The FAA has more plans in the works for Part 61, but, as they saw from the over 400 comments to the Notice for Proposed Rulemaking (NRPM), some of this thinking isnt fully cooked. Part of the plan was to provide some relief for flight schools who find it harder and harder to find (and afford to keep) complex trainers on the flight line.
The FAA proposes Part 61 changes to address the scarcity of complex trainers for flight schools, drawing over 400 comments.
A suggestion to substitute complex aircraft with FADEC aircraft is criticized as simplifying operation rather than adding true complexity like retractable gear.
Replacing complex training with 10 hours of advanced instrument training is seen as a potentially valuable alternative, especially in the NextGen environment.
The author stresses the necessity of updating Practical Test Standards (PTS) to remove the complex aircraft testing requirement for any proposed changes to be effective.
The FAA has more plans in the works for Part 61, but, as they saw from the over 400 comments to the Notice for Proposed Rulemaking (NRPM), some of this thinking isn’t fully cooked. Part of the plan was to provide some relief for flight schools who find it harder and harder to find (and afford to keep) complex trainers on the flight line.
Steve D. Hall
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