Citation group files FOIA requests over FAA single-pilot rule change

The Citation Jet Pilots association has filed Freedom of Information Act requests seeking the safety data the US FAA relied on when it decided to withdraw single-pilot authorisations for some Cessna Citation aircraft, according to the group. The policy change takes effect on 29 September.

Citation models certificated in the transport category ordinarily need two pilots. The FAA had for many years allowed exemptions that let training organisations approve single-pilot operations in these aircraft.

Cessna requested that exemption in 1983. The manufacturer noted that it was producing the Cessna 500 and 550, both certificated under Part 25, alongside what the filing described as duplicate versions, the 501 and 551, certificated under Part 23. A second pilot was not required in the Part 23 aircraft.

Cessna was at the time preparing to increase the 550's take-off weight under an improvement programme. That, the company said, made a matching derivative of the 551 no longer workable, because the aircraft could not take the improvements and stay under the weight limit for Part 23 certification.

Using the Part 23 standard had given operators who needed a single-pilot aircraft what Cessna called an interim solution, but the manufacturer wanted its Part 25 aircraft to have a single-pilot route as well. Cessna argued that the Part 23 models had demonstrated safe single-pilot operation over the preceding period.

The manufacturer pointed to the shared design of the 550 and 551, describing the two as indistinguishable and noting that both came fitted as standard with the systems required for single-pilot operation. Cessna said the take-off weights were the only physical difference between them and questioned whether that alone raised a safety concern. The company also maintained, citing pilot opinion, that workload differences between the Citations arising from weight were not significant.