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R-ATP Exemption Follow-Up
Back in 2014, I wrote about six different universities and a community college that were all petitioning the FAA to become exempt from the requirement to hold a ground school certification so that they could participate in the R-ATP program. That post had become somewhat stale, so here is a look back at what happened…
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R-ATP Cross Country Time
I previously wrote about a regulatory boo boo that made it impossible to determine how much cross country flying experience was required to obtain a restricted ATP certificate. The regulation that allowed students to apply for the rating with 30 college credit hours was never included in the nearby paragraph authorizing reduced cross-country time requirements. To bring…
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Restricted ATP Minimums
Easy-to-read details about the new ATP rules? You found them! I understand the need for simple explanations. There are six ways to get an ATP license now, each with different requirements. This is my summary and comparison of the R-ATP minimums from 14 C.F.R. § 61.159 and § 61.160. 160 (a) 160 (b) 160 (c)…
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R-ATP Exemption for Part 61 Training
My searches on federal websites found four petitions by universities seeking R-ATP authorization without a required part 141 ground school certificate. The petitioners are, in alphabetical order: Eastern Michigan University, Jacksonville University, Metropolitan State University of Denver, and Purdue University. Letters and documents filed by these universities seem to be routine. I will point out…
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R-ATP Regulation to Reality
The newly-promulgated FAR 61.160 went into effect last week. Already, I am seeing positive changes in the aviation industry. Hiring is on a rapid up-swing, and rumors are starting to circulate about a liberal interpretation of the new first officer qualifications and certification rules. While discussing the potential for a pilot shortage last year, I…
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First Officer Qualification Rule in Detail
The new first officer qualifications are a hot topic. On July 10, the FAA released its Final Rule, which should appear in the Federal Register next week. Everyone has something to say about this. But opinions aside, all I can I find on the web is the text of the new rule and several paraphrased…
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First Officer Epoch Next August
Pilot employment qualifications are changing. For the potential first officer at a regional or major airline, this change will be huge. Currently, the requirements for acting as a first officer or second in command (SIC) of an airliner are simple. All it takes is a commercial pilot license. The captain is required to have an…