Category Archives: flight instructor

FAA flight training policy changes

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GA groups: FAA flight training policy changes will reduce safety, create administrative logjam

Agency’s interpretation threatens to halt most training in experimental aircraft

EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin — (June 9, 2021) — Federal Aviation Administration policy interpretations on flight training arising out of a recent court decision will have a chilling impact on general aviation safety and create a bureaucratic nightmare for pilots and federal officials, according to numerous GA groups including the Experimental Aircraft Association.

In a letter sent to FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson, the groups called the policy changes “unnecessary and unwarranted guidelines based on irrational legal positions” and called for the FAA to immediately revise the policy to prevent degraded safety in flight training and unnecessary legal battles. The combined groups noted that they are “prepared to use all available means to ensure this situation is corrected as soon as possible.”

“Why the FAA would want to diminish the flight training that made the U.S. aviation system the safest in the world boggles the mind, but that’s what these new policies will do,” said Jack J. Pelton, EAA’s CEO and chairman of the board. “For years, the FAA has correctly stated that training in the specific make and model of aircraft to be routinely operated, with a well-qualified instructor, is the best training. These policies would unnecessarily limit that access and measure of safety.”

The GA groups noted four specific areas where safety would be diminished or bureaucratic backlogs created:

  • Prohibiting owners of experimental aircraft from receiving flight instruction in their own aircraft without specific FAA permission to do so in the form of a Letter of Deviation Authority (LODA): With nearly 40,000 experimental category aircraft on the registry, Flight Standard District Offices would quickly be overwhelmed by applications for a LODA where there is no legal requirement to have one. That creates an additional barrier to aviation safety and is contrary to FAA’s own mission.
  • Prohibiting owners of more than 300 limited category aircraft from receiving flight instruction in their own aircraft with specific FAA permission in the form of an exemption: Never before has the FAA required limited aircraft owners to obtain an exemption to be trained in their own aircraft, nor is there a legal requirement to do so. This change will not further aviation safety.
  • Prohibiting owners of primary category aircraft from receiving flight instruction in their own aircraft without specific FAA permission to do so in the form of an exemption: The FAA does not have policy in place to issue such an exemption and it is unknown how long it would take to issue such exemptions.
  • Limiting access to flight training in a specific make and model of an aircraft: The FAA must issue a policy affirming the pathways that allow owners to obtain training in their own aircraft. To not do so creates an immediate and significant hindrance to flight safety.

The policy grew from a cease-and-desist order from FAA to Warbird Adventures in Kissimmee, Florida, to which a U.S. Court of Appeals issued an unpublished opinion that allowed the order to stand. EAA and other aviation groups filed an amicus brief cautioning the court to narrowly tailor its decision consistent with historic FAA policy preventing compensation for aircraft use in training. That would stop negative consequences on a wide range of flight instruction activities provided to owners in their own aircraft.

“What the FAA has done here is exactly the negative effects we in the GA community had warned about when we filed the amicus brief, regardless of the particulars of that specific case,” Pelton said. “The agency has not only created great confusion in the flight training community, it has countered its own mission that emphasizes safety. It’s important that the FAA revisit this immediately and not enforce any new policies until this is resolved.”

About EAA

The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and embodies The Spirit of Aviation through the world’s most engaged community of aviation enthusiasts. EAA’s 240,000 members and 900 local chapters enjoy the fun and camaraderie of sharing their passion for flying, building and restoring recreational aircraft. For more information on EAA and its programs, call 800-JOIN-EAA (800-564-6322) or go to www.eaa.org. For continual news updates, connect with www.twitter.com/EAA.

MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR and EAA

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EAA TEAMING WITH MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR TO PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS, EDUCATION RESOURCES

Students, EAA chapters to benefit with newest version of Microsoft Flight Simulator

EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin — (November 19, 2020) — The Experimental Aircraft Association and Microsoft are teaming to provide flight training scholarships and education resources throughout the country in conjunction with the release of the new edition of the legendary Microsoft Flight Simulator software.

EAA and Microsoft have committed to establishing three Microsoft Flight Simulator Scholarships for each of the next three years, giving young aviation enthusiasts the opportunity to move from virtual flight via simulators to the real thing. In addition, Microsoft will provide copies of the new Microsoft Flight Simulator to EAA’s current youth flight training scholarship recipients, including the Ray Aviation Scholarship students, for the next three years as well as offer discounts on the new edition of Microsoft Flight Simulator to all EAA members.

