AVIATION REGULATORY WATCH · FAA POLICY STATEMENT
Policy statement — final, not a proposalEffective September 29, 2026Docket FAA-2026-12343 · 91 FR 61135
Quick Answers
What did the FAA do? It ended the long-running exemption program that allowed certain Cessna Citation CE-500 variants to fly with one pilot, even though the rules require two.
When does it take effect? The policy is effective September 29, 2026. The notice appeared in the Federal Register on September 28, 2026.
Who is affected? Training providers holding CE-500 single-pilot exemptions, and every pilot holding a single-pilot logbook endorsement earned under those exemptions.
Can pilots keep flying CE-500s solo? No. With the exemptions rescinded, the logbook endorsement no longer provides relief from 14 CFR 91.9 and 91.531.
Is there any transition relief? Yes. A § 61.58 proficiency check completed under the exemption still counts toward PIC qualification for two-pilot operation.
Quick Compliance Summary
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Action | Notice of policy change; cessation and rescission of CE-500 single-pilot exemptions |
| Legal basis | 14 CFR 91.9(a) and 91.531; exemption authority under 49 U.S.C. 44701(f) and 14 CFR 11.81(e) |
| Aircraft | Transport-category CE-500 series variants type-certificated for two pilots |
| Effective date | September 29, 2026 |
| Rescissions | Issued separately to current holders following publication |
| Contact | AFS-810, Training and Certification Group, 9-AFS-800-Correspondence@faa.gov |
Who Should Read This
This notice is most relevant to Part 91 and Part 135 operators flying Citation CE-500 series aircraft. It also matters for flight departments that employ or contract pilots holding single-pilot CE-500 endorsements. Training providers under Parts 61, 141, and 142 need to read it closely. Designated pilot examiners and safety managers tracking Citation fleet compliance should take note as well.
At a Glance
- The FAA will no longer issue exemptions allowing single-pilot operation of two-pilot CE-500 variants.
- Current exemption holders are being rescinded by separate action after publication.
- Existing single-pilot logbook endorsements are no longer valid for relief.
- The agency cited widespread noncompliance and an accident rate roughly double that of single-pilot Part 25 CE-500 operations.
- Two recent CE-500 accidents shaped the decision, including one fatal accident in May 2025.
- A completed § 61.58 proficiency check still satisfies PIC requirements for two-pilot operation.
What Happened and Why
The regulatory backdrop
Under 14 CFR 91.9(a), no person may operate an aircraft without complying with its operating limitations. Where the type certificate data sheet requires a crew of two, a pilot in command and a second in command are mandatory. Separately, 14 CFR 91.531(a)(2) requires a designated SIC on any large aircraft, which means an aircraft weighing over 12,500 pounds.
The Citation CE-500 series sits in an unusual position. The CE-501 and CE-551 variants are certificated under Part 23. The CE-500, CE-550, and CE-560 variants are certificated under Part 25. Those Part 25 variants are type certificated for two pilots. They also meet the large-airplane definition, so an SIC is required by regulation.
Four decades of exemptions
The FAA issued its first CE-500 single-pilot exemption to Cessna in 1984, Exemption No. 4050. The agency argued then that no data showed a safety degradation between single-pilot Part 23 operations and two-pilot Part 25 operations. Over time, exemptions shifted from manufacturers to training providers certificated under Parts 61, 141, and 142. Those providers trained and checked pilots, then issued logbook endorsements permitting single-pilot operation.
The structure carried a built-in weakness. The regulatory relief is exercised by the pilot, not the training provider who holds the exemption. A provider can lose its exemption while its former students keep flying, unaware that the relief has vanished.
What the 2024 review found
In 2024, the FAA began an in-depth compliance review after discovering non-exemption holders offering training under another entity’s exemption. The review found numerous violations of the conditions and limitations. These included incomplete records, required flight training performed in an advanced aviation training device in violation of the exemptions, and improper checks by designated pilot examiners that included falsified records.
The consequences were severe. Thirteen of the fourteen Part 61 exemption holders were denied extension or rescinded outright, some for failing to respond to information requests. The FAA also terminated the designee authority of DPEs involved in falsified records.
The safety data
The agency then examined eighteen years of CE-500 accident history. Even with conservative assumptions about crew configuration, single-pilot Part 25 CE-500 aircraft experienced approximately twice the accident rate of single-pilot Part 23 CE-500, 510, and 525 aircraft. That figure undermines the legal threshold for any exemption, which requires an equivalent level of safety.
The two accidents
The notice references a fatal accident on May 22, 2025, NTSB case WPR25FA161. Six people died aboard the aircraft, and eight were injured on the ground. The pilot had received an improper check six months earlier from a DPE employed by a Part 61 exemption holder.
