Industry groups are sounding alarms over a surprise change to the FAA’s longstanding policy toward GA flight simulators that one organization says will diminish many pilots’ ability to receive adequate training.
In the policy reversal issued on January 2, the FAA said it plans to rescind all Letters of Authorization for general aviation flight simulators starting in 2015. The agency explained that many flight simulator approvals grandfathered under the LOA process have no expiration date and may not comply with new guidelines issued in 2008 covering approved Basic Aviation Training Devices (BATD) and Advanced Aviation Training Devices (AATD). The FAA has been issuing flight simulator LOAs for more than 30 years.
