FAA Shields Voluntary Safety Reports

The FAA finalized an order Wednesday protecting certain voluntarily submitted aviation safety information from being publicly disclosed. The order, published Wednesday in the Federal Register, covers information provided through the U.S. Aviation Safety Team (USAST), a government-industry partnership that identifies safety risks across the National Airspace System. The designation follows a proposal issued in August 2025.

Information Covered

The protections extend to safety reports, risk assessments, meeting records and information about the implementation of recommended safety improvements. The USAST brings together aviation organizations and existing safety groups, including the General Aviation Joint Safety Committee, Commercial Aviation Safety Team, U.S. Helicopter Safety Team and Drone Safety Team. Information voluntarily submitted by non-FAA participants will generally be exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.

“This offers the FAA a unique opportunity to work with the aviation industry to avoid incidents or accidents,” the agency stated in its notice.

The FAA said participants could be reluctant to share sensitive safety information if it might later become publicly available, limiting the agency’s ability to identify emerging hazards.

Limits on Disclosure Protections

Under the order, qualifying information may remain protected indefinitely. Still, the designation nonetheless excludes information involving possible criminal activity, intentional falsification, reckless conduct, substance abuse and certain other misconduct. The FAA may also release de-identified or aggregated information to explain regulatory changes or communicate safety findings to the aviation community.

The order applies more specifically to information shared through the USAST and its affiliated safety groups. It does not replace any other existing voluntary reporting system, including NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System.