The US Federal Aviation Administration has ended exemptions that allowed pilots to operate specified legacy Cessna Citation CE-500 jets with one pilot, restoring the two-pilot requirement for affected aircraft from 29 September 2026. The change covers several Citation 500, 550, S550 and 560 variants. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford has since voiced support for exploring whether supplemental type certificates could provide a route to single-pilot operations, but no new authorization has been approved.
The affected models include the Citation 500 and 500 I; Citation II and Bravo; Citation S and S/II; Navy T-47A; and Citation V, Ultra, Encore and Encore+. Pilots whose single-pilot endorsements relied on the terminated exemptions must comply with the aircraft’s two-pilot operating limitations. The policy does not apply to aircraft certified from the outset for single-pilot operation.
The FAA cited safety concerns and widespread non-compliance. Its review found that 13 of 14 Part 61 exemption holders had their extension requests denied or exemptions rescinded. In an 18-year review, Part 25 CE-500 aircraft flown single-pilot had about twice the accident rate of comparable single-pilot Part 23 aircraft. The agency cautioned that the data does not establish the cause of individual accidents; one cited crash remained under investigation.
An STC-based approach remains exploratory. Any return to single-pilot operation could require additional training, aircraft modifications or both, and would depend on FAA approval. For operators, the immediate change is a two-pilot cockpit requirement, with corresponding crew and operating-cost implications.