Foreign aircraft repair shops can now use their own drug testing rules

The US Federal Aviation Administration will now accept drug and alcohol testing programs from foreign aircraft repair stations, even if they differ from US rules. This means foreign repair shops can use their home country's standards, as long as the FAA approves them.

For years, foreign repair stations working on US-registered aircraft had to follow strict US drug and alcohol testing rules, which often conflicted with local laws. This change means those stations can now propose alternative programs that fit their local legal systems. It could make it easier and cheaper for foreign repair shops to work on US planes, potentially shifting some maintenance work overseas.