This year I met several newly minted flight instructors and flight instructors in training who wish to do more than build their hours from the right seat. They want to be good teachers of flight. I really hope they meant what they said.

Training the Trainers

One of my great joys is working with CFI applicants who share the mindset that instruction is important and not just a way to build hours.

I will train teachers, not time builders. To do otherwise would be a disservice to future pilots.

The Problem With Shortcuts

We compared notes about applicants we’d encountered who had gone through accelerated training programs for CFIs.

While there are people who do very well with “quick ticket” training,  the fact is a few day courses don’t really teach you how to be a teacher. The only thing that does this is experience.

We all start out green. Time and practice is the only way to achieve seasoning.

Nearly everyone had a story to tell about the CFI applicant who wanted to take shortcuts just to pass the check ride.

They didn’t know how to organize a lesson, create a lesson plan, or offer a critique, but they had memorized the check ride. They parroted things they read off the internet. The mindset was “you’ll learn to teach after you get the ticket.”

This is unfair to the person who you are supposed to be teaching. They are paying for instruction, and you should be able to deliver. If you cannot do that, get out of the right seat.

Options to Improve CFI Training

Ideas were floated on improving the quality of flight instruction in the U.S.

The top suggestion was to increase CFI pay to entice them to stay on the job for more than one year. That’s the average time spent teaching for the pilot who is building their hours toward ATP minimums.

The theory is that spending more time as a CFI would enable these people to become better teachers. More experience doing something does tend to improve your performance. I submit, however, that unless that person really wants to be a CFI, this amounts to putting lipstick on a pig. 

If the candidate thinks flight instruction is beneath them—and there are some who do—no amount of money in the world is going to change that. Often their attitude comes across in the cockpit and the classroom.

Also, many smaller flight schools don’t have the revenue to support this business model, or they see all CFIs easily replaceable, saying their lack of experience justifies the low pay.

In many cases, working full-time as a CFI is too financially challenging. And even though they are good teachers and enjoy the job, many CFIs leave the profession for higher paying careers in other industries. 

Quality Over Quantity

Another suggestion was to create a training metric for CFIs, such as a set number of hours logged as dual instruction received post-commercial certificate to qualify for the CFI check ride, or be paired up with a CFI with more experience in a mentoring relationship before you are permitted to endorse anyone for a check ride. For example, the newly minted CFI would need 100 hours dual before they can sign off a client. 

These are intriguing ideas, but I am reasonably certain that in the U.S. with the pilot shortage and the “hurry up” mentality of so many flight students, any FAA rule changes would go over like a skunk on the dance floor at prom. Frankly, it would be too cumbersome and limiting in the training environment we have today.

CFI Responsibility 

There were also discussions about stressing the role of the CFI as a teacher and a coach.

Our job is to guide the learner in all facets of training air and ground. The learners don’t know what they don’t know, and no CFI or flight school should take advantage of their lack of experience.

There was a particularly painful story about a private pilot candidate who was at a school that provided both Part 141 and Part 61 training. The learner was flying under Part 61 and limited to flying just once a week, although they had the money and time to fly more frequently. 

According to the learner, as they compared flying lessons to music lessons, which are often just once a week, they didn’t know that flying more frequently would accelerate the learning process.

The CFIs—there were several—were fine with the once-a-week lesson, and according to the learner, never suggested an increase in lesson frequency. The learner allegedly spent thousands of dollars and several months “taking rides with multiple CFIs” but never soloed. 

If a CFI determines they cannot teach a particular client, the ethical thing to do is terminate the relationship. If you’re both frustrated, it’s in both of your best interests. It is far better if your CFI says, “I am not the right instructor for you,” than for them to keep showing up and taking your time and money. Often this breeds resentment.

Flight Training Is a Partnership

Sometimes CFIs encounter pilot applicants who have a participation trophy mindset when it comes to flight training.

Just showing up and going through the motions is not enough in aviation. We need to be clear that both the CFI and learner need to apply themselves and be accountable for their performance.

For learners who are successful in other aspects of their lives, this self-reflection can be painful at times. If you don’t meet performance standards as put forth in the ACS, it doesn’t make you a bad person. It just means you need more practice or a different approach to learning.

You won’t enjoy every part of your training— there will be days it seems tedious and difficult. There will be the dreaded learning plateaus that will make you question your life choices. There will also be those days with “aha!” moments, where the stars align, and the knowledge and skill come together.

