On Dec. 27, the FAA announced via the Federal Register the formation of a Commercial Air Tour Voluntary Accreditation Program Working Group under the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC). The FAA is currently soliciting those with an expertise in commercial air tours to be members of this new working group – which has been tasked with making recommendations on a program for voluntary accreditation in the form of an Advisory Circular (AC).

The objective of the accreditation program is to raise the level of safety of commercial air tour operators, not required by regulation, to maintain their aircraft under a continuous airworthiness maintenance program (CAMP). The FAA is looking for a wide range of working group members to ensure all aspects of the circular are considered, and are looking to have the recommendations forwarded to the ARAC by the working group by December 2012.

For full details on the working group, and instructions on how to become a participant, please click here.