The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has stopped issuing exemptions that allowed certain Cessna Citation CE-500 series jets, which are certificated for two pilots, to be flown by a single pilot. Existing exemptions held by training providers are being rescinded, and pilots who obtained single-pilot logbook endorsements through them have been told they "must cease single-pilot operations in aircraft that require two pilots under the regulations as they have no relief from the regulations."1 The policy was published in the Federal Register on 28 September 2026 and took effect on 29 September1. It was issued on 24 September under the name of Hugh J. Thomas, Executive Director of the FAA's Flight Standards Service2.

The FAA said the decision was "Based on safety concerns and a review that revealed widespread non-compliance with the exemptions"1. The agency concluded that "these exemptions do not provide an equivalent level of safety to the regulations and are no longer in the public interest."1 It was filed for public inspection on 25 September and reported by trade media that day234.

Four decades of single-pilot relief

The CE-500 family is unusual because some variants (CE-501 and CE-551) are certificated under 14 CFR Part 23, while others (CE-500, CE-550 and CE-560) are certificated under Part 25 and are type certificated for operation by two pilots1. The FAA issued the first single-pilot exemption to Cessna Aircraft Company in 1984, and later began granting exemptions to training providers under Parts 61, 141 and 142, which could train and check pilots and issue a logbook endorsement for single-pilot operation1.

The notice lists the Citation and Citation I, Citation II, Citation S/II, Model 552 (Navy T-47A), Citation V and Citation Ultra, Bravo, Encore and Encore+1. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) says the decision does not affect the Citation 501 and 551 or the CE-525 family of CJ and M2 jets5. The Part 23 CE-500 variants may, however, only be flown without a second pilot if they carry the additional equipment specified in the FAA-approved flight manual1.

What the FAA review found

The FAA said it began an in-depth compliance review in 2024 after learning that organisations without an exemption were offering training under another entity's exemption1. It reported incomplete records, required flight training conducted in an advanced aviation training device contrary to the conditions and limitations, and improper checks by designated pilot examiners (DPEs) that included falsified records1. As a result, "13 of the 14 Part 61 exemption holders were denied an extension or had their exemption rescinded"1. Where records had been falsified, the FAA terminated the examiners' designee authority1.

The FAA also said a review of CE-500 accidents over the last 18 years indicates that "Part 25 CE-500 aircraft operated with a single pilot are involved in approximately twice the rate of accidents as Part 23 CE-500, 510 and 525 aircraft flown with a single pilot", with the rate based on total number of aircraft1. It referred to a fatal single-pilot accident on 22 May 2025, which AOPA places in San Diego5, that "killed six on board the aircraft and injured eight others on the ground", saying the pilot had received an improper check six months earlier from a DPE employed by a Part 61 exemption holder1.

The FAA also cited an accident in Statesville, North Carolina, on 18 December 2025, in which the pilot of a CE-500 variant requiring two pilots was operating without a qualified second in command (SIC) on board1. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) describes that event as a Cessna 550 that "crashed on landing at the Statesville Regional Airport"6; AOPA reported that seven people were killed, including the former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle5. AOPA also reports that the pilot did not hold a single-pilot exemption5, and two business aviation groups, NBAA and CJP, call the accident one "which the FAA concedes was being operated illegally" and therefore irrelevant to compliant single-pilot operations7. Both accidents remain under investigation without a probable cause1.

Oversight was a further concern: unlike operators, the training providers holding these exemptions have no ongoing involvement with the pilots using them, so "the pilot exercising the relief is likely unaware when the exemption expires or is terminated"1.

Industry asks for a pause

In a letter to FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford dated 29 September, AOPA said "It makes no sense to punish compliant and safe operators with this order" and asked the agency to "only rescind the exemption for operators who fail to meet minimum standards set forth in the exemption."8 The AOPA Air Safety Institute said it was "still working to duplicate the results and conclusions reached by the FAA"5.

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and Citation Jet Pilots (CJP) asked the FAA on the same day to stay the effective date "by at least 90 days for entities compliant with their previous conditions and limitations", and to set up an FAA and industry working group7. They argued that the FAA "did not provide the underlying data to allow it to be independently analyzed"7. CJP has also filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the data behind the review9. A pause would give the groups time to examine the FAA's findings and negotiate a possible alternative, AVweb reported10.

VREF told Corporate Jet Investor that about 1,200 US aircraft are affected11. Operators of Citations used as wildfire air attack platforms face a particular problem because the right seat is normally occupied by the Air Tactical Group Supervisor rather than a second pilot12.

What this means for pilots

Pilots holding a CE-500 single-pilot logbook endorsement are told that "their logbook endorsement is no longer valid" and that they must operate the aircraft "in a two-pilot configuration consistent with the operating limitations in the TCDS."1 A proficiency check under section 61.58 completed while meeting the exemption conditions can still be used to satisfy pilot in command requirements for a two-pilot operation1. The FAA said it will apply the principles of its Compliance Program to flights already flown on endorsements from providers whose exemptions were rescinded or not extended1.

Owners of the affected models now need a qualified second pilot on every flight. Copilots must hold either an aircraft type rating or a less stringent SIC qualification5, and CJP chief executive Rob Balzano told Corporate Jet Investor that operators "are facing challenges securing qualified SICs" and moving to "a crew-based operating environment on very short notice"11.