The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the United States’ primary civil aviation authority, responsible for regulating all aspects of civil aviation to ensure safety, efficiency, and technological advancement in the nation’s airspace[1][4][5]. Established as the Federal Aviation Agency in 1958 and renamed the Federal Aviation Administration in 1967 when it became part of the Department of Transportation, the FAA’s roots trace back to the 1926 Air Commerce Act, which first formalized federal oversight of aviation safety[1][5]. The FAA’s mission is to provide the safest, most efficient aerospace system in the world, a goal it pursues through a comprehensive framework of regulation, certification, research, and innovation[2][4]. Its responsibilities include overseeing air traffic control, certifying pilots and aircraft, setting and enforcing safety standards for airports and airlines, and managing the National Airspace System—a complex network that handles over 50,000 flights daily[1][3][4]. The FAA also plays a critical role in environmental stewardship, developing programs to mitigate aircraft noise and emissions, and has expanded its mandate to include regulation of commercial space transportation and the integration of drones into national airspace[1][4][5]. Organizationally, the FAA is structured into key “lines of business,” including the Air Traffic Organization (managing air traffic control), Aviation Safety (certifying personnel and aircraft), Airports (overseeing infrastructure development), the Office of Commercial Space Transportation, and Security and Hazardous Materials Safety[3][6]. The agency operates from its Washington, D.C. headquarters, with major technical and training centers in New Jersey and Oklahoma, and maintains nine regional offices across the country[3][6]. Among its notable achievements, the FAA has pioneered advancements in air traffic management technology, such as the NextGen program, which modernizes the U.S. air traffic system with satellite-based navigation and digital communications[1]. The agency has also been instrumental