When the FAA was integrated into the DOT, the NTSB took over the duties of the former Bureau of Aviation Safety. The FAA also promotes the development of new technologies in the aeronautics industry. The agency oversees pilot certification, controls flight inspection standards for air navigation facilities, and issues regulations that protect the safety of passengers. Instead, the FAA has worked on many environmental issues, such as noise pollution, and it has developed a sophisticated air traffic control system. While the FAA initially oversaw aviation matters related to national security, the Department of Homeland Security now handles most of these issues. The head of the FAA reports to the Secretary of Transportation, rather than the President, and the DOT must approve any FAA budget requests or new programs that it develops. The International Civil Aviation Organization provides general rules for travel and mediates disputes in international aviation law.įormerly the Federal Aviation Agency, the FAA was integrated into the US Department of Transportation in the 1960s. Other conventions outline passenger rights and impose requirements on airlines. The Warsaw Convention limits the liability of airlines for accidents on international flights, for example, unless an airline engaged in willful misconduct. Three major federal agencies oversee aviation in the US:Īlso, some aviation laws arise from treaties and other international laws. States can enact their own laws if they are consistent with federal laws, but they cannot control the rates, routes, or services of airlines.
The federal government largely controls the field of aviation law.