FAA, FMCSA, and FCC Advance Four Regulatory Proposals Across Aviation and Broadcasting

FAA: Military Pilot Trainees and Third-Class Medical Certificates

The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed to extend an existing regulatory exception — currently afforded to U.S. military pilots — to military pilot trainees, exempting them from the requirement to hold an FAA third-class medical certificate if they hold an up-to-date U.S. military pilot medical examination authorizing pilot flight status. The FAA states it has determined that U.S. military pilot medical examinations meet or exceed the level of safety established by FAA third-class medical certificate standards, making it redundant to require military pilot trainees to meet both standards.

The rule's stated background centers on the U.S. Air Force Air Education and Training Command (AETC), which has expanded its use of civilian pilot schools — certificated under 14 CFR part 141 — to increase flight training capacity. Under this model, military pilot trainees graduate from FAA-certificated schools with an FAA-issued private pilot certificate with an airplane category, multiengine land class rating, and an instrument-airplane rating. The proposal would codify existing FAA exemptions that support the USAF's use of civilian flight schools and, according to the agency, extend those deregulatory benefits to all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.

The proposed rule would also cover foreign military pilot trainees sponsored by the U.S. Armed Forces, provided they meet U.S. military pilot medical examination requirements. To define the scope of the exception precisely, the FAA proposes to introduce definitions for "military pilot medical examination" and "military pilot trainee." The intended effects, as the agency states, are to reduce administrative burdens and costs while maintaining safety standards. The rule would amend 14 CFR part 61, and comments are due on or before October 9, 2026.

FMCSA: English Language Proficiency as an Out-of-Service Violation

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has proposed to codify the English language proficiency (ELP) driver qualification requirement as an out-of-service (OOS) violation under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. The rulemaking is described as a response to a petition from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), and its stated purpose is to ensure uniform enforcement by aligning the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations with the current enforcement tolerances in the North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria issued by the CVSA. The proposed rule would amend 49 CFR parts 390 and 391. Comments must be received on or before October 9, 2026.

FAA: Class E Airspace Proposed for Coleman, Texas

The FAA is also proposing to establish Class E airspace at Ranch at Double Gates Airport in Coleman, Texas. The agency states the action is proposed to support new instrument procedures and instrument flight rule (IFR) operations at the airport. As described in the proposal, the new airspace would extend upward from 700 feet above the surface within a 7.2-mile radius of Ranch at Double Gates Airport. The FAA notes the action results from instrument procedures being developed for the airport to support IFR operations. The proposal would amend 14 CFR part 71, and comments must be received on or before September 24, 2026.

FCC: VHF Channel Substitution Proposed for Elko, Nevada Television Station

The Federal Communications Commission has proposed to amend the Table of Digital Television Allotments in response to a petition filed by Reno (KENV-TV) Licensee, Inc., the licensee of full service television station KENV-DT in Elko, Nevada. The Licensee, which holds a construction permit to construct a facility on UHF channel 20 at Elko, requests that the Commission substitute VHF channel 10 for UHF channel 20 in the Table, using the technical parameters set forth in KENV-DT's current license. The petitioner asserts that substituting VHF channel 10 for UHF channel 20 will allow the station to remain on the air and continue to provide service to viewers within its service area. The Commission states it believes VHF channel 10 can be substituted as proposed, in compliance with the principal community coverage requirements of Section 73.618(a) of the Commission's rules. The notice was adopted and released July 31, 2026, under MB Docket No. 26-196. The proposed amendment would revise the entry for Elko in the Nevada section of 47 CFR Section 73.622.

What to Watch

• September 9, 2026 — Initial comments due on the FCC's proposed Elko, Nevada TV channel substitution (VHF channel 10 for UHF channel 20).
• September 24, 2026 — Reply comments due on the FCC's Elko TV proposal; also the deadline for comments on the FAA's proposed Class E airspace at Ranch at Double Gates Airport, Coleman, Texas.
• October 9, 2026 — Comments due on both the FAA's proposed removal of the third-class medical certificate requirement for military pilot trainees and FMCSA's proposed English language proficiency out-of-service criteria rule.

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