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Issue #1 · November 2026
DCT Watch #1: 660 newer DCT revisions and 138 refreshed Order 8900.1 sections
DCT Watch is a weekly note from Delta Bravo Aviation for Part 135 operators and applicants who answer FAA Safety Assurance System (SAS) Data Collection Tools (DCTs). Each week we refresh our regulatory library against the FAA Dynamic Regulatory System (DRS) and report what moved.
What the November 3, 2026 refresh found
- 1,721 current DCTs are listed in the DRS SAS DCT catalog.
- 660 newer DCT revisions were downloaded. The 660 lower-revision files they supersede were archived, so only the highest revision of each DCT stays in use.
- 271 DCT files changed since our previous ingest.
- 138 sections of FAA Order 8900.1 were refreshed (798 others were already current). The busiest volumes: Volume 3, General Technical Administration (27 sections); Volume 10, Safety Assurance System Policy and Procedures (21); Volume 2, Air Operator and Air Agency Certification and Application Process (18); Volume 19, Aircraft Evaluation Division (16); and Volume 17, Safety Management System (6).
A note on the numbers: they measure our library catching up with DRS since our previous crawl. They are not a count of changes the FAA made in a single week.
Why it matters
Your inspector reads your answers against the current revision of each DCT. Answer an older revision and the question numbers shift, required content looks missing, and the package comes back, even when your manuals are compliant.
One thing to do this week
Open each DCT you have been assigned, note its revision, and compare it with the current revision in DRS. If they differ, re-map your answers before you submit.
Questions?
Message the Delta Bravo Aviation Page on LinkedIn, or book a free 30-minute call.
DCT completion is $20 per question, paid on delivery. See SAS DCT completion.
Source: Delta Bravo Aviation weekly DRS refresh log, November 3, 2026.
Part 135 Watch #1 · November 2026
Part 135 Watch #1: oxygen-mask NPRM comments due Nov. 23, the SMS deadline, and the new application path
Part 135 Watch is a short note from Delta Bravo Aviation on the FAA rules, notices and deadlines that affect Part 135 operators and applicants. Every item links to its source.
1. Comment window: pilot oxygen-mask altitudes (closes November 23, 2026)
The FAA proposes to raise the altitudes at which a pilot must wear an oxygen mask in commuter and on-demand operations, as directed by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, and to revise the oxygen-mask rules for general aviation pilots in pressurized aircraft. The proposed rule, “Flight Operations: Pilot Requirements; Use of Oxygen” (Notice No. 26-17, Docket No. FAA-2026-12145), was published September 24, 2026 and would amend 14 CFR Parts 91 and 135. Comments are due November 23, 2026.
Source: www.federalregister.gov
2. Part 5 SMS: under seven months to the deadline
Part 135 operators authorized before May 28, 2024 must implement a Safety Management System that meets 14 CFR Part 5 and submit a declaration of compliance to the FAA by May 28, 2027 (14 CFR § 5.9(a)).
Source: www.faa.gov
Delta Bravo Aviation does not develop or sell SMS programs. For the SMS itself, we refer operators to vetted SMS providers we recommend, such as OmniSMS and AirTera.
3. New applicants: readiness first, then AIS Services
FAA Notice N 8900.766, Determine Applicant Readiness for Certification (issued January 26, 2026), reissued N 8900.728 and sets out the readiness package an applicant files before it is placed on the Applicant List. Since September 30, 2026, initial Part 135 applications are filed through the FAA’s Aviation Integrated Safety (AIS) Services portal.
Sources: www.faa.gov and www.faa.gov
4. The public Part 135 operator list is back
The FAA’s Part 135 Operators and Aircraft list, taken down in February 2026 while the data was verified, was reposted on May 1, 2026 and is updated weekly. Use it to confirm that an operator and a tail number are authorized for charter.
Sources: www.faa.gov and privatejetcardcomparisons.com
Questions?
Message the Delta Bravo Aviation Page on LinkedIn, or book a free 30-minute call.
Building a new certificate? The Part 135 Certificate Builder has published fixed fees. See the Part 135 Certificate Builder.
How we count
Counts come from Delta Bravo Aviation’s weekly refresh log. A “newer revision” is a DCT whose current DRS revision is higher than the copy in our library; the lower revision is archived so it is never used. Order 8900.1 counts are sections whose current DRS version differs from our stored copy. Because a refresh catches up on everything since the previous run, a count is not the number of changes the FAA made in one week.
Frequently asked questions
What is DCT Watch?
A free weekly note from Delta Bravo Aviation that reports what changed in the FAA SAS DCT bank and in Order 8900.1 after its weekly refresh against the FAA Dynamic Regulatory System (DRS), and what that means for operators answering DCTs.
What is Part 135 Watch?
A companion series on the FAA rules, notices, comment deadlines and compliance dates that affect Part 135 operators and applicants. Every item links to its Federal Register or FAA source.
How do I get DCT Watch?
Follow Delta Bravo Aviation on LinkedIn, where each issue is posted. This page keeps the archive.
Why does the DCT revision matter?
An FAA inspector reads answers against the current revision of each DCT. Answering an older revision shifts question numbers and makes compliant answers look incomplete, which sends the package back.
Can I ask Delta Bravo Aviation a DCT question?
Yes. Message the Delta Bravo Aviation Page on LinkedIn or book a free 30-minute call. DCT completion is $20 per question, paid on delivery.
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