FAA SMS Compliance Review Act of 2024

S 4979, the FAA SMS Compliance Review Act of 2024, requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish an independent panel to review its Safety Management System (SMS) within 60 days of the bill’s enactment. The panel will assess how well the FAA’s SMS meets safety standards, integrates across all operations, and effectively uses safety policies, risk management, monitoring, and promotion. The panel must submit a public report within 180 days detailing findings and recommendations, including dissenting views, to inform the FAA’s future SMS implementation. This review directly affects the FAA’s internal safety processes but does not change existing aviation safety regulations.