You will get a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment that a relatively few in the human population achieve. This is particularly true when the designated pilot examiner (DPE) hands you your temporary certificate.

But to get there you need to work with your CFI—and they need to work with you.

The post Improving CFI Training Remains a Never-Ending Goal appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Flying is one of those things that so many people want to try—or have questions about. We answer some of those frequently asked here.

Learning to fly and obtaining a pilot certificate is not like learning to drive a forklift. You can’t do it in an afternoon. It usually takes a few months, with flying lessons two or three times a week.

It will be expensive, around $6,000 to $10,000 for a private certificate. You do not have to pay the money up front. Be wary about putting money on account at a flight school unless it has a refund policy and it is in writing.

Get your medical certificate early. If you are pursuing a certificate to fly an airplane, you will need to have it before you are allowed to solo. If deferred, don’t give up. There may be an opportunity for special issuance, or you may seek a pilot certificate that doesn’t require a medical certificate, like flying gliders.

You will need an aviation headset and pilot logbook. Bring both with you to your flight lessons. You will want to get a gear bag to carry these materials along with a notebook for taking notes and writing down information in the cockpit.

You will learn to read an aviation sectional, which is a map used for navigation. You will learn how to use the pilot’s operating handbook (POH) for your aircraft to determine its performance.

Part 61 vs. Part 141

The difference between training under Part 61 and Part 141 is structure. Part 141 is the more restrictive of the two. Under Part 141, the use of a syllabus is required, lessons are done in a specific order, only certain airports are authorized for flights to and from, there is a training course outline (TCO), and stage checks are required to advance in training.

• READ MORE: Pointers for Packing Your First Flight Bag

The material covered under Part 61 and Part 141 is identical, but some funding sources will require the applicant to be training at an accredited 141 program.

The benefit of Part 141 is that, in theory, the structure allows for the applicant to achieve the required experience in as little as 35 hours to be eligible for the check ride. Under Part 61, the minimum is 40 hours.

For best results, use a syllabus to make sure all the material is covered in a logical order. Your instructor should have a copy that they refer to, and you should have a copy of it as well.

Be advised, the national average for experience for applicants taking private pilot check rides is around the 60-hour mark, no matter which part you train under.

The benefit of Part 61 is that if there is a hiccup with the issuance of your medical certificate that delays your first solo, you won’t have to stop training. You can move ahead to other dual lessons (that means flying with an instructor) in the syllabus until your medical challenges are resolved. Also, you have more flexibility when it comes to airports you are allowed to fly to, therefore your experience will be broader than someone trained under Part 141.

Use the FAA Airman Certification Standards (ACS), which are the minimum “passable” performance for a pilot, from day one. The ACS provides performance metrics, such as holding altitude within 100 feet and heading within 5 degrees. Remember these are the minimum standards, so strive to do better.

Learn to Use a Mechanical E6-B Flight Computer

Don’t let it intimidate you. The instructions for solving time, speed, and distance problems are printed on the face of the instrument. The backside of the instrument is the wind calculation side, and it can be very useful for visualizing wind correct angles.

For the pilots (often lapsed CFIs) who argue that the cockpits of turboprops and jets have flight management systems and backups on backups for navigation that will tell you wind correction angles, ground speed, time en route, etc., please remember it’s going to be a long time before the private pilots who want to be professional pilots get to that level with those resources.

And not everyone wants to be a professional pilot.

• READ MORE: How To Use a E6B Flight Computer

Learning to use the mechanical E6-B before you go to an electronic version or an app is the aviation version of learning how to do basic math before using a calculator. It gives you an extra tool to use in the cockpit should your electronic device run out of juice, get stolen, or do an uncommanded gravity check with pavement that renders it inoperable.

Structure of Lessons

A traditional flight school is not like attending high school. You won’t be in a classroom or airplane all day. Your ground school can be done face to face and will be a few hours a day, or you can do it online. At the completion of the course you will be endorsed to take a knowledge test (commonly known as the written test, although it is all on computer now) administered by an FAA-approved private contractor.

Most flight lessons are at least an hour long for local flights. For cross-country flights that involve going to an airport at least 50 nm away, you will budget more time.

Your first lesson will likely be heading out to the local practice area (your instructor knows where that is) to learn how to do climbs, turns, and descents. Flying in the practice area is like learning to drive a stick shift in an empty parking lot. You want the room to make mistakes.

