FSANA Requests Relief for Some Flight Schools Following Shutdown

The Flight School Association of North America says the association is trying to mitigate effects of the government shutdown on some flight training providers, specifically FAA Part 141 and 142 training school authorizations set to soon expire. Without relief, some schools could be left providing training under Part 61 that does not allow for some reduced training time allowances. Interrupting an ATP student’s training, for example, could possibly jeopardize that pilot’s chances to qualify for a restricted ATP at a later date. The problem could also translate into increased training costs and possible furloughs for some training staff.

FASNA also asked the FAA’s Director of Flight Standards for help coping with the expiration of designated pilot examiner’s testing authorizations, as well as the expiration of temporary airman certificates that could limit a student’s ability to continue training, or even use their hard-earned certificates. FSANA said this morning the designee request has been granted as the agency attempts to catch up on its back paperwork.

Failure to grant these extensions, FSANA says, might directly affect the new pilot pipeline in the United States.