“Microsoft Flight Simulator has given countless people the experience of virtual flight over the past four decades, and we know many pilots today got their starts with Microsoft Flight Simulator and have used it to keep their skills sharp when they can’t be in the cockpit themselves,” said Rick Larsen, EAA’s vice president of communities and member programming. “Teaming with Microsoft to provide the newest version of Microsoft Flight Simulator to our EAA community opens wonderful possibilities, especially when it’s teamed with actual flight training scholarships for young people. EAA members also have a unique opportunity to save on purchasing their own copy of the newest Microsoft Flight Simulator software.”

Along with the youth outreach, Microsoft will be supplying a limited number of Microsoft Flight Simulator copies to EAA chapters that have facilities to use it as part of pilot training and proficiency. This outreach will be administered through the EAA chapter office.

“We are very excited to partner with the EAA. Their passion for aviation is unmatched and their focus on inspiring the next generation of pilots via the Young Eagles program is a perfect real-world counterpart to what we hope to achieve with our new Microsoft Flight Simulator,” said Jorg Neumann, Head of Microsoft Flight Simulator. “The newly established Microsoft Flight Simulator scholarships are a great way to engage with the EAA community and we hope to attend Oshkosh 2021 to further show our commitment to aviation and the EAA community.”

EAA and Microsoft have teamed on various projects over the past 30 years, including exclusive software that recreated the Wright brothers’ first flights at Kitty Hawk as part of EAA’s Countdown to Kitty Hawk project in 2003 that celebrated the centennial of powered flight.

About Microsoft Flight Simulator

From light planes to wide-body jets, fly highly detailed and accurate aircraft in the next generation of Microsoft Flight Simulator. Test your piloting skills against the challenges of night flying, real-time atmospheric simulation, and live weather in a dynamic and living world. Create your flight plan to anywhere on the planet. The world is at your fingertips. For more information, visit https://www.flightsimulator.com/ or connect with us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MSFSofficial.

About EAA

The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and embodies The Spirit of Aviation through the world’s most engaged community of aviation enthusiasts. EAA’s 240,000 members and 900 local chapters enjoy the fun and camaraderie of sharing their passion for flying, building and restoring recreational aircraft. For more information on EAA and its programs, call 800-JOIN-EAA (800-564-6322) or go to www.eaa.org. For continual news updates, connect with www.twitter.com/EAA.

Proficiency training Simulator or aircraft?

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The following question from a customer asked about doing regular training.  Its important to note that sometimes insurance companies require training in a specific class or category of aircraft.  For example; if you fly a pressurized or cabin class aircraft, you will probably be required to get “factory approved”  initial ground and flight training along with recurrent training after that. Most companies require recurrent every year but there are a few that will go for two or three years between the training. A lot depends on the type of aircraft you are flying.   
That said —- 
Q. Proficiency.  I’m thinking of going to a school such as RTC, Flight Safety etc.  Most of these companies do simulator training.  Am I better off going out with an instructor, doing the FAA Wings kind of thing, or going to a school?  Training in the airplane will give me some dual, my Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC) and my flight review?  Which is a better way to go?

A. That’s a tough one.  From an insurance standpoint, many of the underwriters require training from a factory approved school that specializes in your specific aircraft.  That training is often in a simulator and counts as your IPC, flight review and dual.  That is if it’s from an approved school or training institution. 

I’m a big believer in the FAA Wings programs and flight simulators to keep a pilot proficient.  If the weather is really bad or your checkbook is a little empty, flying with a Flight Simulator program on your home computer can be a great help.  While it might not be logging “real” hours, it can sure help keep your mind in the flying mood.  The Flight Sim program can overlay weather, set up approaches and do almost everything a pilot need s to do to feel comfortable in their aircraft.  Flying to a new destination?  Set up the Flight Sim program to fly into the area, make a few approaches and you’ll feel like you been there before when you get there for the first time.

Whenever possible take advantage of flying the real thing and practice.   Sure I like simulators and software, but I think the real proficiency comes from flying the aircraft.  That’s why we buy an aircraft to begin with.  Hook up with a qualified instructor that you like and go out and have fun and learn at the same time.