Learning to fly in the airport traffic pattern is like learning to drive a stick shift in stop-and-go traffic. It is considerably more stressful and can be counterproductive. Learn basic control before the stakes are higher.

Solo Flight

Your first solo is the halfway point of your private pilot training. There are 15 experience requirements listed in the Federal Aviation Regulations/Aeronautical Information Manual (FAR/AIM) rule book under Part 61.87 that are required to be covered before you can be soloed.

Keep in mind that performing the task once doesn’t mean you have learned it or can perform it well, so you will have to practice it a few times before the solo endorsement is given. There also will be an airport-specific knowledge test administered by your instructor before a solo endorsement is given.

Before you launch on your solo cross-country flights, a flight instructor must review your flight plan and provide you with an endorsement, stating they have reviewed your flight plan and you are prepared to make the flight. This endorsement will go into your logbook.

About Your CFI

Your CFI should want to talk before and after each lesson. This is known as the pre-brief (what we are going to do and how we are going to do it) and the post-brief (this is how you did, and what we will do next). This is considered part of your training. Don’t skimp on this.

Understand that most CFIs do the job to build their experience for other jobs, like the airlines. Some of them may be more interested in building their own hours than teaching you to fly, or their teaching style or availability might not work for you. If any of these issues crop up, it’s OK to seek a change of instructor. Conversely, if it’s not working from the CFI’s perspective as they cannot meet your needs, they may suggest a change of instructor.

We can’t control the weather. There may be days the CFI suggests a ground lesson, a lesson in the school flight training device (commonly known as a simulator), or canceling the lesson due to weather that is below VFR weather minimums or beyond your capabilities at the time. This is about you flying, not your CFI showing you what they can do. If you are on your second lesson and the crosswind component or gust factor are beyond the demonstrated component of the aircraft you are flying, it’s likely a better day to stay on the ground.

The post What to Expect When Learning to Fly appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The long-awaited update to the Flight Instructor for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards (FAA-S-ACS-25) has been released. The 111-page document has been in development since before the pandemic, the process was slowed when COVID-19 shut down the world. It replaces the FAA-S-8081-6D, Flight Instructor Practical Test Standards for Airplane, dated June 2012.

The ACS contains the minimum standards that a pilot must meet for certification. 

According to David St. George, executive director of the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE), the update to the CFI ACS began in 2016 when the private pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6) was released, and the FAA working group learned that the slow flight task had been rewritten to eliminate “minimum controllable airspeed.” That meant the stall warning horn couldn’t be activated during the demonstration of slow flight or else the applicant could potentially receive a notice of disapproval. 

This was exceptionally challenging as the aircraft, at the discretion of the examiner, could be configured with flaps down. So much as a slight increase in the angle of attack, reduction of power, or increase in load factor in a turn could result in the activation of the stall warning device, resulting in a notice of disapproval from the examiner.

That has changed, said St. George, who is also a designated pilot examiner (DPE). As in the CFI ACS, the task now requires flight with the stall warning on at the discretion of the examiner, and “a full explanation and description of ‘flight characteristics in the region of reversed command and possible loss of control’ is also required.”

This is important, according to St. George, as loss-of-control incidents, which usually are the result of a surprise stall from which the pilot does not recover, are still the primary cause of fatal accidents. There is hope that this change to the CFI ACS will eventually migrate to the Private Pilot ACS. In addition secondary stalls are also now part of the ACS.

“Many examiners I have spoken with have noticed a decrease in flight training focus and also applicant skill and awareness in this area,” St. George said. “[It’s] a dark scary corner of the flight envelope, but critical to safety.”

Said Karen Kalishek, a DPE and the chair of the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFF): “Reintroducing minimum controllable airspeed to the testing standards is another welcome update that will enhance prospective CFIs’  training and abilities. The ACS provides a structure consistent with other testing standards. Importantly, the updated testing standards add emphasis to risk awareness and mitigation, key points to improving aviation safety. The ACS’ added focus on fundamentals of instructing is also a positive change which will encourage increased preparation by potential new instructors.”

CFI ACS Adds Electronics

One notable addition: The CFI ACS now allows the use of electronic flight alerts (ADS-B) and electronic flight bags, and preparation, presentation, and explanation of  computer-generated flight plans are an acceptable option. This is good news to CFI applicants who throughout their training never fully learned how to fill out and use a paper navlog and, therefore, are unable to teach it.

