The US Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General has initiated its third audit of the Federal Aviation Administration's consistency in certifying domestic repair stations, continuing a series of oversight reviews required under the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.
The audit evaluates whether individual FAA field offices interpret and apply certification standards uniformly when reviewing repair station applications under 14 CFR Part 145. All facilities performing maintenance on US-registered aircraft must hold FAA certification, with inspectors following a five-phase review process covering system design, program evaluation, and compliance testing. The concern prompting the audit is that different FAA regional offices may interpret the same orders, guidance, and regulations differently, potentially producing inconsistent certification outcomes across the country.
The 2024 reauthorization act directed the OIG to conduct a series of audits covering supplemental type certificates, repair stations, and technical standard orders. This third review builds on earlier findings and focuses specifically on the controls in place to ensure inspectors apply standards consistently when certifying domestic repair stations.
The Department of Transportation's inspector general program operates as an independent oversight body for FAA activities, with findings typically resulting in recommendations for procedural improvements and enhanced guidance for certification inspectors.
Source: AIN Online -- https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2026-03-12/dot-ig-begins-third-faa-repair-station-oversight-audit