1 Answer

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is an agency within the Department of Transportation. It is charged with the oversight and regulation of all civil aviation activities within the United States. The FAA’s role includes drafting policies, procedures, rules and regulations for the design, manufacture and operation of all civil aircraft. It also oversees the airspace within the United States and is charged with the operation of most large airports and air traffic control facilities. The FAA also regulates the standards regarding pilot training, proficiency and health requirements.

Interestingly, in addition to its role as the aviation safety regulator for the U.S., the FAA is also responsible for promoting and overseeing the economic aspects of commercial aviation. The push and pull of safety versus cost often places the FAA in difficult and controversial positions.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is a separate agency that is not within the department of transportation. Its mission is to promote safety within the various U.S. transportation modes. The NTSB is charged with the investigation of accidents involving aviation, highways, marine activities, railways, pipelines, and hazardous materials. But, the NTSB has no regulatory authority over any of these transportation modes. Thus, the Federal Aviation Regulations, for instance, are not drafted or passed by the NTSB. They are enacted by the FAA. The NTSB can only make recommendations to the FAA regarding additional rules or regulations that it believes need to be passed to increase aviation safety.

In an aviation accident, the NTSB will be charged with investigating and determining the cause of the crash. The FAA will often send a representative to the scene, but his or her role will generally be limited to determining whether any aviation regulations were violated prior to the crash. The FAA does not make any determinations regarding the cause of a crash.

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