The number of appendices in the ACS has also been reduced. This nonregulatory material was relocated to the Airman Certification Standards Companion Guide for Pilots (FAA-G-ACS-2), which is considered a companion guide to the ACS.

Applicants, instructors, and evaluators should consult this companion guide to familiarize with ACS procedures. The CFI ACS goes into effect May 31.

The post New Airman Certification Standards for CFIs Is Released appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Answer: In a manner of speaking, the metrics for proficiency are found in the airman certification standards. The ACS lists the tasks and knowledge required for airman certification.

For example, if you hold a commercial or private certificate, you are expected to maintain traffic pattern altitude plus/minus 100 feet and the appropriate airspeed within 10 knots. These are minimum standards. It takes practice to do this.

• READ MORE: When You Go Back to Flight School, Don’t Lose What You’ve Learned

You can do three takeoffs and landings and be off altitude and off speed and you will still regain currency. But if you find yourself constantly high on downwind and playing “chase the airspeed” all the way down, you are not proficient. The FAA doesn’t have a recommendation on how much time we need to regain proficiency. That is left up to each individual pilot.

The post What’s the Difference Between Currency and Proficiency? appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

In reality, the tests are offered by PSI Services, Inc. The FBOs that provide testing are contractors, offering the tests as a convenience to their customers. The FBOs are currently paid $65 for each test, but as of January 1, 2023, payment to the FBOs will drop to $22 per test—and that is making some FBOs reconsider offering the service.

What does this mean to aspiring pilots? Finding a place to take the knowledge test may become more difficult.

A Monopoly

PSI Services, Inc. is a global company, and the only entity authorized by the FAA to administer the knowledge tests required for obtaining a pilot certificate or certain ratings. In the past there were two other providers, Laser Grade and (CATS) Certification Activity Tracking System, but both are have gone the way of the dodo bird. This becomes apparent when you go to the FAA website and select “Airman Testing” and “Find a Testing Center,” and PSI is the only provider that pops up. You enter your zipcode into the appropriate search box and up pops a list of testing centers within a certain radius, say 50 miles.

PSI has a few dedicated testing centers in larger cities with 20 to 30 test stations, but most of the facilities are small, third-party operations at FBOs and flight schools with no more than three or four seats. In addition to aviation tests, PSI also provides tests for cosmetology, real estate, and building trades—in short, that testing center can be a busy place, so you may be competing for space.

The tests are taken on a computer—so please don’t call them “written” tests, because they haven’t been written tests since the Reagan administration. Today, the only writing the applicant does is signing their name when they check in to the testing center and again when they check out.

The testing facility at the airport is usually one room equipped with a few computers, and a closed-circuit video system to monitor the test takers. The business has someone on staff who has been trained to proctor the tests. The applicant registers for the test on the PSI site and on test day, the tests are uploaded from PSI, and in theory, they should be waiting for the test taker when they get to the site. This is why you have to make an appointment in advance with PSI—and it is a good idea to call the testing location in advance to make sure they offer testing on a particular day.

Changes Ahead

The change in the compensation structure noted above that will come in 2023 came as a surprise to a few of the airport-based test providers FLYING reached out to. They had received the email with the notification of the change in the fee that they would receive, but had not fully read it yet.

It was noted that flight schools don’t really make a lot of money on the test now—$65 doesn’t go very far when you consider the vendors have to pay the salary of the test proctor, pay for the computers, utilities, internet access, cameras, testing supplies and insurance. The new fee of $22 won’t cover those expenses, so it is likely that some FBOs will drop the knowledge test, and pilot applicants will lose this convenience.

Does the FAA collect a fee for the knowledge test? FLYING reached out to both the FAA and to PSI Inc., to inquire if the agency received payment for each test taken, but no response was received by press time.

Make the Test a Non-Event

Given the challenges of setting up the knowledge test, you want to make it a non-event, beginning with your arrival at the testing center. For starters, make sure you know how to get to the testing center and how long it will take you to get there before test day. Also, be sure to have identification that includes your photograph, signature, and home address. For most people this is a state identification card or driver’s license.

