Overview
- The FAA published a Federal Register notice that became effective Sept. 29, 2026, stopping new single‑pilot exemptions for transport‑category CE‑500 variants and starting the process to rescind existing exemptions.
- The rule targets Part 25 Citation models certified for two‑pilot crews — including the 500, 550, S550, 552, and 560 series — while single‑pilot authority for models certificated as single‑pilot such as the 501, 551, and CE‑525 family is unchanged.
- The agency said an 18‑year review showed single‑pilot operations in the affected Part 25 jets had about twice the accident rate of comparable single‑pilot Part 23 models and referenced two recent fatal crashes that remain under NTSB investigation.
- FAA investigators also documented broad noncompliance by exemption holders, citing training done in unauthorized devices, improper checks by designated examiners, falsified records, and the denial or rescission of extensions for 13 of 14 Part 61 exemption holders.
- Industry groups including AOPA and its Air Safety Institute asked the FAA to pause the blanket rescission and apply relief only to noncompliant operators while seeking more data and collaboration, and operators must now review crewing, training, insurance, and scheduling to shift affected flights to two‑pilot crews.