The Federal Aviation Administration is implementing a sweeping internal restructuring designed to strengthen safety oversight, accelerate modernization of U.S. air traffic systems and improve coordination across emerging aviation technologies.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford announced the overhaul, which represents the largest organizational change in the agency’s history and is intended to eliminate fragmented safety management practices while positioning the FAA to meet future airspace demands, the Department of Transportation said Monday.
What Changes Are Included in the FAA Restructuring?
A central element of the reorganization is the establishment of a new safety oversight office that will implement a unified safety management system and risk management strategy. According to DOT, the change will allow safety data and metrics to be shared more easily, replacing a structure in which such data were managed separately across multiple offices.
The new oversight office is backed by Congress through the 2024 FAA Reauthorization.
What New FAA Offices Will Focus on Modernization and Advanced Aviation?
The restructuring also creates a dedicated airspace modernization office tasked with advancing the development and installation of a new air traffic control system.
In addition, the FAA is standing up an advanced aviation technologies office that will oversee the integration of drones, electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, and other advanced air mobility systems into the national airspace.
What New Offices Will Focus on Modernization and Advanced Aviation?
Other adjustments include transitioning key leadership roles into permanent positions and consolidating finance, information technology and human resources management under the FAA administrator.
“It’s important that we have the right people in the right places to do the best work possible,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. “These actions will put permanent leaders in place who embrace innovation, share safety data and insights freely and are focused on deploying a brand-new air traffic control system all while integrating key innovation technologies into the new National Airspace System.”
According to Duffy, the overhaul will enable the FAA to “streamline the bureaucracy, encourage innovation, and deliver a new air traffic control system at the speed of Trump – all while enhancing safety,” Duffy said. “Thanks to President Trump and Republicans in Congress, we received an unprecedented $12.5 billion down payment to modernize our skies,” he added.
What Offices Will Make Up the Updated FAA Framework?
The FAA’s revised structure also includes organizations dedicated to:
- Administration and finance
- Policy and legal functions
- Air traffic
- Commercial space transportation
- Security and intelligence
The reorganization supports Flight Plan 2026, the agency’s strategic framework focused on safety, modernization and workforce investment.
What Prompted the FAA Changes?
The FAA underwent increased scrutiny in 2025 due to a series of crashes last year resulting in several fatalities, including incidents in the airspaces and airports of Washington, D.C., Alaska, Arizona and Philadelphia, among others.