That’s the easy part. You also need, per the FAA, to demonstrate you are prepared to take the knowledge test by presenting one of the following:

• A certificate of graduation from a pilot training course conducted by an FAA-approved pilot school, or a statement of accomplishment from the school certifying the satisfactory completion of the ground-school portion of such a course. These are often issued by ground school instructors from Part 141 programs at the end of the course, provided the applicant has passed the final exam. Check for an expiration date: Some schools give their learners a limit of 60 days to take the test, and if it is not completed within that window they must retake the course or get a CFI to sign them off as ready to pass the test.
• An endorsement from an FAA-certificated ground or flight instructor, certifying that you have satisfactorily completed the required ground instruction. This endorsement is found in Advisory Circular 61-65: Aeronautical Knowledge Test: FAR 61.35(a)(1), 61.103(d), and 61.105. It states: “I certify that [First name, MI, Last name] has received the required training in accordance with § 61.105. I have determined [he or she] is prepared for the [name of] knowledge test.” For aspiring fixed wing pilots the name of the test is “Private Pilot Airplane.”
• A certificate of graduation or statement of accomplishment from a ground school course conducted by an agency such as a high school, college, adult education program, the Civil Air Patrol, or an ROTC Flight Training Program—again, double check for an expiration date.
• A certificate of graduation from a home-study course developed by the aeronautical enterprise providing the study material. These are your online courses such as Sporty’s, King Schools, or Gold Seal.

Don’t expect to walk into the FBO or flight school on the day of your test and have a new-to-you flight instructor sign you off on the spot. No professional instructor will provide an endorsement unless they are confident that you can pass the test.

Practice Tests First

Before you are endorsed for the $175 test, your instructor may ask you to bring them three practice tests all done in the same week with a score of 90 percent or higher. These practice tests can be found online from a variety of providers. Do this and you will get the endorsement.

I am one of the instructors who asks for this. Why? Because 20-plus years as a ground instructor has taught me that most people lose at least 10 points off their scores when they walk into the testing center. I am not the only CFI who has seen this scenario play itself out. In fact, it has been a topic of discussion at seminars and instructor symposiums, ergo, we want you to go in over-prepared—so over-prepared that you can pass that test on a bad day with a nosebleed.

The minimum passing score on the test is 70, but the better the score on the knowledge test, the less stressful the checkride tends to be. Most examiners use the soft spots, as identified by wrong answers on the knowledge test, to craft the scenarios for the check ride.

Other Tips

1. Leave your cellphone in the car. You will not be allowed to use it in the testing center.

2. Use the piece of scratch paper issued at the testing center to make a ruler using the scale from the figures of sectional excerpts provided in the test supplement (also issued at the testing center).

3. Even if you use an electronic E6-B, know how to use a mechanical E6-B, because some testing centers will not allow the electronic ones (although they are supposed to, per AC 60-11C) unless you prove it is not pre-programmed with answers. They may ask you to remove, then reinstall the batteries to prove it has not been programmed. If you forgot your E6-B, they may loan you a mechanical one. They will let you borrow a calculator and also let you use a plotter—but honestly I have never figured out why, since the scale on the plotter and on the mechanical E6-B does not match what is on the test book figures.

4. Figure out how to zoom in the images on the screen of the computer and either bring or ask for a magnifying glass if you need one. Test centers have these as well.

5. Another tip: Read the questions silently to yourself at least twice. You may find it helpful to move your lips as you read because this makes your brain slow down. Yes, I know every teacher who is reading this just cringed, but some of the questions can be worded in a very confusing manner. You sometimes need to slow down to determine what is truly being asked. This is particularly true on the performance questions.

After the Test

When you have passed the test you will be given an airman computer test report that shows your score. Make a photocopy of this piece of paper and put the original in a safe place. You will present this document to the designated pilot examiner (DPE) the day of your check ride. In addition, your instructor will want to know the outcome of the test, so send him or her a photo of the test results. 

If you missed any questions, the subject matter test codes will be indicated at the bottom of the paper. These codes can be found in the airman certification standards, so it behooves you to have a copy of the ACS (airman certification standards). For example, if you see the code PA.I.A.K1, that refers to certification requirements. Do yourself a favor and go through the ACS to find the areas you were found deficient in, and make a list of them. You may have missed just one question there, or it could be more—the codes indicate areas in which the applicant was found to be deficient.

Before you go for your private pilot check ride your CFI should go over those areas with you, and make an endorsement in your logbook indicating you have received additional instruction in those areas. The DPE will ask for the test results in advance of the check ride and will use them to build the scenarios for your practical test around these soft spots in your perceived knowledge.

