UPDATE ON FAA’S ARC ON 1ST OFFICER QUALIFICATIONS

SAFETY BILL PASSES CONGRESS; IMPOSES SIGNIFICANT BURDEN ON ALL PILOT EMPLOYERS;
MANDATES NEW FLIGHT, DUTY & REST RULES

The law permits the FAA to consider allowing certain academic training hours that may increase the level of safety above minimum requirements to be counted towards the 1,500-hour ATP certificate requirement.

The FAA is required to publish regulations to implement this provision within three years after enactment of the bill. As a part of the year-long effort to deal with the whole issue of the aftermath of the Colgan Air accident at Buffalo, Tom Carney and Gary Kiteley (representing AABI), and Dave NewMyer and Carolyn Williamson (representing UAA), met with Administrator Babbitt and senior members of his leadership team in Washington, D.C., on April 6 of this year.

During that discussion with the Administrator, AABI asked to be included on any ARCs (Aviation Rulemaking Committees) formed to deal with rulemaking related to the Colgan crash and either FAA or Congressional mandates for minimum flight time for air carrier pilots. We were subsequently advised in July that there would be an ARC related to this issue, and that AABI would have a position (one of about 11 or so organizations invited to the table) on the ARC. With Tim Brady and Gary Kiteley representing us, we are still working the ARC, and we hope that effort will result in sufficient "credit" for AABI flight program grads that we all can live with the legislation.

Although there is still much work to be accomplished, and the Administrator will probably issue an NPRM after the ARC submits its report on September 10, our hope is that there will be a “sliding scale” of types of education and experience that can serve as various levels of proxy for the full ATP. This message is not the one that has appeared in all the news releases, but the language is in the bill that was enacted, and the final result is what matters, of course. It is likely that the substantial and focused efforts the collegiate aviation community expended over the last year will prove to be pivotal for collegiate flight programs, and the future of our graduates who seek a career with the airlines.
<click here to read complete update>