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Aviation Law
Aviation Law encompasses all aspects of airplane and airport operation and regulation -- including aircraft safety, maintenance and navigation. Aviation law is primarily regulated by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). These institutions serve as the primary federal agencies that regulate air travel.
Aviation Law governs all facets of air travel.
Aviation Law governs the operation of aircraft and the maintenance of aviation facilities. Both federal and state governments have enacted statutes and created administrative agencies to regulate air traffic.
Using its constitutional authority to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, Congress may enact laws pertaining to air navigation. There have been several federal enactments along these lines: The first was the 1926 Air Commerce Act which provided, among other things, for the certification and registration of aircraft employed in interstate or foreign commerce. The statute was amended in 1938 by the Civil Aeronautics Act which created the ''Civil Aeronautics Authority,'' a five member panel with the power to regulate all aspects of aviation within federal jurisdiction. Later, the five-member panel was changed to the ''Civil Aeronautics Board'' and most of its power was transferred to the Department of Commerce.
Aviation Law governs all facets of air travel. It impacts those parties that provide air travel services, such as airlines, pilots, maintenance crews, security personnel and air traffic controllers. It also affects those that purchase air travel services, such as passengers and couriers.
Federal Aviation Law
In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) serve as the primary federal agencies that regulate air travel.
- FAA - The FAA issues and enforces regulations on the manufacture, operation and maintenance of aircraft. The FAA also certifies pilots and airports, and provides navigation and air traffic management services to civil and military aircraft.
- NTSB - The NTSB investigates all civil aviation accidents in the United States and issues safety recommendations to prevent future aviation accidents.
- TSA - Created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the TSA checks baggages and screens passengers for security threats.
State Laws
Although states cannot regulate rates, routes, or services of carriers, they may enact their own laws that are consistent with federal aviation law.
International Laws and Organizations
Because of the international nature of air travel, countries have entered into conventions to normalize the laws that regulate airlines and set forth the rights of passengers. For example, the Warsaw Convention limits the liability of airlines for accidents on international flights, except where the airline engaged in willful misconduct.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) also regulates air travel by providings general rules and mediating international aviation law disputes.
Accident & Injury Law
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