The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a new rule that seeks to revise the airworthiness standards for small aircraft carrying up to 19 passengers or less, which have a maximum take-off weight of 19,000lb or less.

Referred as general aviation aircraft, these small planes are mainly used for recreation, training or personal travel purposes, reports Forbes.

Based on industry recommendations, the FAA’s proposal aims to cut the time to get safety enhancing technologies for small airplanes into the market whilst reducing cost.

"This proposal would streamline how we approve new technologies for small piston-powered airplanes all the way to complex high-performance executive jets."

According to the proposed rule, the current certification standards would be revised and the existing prescriptive design requirements will be replaced with performance-based standards that maintain the same level of safety.

New certification standards would be included to address general aviation loss of control accidents and in-flight icing conditions, while performance and risk-based divisions for general aviation airplanes would be established.

With the proposal, the FAA seeks to improve safety, cut costs and create new ideas to ensure maximum level of safety of small airplanes, as well as help manufacturers, pilots and the entire general aviation community.

FAA administrator Michael Huerta said: "This proposal would streamline how we approve new technologies for small piston-powered airplanes all the way to complex high-performance executive jets.

"The FAA’s collaboration with industry and international partners reflects a performance-based, flexible approach which would accommodate today’s rapidly changing aviation industry and technological advances now and in the future."

The agency proposed the new rules in response to the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 and the Small Airplane Revitalization Act of 2013, which directed the FAA to streamline the approval of safety standards for small general aviation aircraft.

The proposal also addresses recommendations from the agency’s 2013 Part 23 Reorganization Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.