If you do not pass the test, use those test codes to review your weak areas, and with the help of a good ground instructor, shore them up. You will get another endorsement and can take the test again. Make sure you bring that endorsement when you go for the retest.

A satisfactorily completed knowledge test is good for 24 calendar months. If the practical test for that certificate or rating is not satisfactorily completed during that period, another knowledge test must be taken.

The post Knowledge Tests Include Preparation of the Applicant, Location appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Frustrated, I stared at the wiring diagram in my Basic Electronics textbook. Something was causing a severe roadblock to my understanding of the concepts. I felt inept, and feared I would never pass this required course for the general portion of my studies. Working the second shift in line maintenance, we had some downtime between flights. It was an excellent opportunity to catch up on homework for my Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) classes. But on this night, I was not getting it. Perhaps I could transfer to the ramp, work stores, or spend eternity as a helper. I needed help. 

Help was right around the corner. Seeing me struggle, a co-worker approached me and asked if he could take a look. I slid the textbook over to him and continued searching for the newspaper “want” advertisements for a delivery truck driver. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. 

“What did you do in the Navy?” he began. 

“Sheet metal at first, but then transitioned to hydraulics,” I replied. 

Grabbing a pen, he opened up a napkin and began to sketch. Roughing out a series of lines, circles, and triangles, he turned it around and asked me what I thought. I stared at the paper and blinked a few times, stumped. Next, he assigned labels to the shapes. Under the thin line, he scribbled “rigid hydraulic tubing,” next was the circle, “hydraulic pump,” and finally, under the triangles, “valve.” 

Ok, that’s great, Dan. You drew a hydraulic schematic—big deal. 

He scoffed as if to say, “OK, tough guy.” Next, he drew a slash beside each word and wrote “wire” beside tubing, “power supply” beside the pump, and “solenoid” adjacent to the valve. Bingo. 

Learning is a lifelong process. Sometimes you get it. Other times you need a little help. Because of this lesson, I still refer to a wire as an “electron hose” to this day. 

Two weeks ago, we discussed the path to becoming an A&P mechanic, and I mentioned changes to 14 CFR Part 147 Aviation Maintenance Technician Schools. This week, we are diving deeper into understanding what those changes are and how they affect aviation maintenance training moving forward.  

Change Is Here 

FAR Part 147 provides guidelines and is the law of the land for aviation maintenance technician schools (AMTS). Until recently, aviation maintenance schools’ guidelines were over five decades old. Just imagine the changes, obsolescence, and innovations since the original rules were written. 

Billy Nolen, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) associate administrator for aviation safety, announced at the 2022 Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) conference that change was upon us. Finally. 

The Advisory Circular AC No: 147-3C Subject: Certification and Operation of Aviation Maintenance Technician Schools was published in March 2022. The FAA distributes advisory circulars as a roadmap to assist aviation entities in gaining and maintaining compliance. 

In May, the FAA published an interim final rule and a request for comments regarding its new rule modernizing training requirements for aviation Part 147 schools. The new rule took effect September 21. 

Mechanic Airman Certification Standard (ACS) 

The Mechanic Airman Certification Standard (ACS) is the standard that drives the content for the new Part 147 rule. ACS bridges the gap between academics and industry and communicates instruction guidelines that students learn and upon which they will be tested.

In driving the curriculum and test, the ACS constantly reviews the content to maintain relevance and stay aligned with the industry. A dedicated working group will constantly review, evaluate, and adjust the ACS. It is important to note that the ACS also revamped the A&P test. 

One organization stands out as a driving force behind the new 147 rule and the ACS. The Aviation Technician Education Council (ATEC), which provides representation, information, expertise, networking opportunities, online tools, and more to the aviation maintenance industry. The leaders of ATEC play a prominent role in the new 147 rule and are a wealth of information concerning the topic.  

