization & Systems Standards Branch (AIR-670) – This branch will establish performance standards and strategic direction for certification, systems oversight and delegation, and continued operational safety policy and guidance. It will also guide the long-term development and harmonization of these areas while ensuring coordination across the division’s branches.
- Transport Airplane & Turbine Engine Standards (AIR-680) – AIR-680 will oversee certification standards, guidance, and strategic policy for transport category airplanes, turbine engines, and transport propeller installations. Its responsibilities will include technical support across the FAA, project-specific certification assistance, rulemaking initiatives, international harmonization, and the development of industry consensus standards. The branch will also coordinate with AIR-690 on policies that span multiple product categories.
- General Aviation, VTOL, & Engine Standards (AIR-690) – AIR-690 will oversee certification standards, guidance, and strategic policy for normal category airplanes, rotorcraft, special class aircraft (including VTOL), balloons, non-turbine engines, and propellers. Its responsibilities will include technical and project-specific certification support across the FAA, rulemaking initiatives, international harmonization, and the development of industry consensus standards. The branch will also coordinate with AIR-680 on cross-product policy matters.
- Project Officer Assignments – Under the new structure, Project Officers (POs) within the Certification Standards Division will reside in AIR-680 and AIR-690.
Questions About the Transition?
AIR-600 asks stakeholders to direct questions about the realignment to their existing Aircraft Certification Service (AIR) points of contact (POCs) first.
