The FAA recently quietly issued a notice about upcoming efforts to "modernize pilot schools." While the effort and its content are already driving questions, FSANA is engaging with the process to ensure that the wider sections of the flight training industry are represented and have equal input in what the efforts drive going forward.

FSANA fundamentally believes that there is not one path to providing training in the U.S. aviation system. There are places for local training providers, larger academy style training providers, and collegiate options. Each offers benefits that may fit different individuals needs better. What FSANA does not agree with however, is any effort to degrade safety or training requirements solely for business purposes. Safety is the critical part of our aviation training system that should never be compromised.

The effort is highlighted by the FAA as:

"initiating public engagement on the Modernization of Part 141 with an introductory public meeting and will include additional meetings. These meetings provide a forum for the aviation community to discuss, prioritize, and make recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) concerning the modernization of part 141 through written and oral comments. In its commitment to maintaining the safest air transportation system in the world, the FAA finds the best foundation of quality ground and flight training is through certificated pilot schools."

The FAA indicates in its presentation of this effort that:

"Current part 141 pilot school training regulations have foundational ties to the early years of pilot training and elements directly linked to the Civil Air Regulations. Therefore, updating part 141 regulations would ensure the training conducted at pilot schools meets the 21st-century challenges of technology, safety, and the advancements in teaching and learning techniques."  

The FAA goes on saying that the "Modernization of Part 141 public meetings will be a key resource in the FAA’s ability to identify and address the demands and needs of the flight training industry."

Chosen to co-chair this effort with the FAA is the upstart, new on-the-scene organization, the "National Flight Training Alliance" (NFTA). It is our belief that large scale training providers will be lobbying to drive the conversation of these meetings.

FSANA encourages other flight training industry partners, members, and participants to engage with this process and make sure all views and perspectives a part of these critical business process and safety oriented discussions relating to how the aviation training industry will operate going forward.

FSANA encourages all flight school owners and managers to engage and participate in the FAA process which will lead to an eventual update to FAR Part 141. Visit the link below to register for one of the FAA meetings.

Find more information about the effort here

Kit Darby is a nationally recognized airline pilot career expert with 35 years’ experience in pilot screening, selection, and training. He specializes in pilot career earnings, employability models, pilot career value, pilot forecasting, and pilot hiring requirements and he is available as an expert witness for written reports, depositions, and trials. He also offers litigation support, case preparation and case analysis. Kit provides statistical data and guidance through the constantly changing aviation industry.

Kit will be joining the FSANA 2025 conference, as the lunch speaker on Thursday February 6th.

There is still a little time left to book you conference travel if you haven't already. With available rooms going fast, and just a couple weeks to go, it is time to act if you want to be a part of FSANA's 16th annual International Flight School Operators Conference & Trade Show on February 5-7, 2025, at Walt Disney World® Dolphin Hotel.

Come learn, network, and meet government officials, supply chain partners, and others who interface with your industry. With nearly 20 professional sessions to choose from, this is the annual event that has been having a huge effect on businesses like yours.

The FSANA conference experience is about learning how to:

• Increase profits
• Engage in growth strategies and new business opportunities
• Adapt to the latest trends and technology
• Manage costs and be more efficient

Registration includes:

• Entry to professional sessions and workshops
• Admission to exhibition hall with over 50 exhibitors
• 1 receptions
• 1 dinner
• 2 luncheons
• Coffee breaks with exhibitors

This is the industry's only annual conference and trade show focused on the business of flight training. Don’t miss out on the most important days of the year for your business.

Ahead of the opening sessions at the upcoming FSANA 2025 Flight School Operators Conference on Wednesday, February 5th, the day will kick off with a series of FSANA committee meetings focused on various flight training industry concerns.

A key part of FSANA as an association is engaging with members and industry participants to learn what their concerns are, what challenges they encounter in the industry, and how the association can best advocate on their behalf. These meetings are one of the ways that FSANA is able to gather such critical information to be most effective on behalf of the flight training industry.

Here is the Committee meeting schedule:

Wednesday, February 5th

8am - Aviator Mental Health and Wellness Committee

9am - Airman Practical Testing Committee

10am - Safety Committee

11am - Training Aircraft Committee

1pm - Legislative Affairs Committee

Attendees who will be at the 2025 Flight School Operators Conference are encouraged to take part in these committee meetings.

mFLIGHT TRAINING NEWS

Launched by DTSB.org, a U.S.-based 501c(3) nonprofit corporation that notes it is operated and managed by volunteers, a new website is now available that is tracking accident information, focused heavily on the general aviation sector.