The new Part 147 is performance-based, with a strong emphasis on student exam scores. While this is by no means an exhaustive list, here are a few key points about the new look of Part 147: 

• There are no seat-time or credit- hour requirements (previously it was 2,000 hours). This adjustment allows for competency-based programming. 
• Curriculum approval is no longer required per 147; however, schools must show that the curriculum aligns with the ACS. 
• Nationally accredited institutions takeover from the FAA regarding details such as establishing: 
  • Teacher-student ratios 
  • Grading systems 
  • Number of instructional hours 
  • Competency determination 
  • Delivery method 
• Non-accredited institutions must have an FAA-approved quality system. 
• For nationally accredited schools, the FAA will transfer governance of educational elements to the appropriate department of education (DOE) 
• Freeing the FAA from curriculum approval takes them out of the classroom. 
• Distance learning oversight comes from the academic accrediting body, not the FAA. Students can train off-site and away from a fixed location. 
• Dual enrollment at a local high school is now possible. 
• This opens potential expansion of online training  
• The FAA will assess a program’s quality based on students’ testing results and a three-year rolling reporting mechanism. This will include oral, written, and practical testing. 
• Still certificated by the FAA, schools will need to produce quality students or risk losing their certification. 

The FAA will retain oversight of the following areas: 

• Facilities 
• Materials 
• Equipment and tooling 
• Instructor qualifications and experience 
• Student-to-instructor ratio for the shop environment (currently 1 to 25) 
• Quality system for non-federal accredited institutions 
• Ensure curriculum alignment with the ACS 

To comply with the new rules, schools must take the following steps: 

• Perform a gap analysis and match current content against ACS 
• Obtain new FAA-issued operations specifications (OpSpecs) to comply with the new rule and guide to do so. 
• The accrediting body which approves programs and delivery methods remains constant. 

Crystal Maguire, executive director of ATEC, was kind enough to spend some time with me and discuss how Part 147 finally came together. 

FLYING Magazine (FM): How did we finally get here after all these years? 

Crystal Maguire (CM): We started in 2009 and kept moving forward. The FAA was very supportive from the beginning. We worked closely with Tanya Glines, aviation safety inspector, Office of Safety Standards, to make this a reality.  

FM: It is quite an accomplishment. What makes you proud? 

CM: My favorite aspect of the new 147 is moving to a performance-based rule. We gained tremendous efficiencies getting the FAA out of the classroom. 

FM: So, what is coming next?  

CM: The Designated Mechanic Examiners (DME ) ranks are getting up to speed for testing next summer. The industry is facing capacity issues and needs to shore up its positions. 

Another exciting project is the development of a high school curriculum to prepare potential A&P students called Choose Aerospace. The goal is to give students the ability to take their general test right out of school. This progress will provide them with a head start on certification. 

Collaboration 

What does collaboration mean for aviation technical schools moving forward? 

In the past, the FAA held sway over course content and had to review and approve it. Now that course curriculum is no longer in the rule, this opens up relationships between schools and companies. Under the new guidelines, schools can update course content as needed.  

Because of the locked content, if a school wished to highlight a specific topic or focus on a particular subject outside the established curriculum, they had to add additional classes for that topic. Therefore to add more industry-specific content, schools had to expand their programs. The result was more time and additional cost.  

Under the new 147, schools can incorporate partner-specific content into their curriculum. One example is industry powerhouse AAR partnering with WSU Tech that “will expand the curriculum of WSU Tech’s aviation maintenance technology program.” AAR and other business entities are vested in the aircraft mechanic pipeline, especially in light of the looming mechanic shortage. 

Some companies are already feeling the pinch of a labor shortage. A recent Boeing study predicts demand for 193,000 new mechanics in North America through 2037. 

Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology established a relationship with SkyWest Airlines, which “engages the student much earlier than traditional partnerships” with mentoring by SkyWest mechanics. 

I spoke with Adon Clark, dean of the School of Aviation at Middle Georgia State University, concerning his thoughts on the new 147. 

“It allows for more academic flexibility to meet the industry’s and our students’ needs,” Clark said. “It added new teaching requirements to better prepare our students for the industry. It will also provide an easier process to establish satellite-training locations, in the past, that would require a full Part 147 certification. 

When I inquired how the new change was going, Clark replied, “It is still very new, and we will see how the process goes.” We also discussed how the end goal is a better aviation labor pipeline. 

This new rule will not impact FAR 145 certified repair station programs or individual airlines/entity training systems. 

The bottom line is the industry needs A&P mechanics, not individuals from an A&P school who never tested. The hope is that the new more flexible Part 147 will help alleviate the skilled aircraft maintenance personnel shortage. That would be a welcome outcome for students and industry.

The post The Path to A&P: Changes to FAR Part 147 appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Types of Airman Certification Standards 

Right now, pilots and instructors can access the private pilot ACS, the ACS for the instrument rating, the commercial pilot ACS, and the portion of the commercial pilot ACS for military pilots seeking civilian certification and the ACS for airline transport pilots, and ACS for remote pilots. At this point in time, there is no ACS for remote pilots (drones) and the standards for instructor pilots are still using the practical test standards while the ACS is being crafted.

