May 26, 2026
Mr. Nehls introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
To direct the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to improve and expand electronic filing capabilities for Federal Aviation Administration Form 337, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Digital access modernization and secure electronic filing for aircraft records
(a) Electronic filing and voluntary third-Party connectivity for Federal Aviation Administration form 337
(1) Electronic filing capability
The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall improve and expand electronic filing capabilities for Federal Aviation Administration Form 337 (Major Repair and Alteration) to allow voluntary digital submission by authorized filers using Federal Aviation Administration-approved electronic methods.
(2) Application programming interfaces
Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall make available secure application programming interfaces, where technically feasible, to permit voluntary integration by third-party software platforms and service providers with the electronic Form 337 filing systems of the Federal Aviation Administration.
(3) System safeguards
Any interface capability established under this subsection shall include appropriate measures to ensure—
(A)
authentication and access controls;
(B)
data integrity and cybersecurity protections consistent with Federal standards; and
(C)
protection of personally identifiable information.
(4) No mandated use or additional compliance
Use of electronic filing systems or third-party interfaces established under this subsection shall be voluntary and shall not impose any additional certification, reporting, audit, equipment, or recordkeeping requirements beyond those otherwise required in law.
(b) Stakeholder engagement and guidance
In establishing interfaces under subsection (a), the Administrator may—
(1)
consult with stakeholders, including representatives of general aviation, mechanics, repair stations, manufacturers, software providers, and industry associations, to inform implementation; and
(2)
issue non-binding guidance regarding system availability and technical use after deployment.
(c) No new reporting requirements
Nothing in this section may be construed to require any owner, operator, mechanic, repair station, or registrant to submit any information, data, or documentation beyond what is otherwise required in law or regulation.
(d) Protection of privacy and sensitive information
(1) Data minimization
The Administrator shall limit the collection, retention, and dissemination of information under this section to the minimum necessary to carry out statutory aviation safety and registration functions.
(2) Public disclosure limitations
The Administrator may not make personally identifiable information of aircraft owners, operators, mechanics, or registrants publicly available through any system established or modernized under this section, except to the extent otherwise required by law.
(3) Use restrictions
Information made available under this section may not be used for commercial solicitation, surveillance, or profiling purposes.
(4) Freedom of information act
Nothing in this section shall be construed to expand public disclosure obligations under section 552 of title 5, United States Code.
(e) Use of existing authorities and systems
The Administrator shall implement this section using existing information technology platforms, cybersecurity standards, and privacy frameworks to the maximum extent practicable and shall avoid duplicative systems or new regulatory burdens.