The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
Why The FAA Ended Single-Pilot Exemptions On Roughly 1,250 Cessna Citations: The Pilots Never Held Them
Systemic training and certification failures are found in the wake of fatal crashes.
The FAA has concluded that training providers audited across the United States were largely out of compliance with solo pilot exemptions after two fatal crashes involving single-piloted Cessna Citations in 2025.
The audit reviewed multiple training entities and found that 13 of 14 providers did not meet the established standards, prompting regulatory action regarding single-pilot operations.
As a result, the FAA ended solo-pilot exemptions for the legacy Cessation Citation series, stating that it is no longer in the public safety interest to permit these aircraft to be flown without a qualified second in command.
The decision follows the FAA’s long-standing review and represents a shift after four decades of allowing solo operation in this aircraft family, tied to concerns about safety and the outcomes observed in the 2025 incidents.
The article notes Luke Diaz as a freelance military writer with prior US Navy experience, though the material does not provide further details pertaining to the investigation or the specific incidents.