Available at data.thedtsb.org, the website contains in the dataset information that it indicates is "probable” cause information and may change as new information becomes available."

It notes that the goal is to make "every effort is made to by DTSB volunteers to keep data updated in near real time as possible. The data presented, as well as Probable Causes are purely speculative for the purpose of education."

In an effort to help provide data from which learning may occur, the site offers a quickly available source of available information. Some unique dataset sorting options allow the user of the site to toggle numerous sorting options that can help drill down into types of accidents such as instructional accidents, multi-or single engine, pilot age range or gender, etc.

Tracking the number of ATP certificates issued every year helps us understand the flow of pilots who might be able to enter into service in airline operations for passengers and cargo in the United States.

While there has been some concern expressed in the industry that airline hiring decreased in 2024, the data we see from the ATP certification numbers indicates that there is still strong ATP certification happening in our pilot career pipeline.

When we look at the monthly rate, we see a slight drop in 2024 in the later months, as we approach the holiday season. This is a very common trend in the monthly certification efforts.

But let’s look at this from a more “yearly” perspective.

Overall ATP Certificate Production Still Strong

When we track the yearly month-by-month to a total at the end of the year, we do see that 2024 was a lower number of ATP certifications than 2023, which was a peak year in the recent past. It was, however, right on track with what was experienced in 2022.

When we look at the overall trend, we still see the dip year in 2020 during the effects of Covid-19, but since then we have been on a continued upward trend of ATP certificates overall even with some drop this past year from the highest point. It does still show that the recent 2024 numbers included robust ATP certification issuance.

R-ATPs Only About One-Third of ATP Production

Another interesting data point relates to the percentage of ATP certificates that are initially issued as R-ATP (Restricted ATP) certificates. This can also be characterized as an indicator of how much of the pilot training pipeline is still likely to be produced through non-collegiate training paths (as they would not be eligible for Restricted-ATP minimums). This is an important part of our understanding of the pilot training pipeline as it is commonly thought that colleges and university aviation training programs are the bulk of the training for career pilot path entrants. This data continues to indicate that they are only a portion of it, perhaps less than many might think.

Since its inception in 2013 the number of these that have been issued increased and has stabilized at roughly 1/3 of the ATP certificates issued each year. This again relates to the fact that many initial ATP certification events are paired with initial airline training events at regional airlines. These pilots then follow that certification with removal of the restriction when they meet additional minimum requirements for full ATP certification. This is most commonly met after some time in service as a First Officer at a regional airline.

Every year, the Flight School Operators Conference wouldn't be possible without quality vendors and sponsors making it possible. These conference participants make the event possible due to their sponsorship and attendance, something that offers attendees of the conference the opportunity to have a unique and personal interaction opportunity with the representatives from these companies.

The list of vendors and sponsors that attend the conference are significant players in the flight training industry and many offer products that make the work of providing flight training more efficient, more cost effective, and improve safety.

Be sure to visit the representatives from the following companies and organizations that are going to be in attendance in a couple weeks at the 2025 conference in Orlando:

Effective November 18, 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration published the amended BasicMed Regulations in accordance with the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. The new rule revises the definition for covered aircraft to include the following:

• Increase in the number of allowable passengers from 5 to 6, and the total number of occupants from 6 to 7 for covered aircraft.
• Increase of the maximum aircraft takeoff weight from 6,000 lbs. to 12,500 lbs., while excluding transport category helicopters under Part 29.
• Designated pilot examiners may conduct practical tests or proficiency checks using BasicMed in aircraft that are covered by the BasicMed rule.

Furthermore, the FAA clarified that calendar months will be used in determining the duration of the

comprehensive medical examination for those persons acting as the pilot in command or as a required flight crew member for operations under 14 CFR part 61, section 61.113 (i).

The FAA has also updated airman knowledge test questions which are affected by the new BasicMed rule for certificates and ratings.

Click here for more information about these changes.

The FAA has updated the Aviation Weather Handbook as of 12-12-2024. Applicable to almost all pilot training efforts, this handbook includes information about weather products and sources. It has been updated to reflect many new changes in services and products available for pilots.

Click here to get the updated version.

The FAA's Glider Flying Handbook was updated as of December 26, 2025. If you engaged with glider training in any way:

Click here to get the updated version.

An updated FAA ACS Companion Guide was release December 12, 2024. This book is a companion to all the ACS documents and provides guidance on their use and applicability for practical testing efforts. 

Click here to see the updated guide.