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Aviation law governs the operation of aircraft and the maintenance of aviation facilities. Statutes have been enacted and administrative agencies have been created at both federal and state levels to regulate air traffic. Congress can use its constitutional authority to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, which also allows them to enact laws concerning air navigation, such as the Air Commerce Act in 1926. The main source for aviation law is federally based; states are able to enact some of their own laws related to air travel, but are prohibited from regulating rates, routes or services of any air carrier that has been authorized by the Federal Aviation Act to give interstate air transportation. The two most important players in aviation law are the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) The FAA is the main regulatory body for aviation safety and standards. It is the section of the U.S. Federal Government that is primarily responsible for insuring the safety of civil aviation. It also has enforcement powers, as well as the ability to issue and revise regulations related to all aspects of air travel safety, research, manufacturing, and navigation. The FAA is separate from, and independent of, the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board). Continued... By Elysse Kimberlin