Aircraft

Very light jets will have little impact on safety, concludes a report by the US Government Accountability Office.

The Congressional watchdog says most experts it contacted believe VLJs will have little overall effect on safety because of the US Federal Aviation Administration's procedures for certification of the aircraft and their accommodation within the national airspace system.

Very light jets will enter the airspace system incrementally, but the FAA is taking steps to address issues by establishing a cross-organisational group to facilitate communication about VLJs across the agency, the GAO says.

The report also concluded there is too much uncertainty in delivery forecasts to determine how proposed changes in how VLJs are taxed could affect the FAA's funding structure.