A second accident occurred at Statesville, North Carolina, on December 18, 2025, NTSB case WPR26MA063. That aircraft was a CE-500 variant requiring two pilots, and it was operating without a qualified SIC on board. Both investigations remain open, with no probable cause determined yet.
What Changes Now
The FAA announced it will cease issuing the CE-500 single-pilot exemption to training providers. It found the exemptions no longer provide an equivalent level of safety and are no longer in the public interest. Current holders will receive rescissions by separate action following publication of the notice.
Pilots holding single-pilot logbook endorsements must stop relying on them. The FAA is advising every such pilot that the endorsement is no longer valid. They must operate in a two-pilot configuration consistent with the operating limitations in the TCDS, per 14 CFR 91.9 and 91.531.
There is one concrete transition benefit. A pilot who completed a § 61.58 proficiency check while complying with the exemption’s conditions can still use that check to satisfy PIC requirements for a two-pilot CE-500 operation. For flights already flown single-pilot by pilots of rescinded or denied holders, the FAA will apply its Compliance Program principles in deciding how to address the noncompliance.
Impact Matrix
| Audience | What changes | Priority action |
|---|---|---|
| Part 91/135 CE-500 operators | Single-pilot dispatch is no longer authorized for two-pilot variants | Confirm crew scheduling and SIC availability immediately |
| Pilots with single-pilot endorsements | Endorsement no longer provides regulatory relief | Stop single-pilot operations; verify § 61.58 status |
| Training providers | Exemptions rescinded; no new petitions for this relief | Notify affected customers in writing |
| DPEs and check airmen | Checks tied to exemptions lose their basis | Review records for any checks performed under exemptions |
| Safety managers | Compliance exposure for any solo flight after September 29, 2026 | Audit crew records and flight logs retroactively |
Action Checklist for Operators
- Identify every CE-500 variant in your fleet that is type certificated for two pilots.
- Identify every pilot in your organization holding a single-pilot CE-500 endorsement.
- Confirm that no post-September 29 flights are scheduled single-pilot in those aircraft.
- Verify each affected pilot holds a current § 61.58 proficiency check for PIC service in a two-pilot configuration.
- Review past flight records for solo CE-500 flights and assess exposure under the Compliance Program.
- Watch the docket for the individual rescission actions that follow this notice.
Key Dates
- September 24, 2026 — Notice signed by the Executive Director, Flight Standards Service.
- September 28, 2026 — Notice published in the Federal Register, 91 FR 61135.
- September 29, 2026 — Policy effective; single-pilot relief ends.
- Following publication — Rescissions issued separately to current exemption holders.
The AviationRegWatch Take
This is the rare policy action that lands immediately, with no comment period and no phase-in. The FAA treated the audit findings and the accident pattern as sufficient grounds to pull relief it had granted for over forty years. Operators should treat any CE-500 single-pilot dispatch after September 29, 2026 as a compliance violation, not a gray area. The safest posture is a same-week crew-record audit and written confirmation to every affected pilot. Expect follow-on enforcement actions against former exemption holders to appear in the docket over the coming months.
Sources
- FAA Notice of Policy Change and Rescission of Single-Pilot Training Exemptions for Certain Cessna Aircraft, 91 FR 61135 (September 28, 2026), Docket FAA-2026-12343: Federal Register full text
- 14 CFR 91.9 — Compliance with operating limitations
- 14 CFR 91.531 — Second in command requirements
aviationregwatch.com publishes regulatory intelligence for aviation compliance professionals. This article is an informational summary, not legal or airworthiness advice. Consult your legal counsel or certificate-holding FAA office for compliance decisions.
FAQ
Which Cessna models are covered by the rescission?
The transport-category variants requiring two pilots: Model 500 Citation and Citation I, 550 Citation II and Bravo, S550 Citation S/II, 552 and Navy T-47A, and 560 Citation V, Ultra, Encore, and Encore+.
Does this affect Part 23 CE-500 variants?
No. The CE-501 and CE-551 are certificated under Part 23 and follow their own AFM limitations. This notice addresses transport-category variants and the exemptions built around them.
Is my single-pilot logbook endorsement grandfathered?
No. The FAA states plainly that with the exemption relief terminated, the endorsement is no longer valid for single-pilot operation.
What happens if I flew single-pilot before the notice?
The FAA will apply Compliance Program principles to flights by pilots whose endorsements came from holders whose extensions were rescinded or denied before this notice.
Can a § 61.58 check completed under the exemption still be used?
Yes. The FAA confirms a completed § 61.58 proficiency check can satisfy PIC requirements for a two-pilot CE-500 operation.