New Aviation Safety Bill Mandates ADSB Tracking on Commercial Flights, Extends Air Traffic Controller Hiring Deadline to 2033

If you fly often, work in aviation, or just live near a busy airport, the Safe Operations of Shared Airspace Act of 2025 is the policy equivalent of tightening all the bolts on a very complex machine. This bill is a focused effort to boost safety and accountability across the national airspace system, mandating technology upgrades and forcing the FAA to submit to a rigorous independent audit of its safety protocols.

The Expert Safety Check-Up: Why the FAA’s ‘Safety System’ is Getting Audited

One of the biggest moves here is Section 3, which mandates an independent expert panel to conduct a deep-dive review of the FAA’s Safety Management System (SMS). Think of SMS as the FAA’s internal playbook for preventing accidents—it covers everything from safety policy to risk management. The panel, which includes experts from NASA and aviation labor groups like pilots and air traffic controllers, has 180 days to figure out if the FAA’s system is actually working, or if it’s just a binder full of paperwork. This is a huge deal for anyone who uses the airspace, as it forces the agency to be transparent about its core safety functions. They’re looking for real safety improvements, not just compliance.

ADSB Tracking: Shutting Down the Stealth Mode

This bill tightens the leash on who can fly without being tracked. The technology in question is ADSB Out (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Out), which broadcasts an aircraft's position. Currently, certain government flights can turn this off for “sensitive missions.” Section 4 narrows that definition significantly. Routine flights, training flights, and flights carrying non-Cabinet federal officials can no longer claim this exemption. This means fewer “ghost planes” flying near commercial traffic, which is a direct safety win for pilots and passengers.

Even more impactful is the mandate in Section 5 for ADSB In. This equipment allows a plane to receive tracking data from other aircraft, dramatically improving a pilot’s situational awareness and helping prevent mid-air collisions. Within four years, air carriers and scheduled charter operators must have working ADSB In equipment installed. For the average traveler, this means a significant upgrade in collision avoidance technology on the planes you fly on, even if the FAA is slow to finalize the exact technical rules.

Staffing the Towers: The Controller Pipeline Gets More Time

For years, there have been concerns about the shortage of air traffic controllers. Section 9 addresses this by extending the deadline for the FAA to meet its maximum hiring requirement from 2028 to 2033. While this gives the FAA five more years to staff up, it also means the pressure is off for the immediate future. This might feel like a delay for those concerned about current staffing levels, but the bill also attempts to improve the quality of the pipeline. Section 10 mandates the continuation of the Collegiate Training Initiative, requiring the FAA to partner with at least 15 certified colleges and allowing them to directly hire graduates from those programs. The bill also requires the FAA to hire more aerospace medical doctors to speed up the medical certification process for controllers.

Crucially, Section 8 protects the entire FAA workforce from any future federal hiring freezes or staff cuts. If the President decides to freeze hiring across the government, the FAA’s ability to hire air traffic controllers, safety inspectors, and engineers cannot be touched. This recognizes that aviation safety is too critical to be subject to broad, political workforce mandates.

What the Military and Major Airports Need to Know

Sections 6 and 7 tackle the complex issue of shared airspace, particularly around busy civilian hubs. The FAA must create a new Office of FAADOD Coordination (FAA-Department of Defense) to manage military and law enforcement operations near major airports. The bill mandates immediate safety reviews for Reagan National Airport (DCA), followed by similar reviews at all other Class B airports (the busiest ones). These reviews will specifically assess the risks posed by military aircraft, helicopters, and drones to commercial airliners. This is a direct response to the growing complexity of air traffic, where specialized, high-speed operations often mix with routine commercial flights.

Finally, the bill introduces more accountability across the board: Section 11 requires a mandatory, specialized analysis (TARAM) after any fatal transport airplane crash, ensuring the FAA doesn't skip the deep-dive safety assessment. And Section 12 mandates an Inspector General audit of how the FAA handles employee whistleblower complaints, making sure safety concerns raised by the people on the ground aren't being swept under the rug. This bill isn't flashy, but it’s a necessary, top-to-bottom systems check designed to make the skies safer through better technology, better staffing, and better oversight.