NBAA's Oct. 1 News Hour highlighted an immediate rollback of certain single-pilot exemptions alongside proposed changes to diabetes certification and cockpit oxygen rules.
A business aviation cockpit image accompanying coverage of FAA regulatory changes discussed during NBAA's Oct. 1 News Hour.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The FAA has moved to rescind certain single-pilot training exemptions for Cessna Citation aircraft originally certificated for two-pilot operation.
- NBAA and CJP have requested at least a 90-day pause for compliant operators and training providers and proposed an FAA-industry working group.
- A separate FAA proposal would simplify medical certification for qualifying pilots with non-insulin-dependent diabetes, while some insulin-treated cases may now be considered for 12-month recertification.
- Another FAA proposal would relax selected oxygen-mask requirements under Parts 91 and 135, with public comments due Nov. 23, 2026.
(NEWS) WASHINGTON, DC, United States, 2026-Oct-02 — /Travel PR News/ — Business aviation operators are confronting a mix of immediate Federal Aviation Administration action and proposed regulatory changes affecting cockpit crewing, pilot medical certification and supplemental oxygen procedures. According to an Oct. 2 report by the National Business Aviation Association on its Oct. 1 NBAA News Hour webinar, the developments are creating different compliance and planning questions for aircraft owners, flight departments and training providers.
Single-pilot Citation exemptions create the most immediate operational change
The most immediate issue is the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) decision to end the use of certain single-pilot training exemptions for Cessna Citation aircraft originally certificated for two-pilot operation. In its Federal Register policy statement, the agency said the action followed safety concerns and a review that found widespread non-compliance with the exemptions.
Rob Balzano, CEO of Citation Jet Pilots (CJP), told the NBAA webinar that more than 1,200 Cessna operators are affected. NBAA’s account said operators could face higher crewing and insurance costs, scheduling complications and additional demand for qualified second-in-command pilots, while training providers must revise programs built around the previous exemption framework.
National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and CJP have asked the FAA for at least a 90-day pause for compliant operators and training providers and have proposed an FAA-industry working group to review the underlying safety concerns and possible alternatives. The two groups set out that request in a Sept. 30 filing described by NBAA. NBAA also reported that CJP filed a Freedom of Information Act request seeking the safety data used to support the rescission.
Medical certification proposal could move more decisions back to AMEs
Separate FAA rulemaking would change the certification pathway for some pilots with non-insulin-dependent diabetes. A proposed Part 67 rule would allow qualifying applicants to receive an airman medical certificate at the time of their examination rather than first going through the FAA’s Special Issuance review process.
Laila Stein, NBAA manager for flight operations, said during the webinar that NBAA plans to support the proposal, arguing that it could reduce the administrative load on both applicants and medical professionals. The FAA’s current Aviation Medical Examiner guidance also states that a subset of insulin-treated diabetes cases using continuous glucose monitoring may be considered for a 12-month certificate instead of six months on a case-by-case recertification basis.
The agency has also launched its MedGuide medication reference, which provides updated information for pilots, treating physicians and aviation medical examiners. The FAA notes that medication use still requires consideration of both the underlying condition and potential safety-of-flight effects.
Oxygen-mask proposal would revise high-altitude cockpit requirements
The third regulatory track concerns supplemental oxygen. In a proposed rule published Sept. 24, the FAA would change oxygen-mask requirements for pressurized aircraft operating under Parts 91 and 135.
For Part 135 operations, the proposal would raise the threshold at which one pilot in a two-pilot cockpit must wear an oxygen mask from flight level 350 to FL410 and would raise the single-pilot threshold from FL250 to FL350. For Part 91 operations, pilots could operate at any certified altitude without wearing a mask solely because of altitude when qualifying quick-donning masks are available. The FAA said the proposal reflects modern pressurization systems, safety data and the aim of reducing regulatory and operating burdens. Public comments are due Nov. 23, 2026.
NBAA has advocated for changes to the oxygen rules and used the News Hour to discuss how operators might handle any eventual revision. Webinar panelist Paul Scurio, director of aviation for OC Sunbird Aviation, advised flight departments to assess procedural changes through their safety management systems and to consider hypoxia training so crewmembers understand their individual physiological responses.
The three FAA actions are at different stages and should not be treated as one regulatory package. The Citation exemption rescission is an immediate policy change affecting certain legacy operations, while the diabetes-certification and oxygen-mask measures remain proposals moving through the rulemaking process. For business aviation operators, that distinction is central to near-term staffing, training and compliance decisions.
