The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General (IG) is set to begin an audit into the oversight of regional airlines by the FAA. In a December 3 statement, the IG said that the objectives of the audit, which is set to commence in January 2016, will be to evaluate FAA’s processes for identifying periods of transition and growth at regional carriers, and for adjusting oversight in response to changes in these carriers’ operations.

The audit is being conducted at the request of ranking members of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The congressmen also requested that the IG consider issues relating to regional airline pilot pay, and it has pledged to tackle this subject in a separate report. They questioned whether current levels of FAA oversight are satisfactory to take account of both rapid growth among some regional carriers and financial distress on the part of others.