The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published today a final rule that requires certificated repair stations outside the US to implement a drug and alcohol testing program. The testing applies to workers who perform safety-sensitive maintenance functions on certain air carrier aircraft.

The rule also requires repair stations to ensure their employees receive all necessary anti-drug and alcohol abuse training and send their testing data electronically to the US Department of Transportation (DOT).

The FAA proposed the rule in December 2023 and the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 required the agency to implement its provisions.

This final rule requires certificated repair stations located outside the territory of the United States (US) whose employees perform safety-sensitive maintenance functions on certain air carrier aircraft to conduct alcohol and controlled substance testing in a manner acceptable to the Administrator and consistent with the applicable laws of the country in which the repair station is located. The final rule directs the repair station to comply with the requirements of the Drug and Alcohol Testing Program published by the FAA and the Procedures for Transportation Workplace Drug Testing Programs published by the Department of Transportation, as proposed. However, this final rule also allows foreign governments, on behalf of certificated repair stations within their territories, and individual foreign repair stations subject to the rule to obtain the Administrator's recognition of a compatible alternative that contains minimum criteria in lieu of compliance with certain components of the Drug and Alcohol Testing Program.

The integral version of the rule (36 pages) is attached to this AVIONEWS. 

See for details AVIONEWS.