What Are the Airman Certification Standards?

The airman certification standards, formerly known as practical test standards, are the minimum knowledge and skill level the FAA has determined are appropriate for the pilots who seek a particular certificate or rating. The more advanced the certificate, the tighter the performance tolerances. For example, for a commercial pilot certificate, the applicant must hold altitude within 100 feet of what is assigned as opposed to 200 feet for a private pilot candidate.

Who Should Know the ACS?

The flight instructor administering the training for a pilot certificate should have an updated copy of the ACS and should integrate those metrics into the training from day one. The ACS provides guidance on the minimum standards for certification. No one expects the applicant to meet those standards at first, so the ACS gives the applicant something to shoot for, and the applicant knows what is expected of him or her. Additionally, the ACS provides a framework to administer training and is a means to make sure that the appropriate skills and knowledge required for the acquisition of the certificate are administered—both in the aircraft and on the ground.

Why Are Airman Certification Standards Important?

The ACSs contain the metrics the applicant needs to achieve in order to acquire the certificate or rating. The ACSs also make sure the instructor has covered all the bases, so to speak. For each task, the specific ACS lists the objective, knowledge, risk management, and skills required for certification.

Additionally, the task codes listed in the ACSs now correspond with the subject codes on the FAA knowledge exam (formerly known as the written exam or written test). This allows the pilot applicant and the instructor to identify the soft spots in the applicant’s knowledge based on incorrect answers on the knowledge exam and to focus on these areas to foster improvement.

6 Types of Airman Certification Standards

As you move through your training, the ACS will be your guide. For each certificate or rating sought, the ACS provides a list of tasks to be done and skills to be mastered. The ACS, combined with a syllabus, is used to make sure the pilot has the necessary skills and knowledge to be a safe and efficient pilot. 

Private Pilot ACS

The private pilot certificate is sometimes referred to as “the license to learn” because it is the step in what is often a long ladder of pilot certification. Steep turns are done at 45 degrees of bank in an airplane, and the applicant must maintain heading within 10 degrees, the bank angle within 5 degrees, and altitude be held within +/- 100 feet, and airspeed +/- 10 knots. At first, this can be a challenge, and most instructors encourage their clients to fly better than the minimum indicated in the ACS for the private pilot. You will probably be flying with people you care about in the long run, and being “just good enough to pass” may not give you the confidence you need.

Instrument Rating ACS

The ACS for the instrument rating stipulates that the candidate fly to at least the level of their certificate. For example, if the applicant holds a private pilot certificate, he or she should fly to those standards on top of those specified for the instrument rating, and if he or she holds a commercial certificate, the pilot should meet those standards in addition to the specific standards set forth in the ACS for the instrument. The airman certification standards for instrument emphasize flight by reference to instruments only as well as systems knowledge, risk management, critical weather assessment, and knowledge of air traffic control procedures in the IFR environment.

Commercial Pilot ACS

The commercial pilot airman certification standards tasks are very similar to those for the private pilot but with tighter tolerances and higher expectations. For example, a steep turn for the commercial pilot is a bank angle of 50 degrees (for the airplane rating). If the applicant already holds an instrument rating, he or she will be required to fly an instrument approach during the check ride.

There is an increased emphasis on aviation physiology and risk management in the commercial ACS as the certificate enables the pilot to fly for compensation or hire. 

To qualify for the commercial certificate, the pilot candidate must either have 10 hours of experience in a complex airplane—that is defined as an airplane with a controllable-pitch propeller, flaps, and retractable landing gear—or 10 hours in a technologically advanced aircraft, which is defined as an aircraft that has an electronic primary flight display with all six of the primary instruments, an electronic multifunction display with a GPS-based moving map that depicts the aircraft on the screen, and a two-axis autopilot with heading and navigation modes.

As with other ACSs, the commercial ACS stipulates that the pilot must know the systems of the aircraft they are being tested in. 

Commercial Pilot (Military) ACS

With so many military pilots choosing to transition to the civilian world, the FAA provides guidance that allows military pilots to apply their military experience toward a civilian commercial certificate. Pilots who seek to make this transition and their instructors should go through their logbooks carefully using the commercial pilot (military) ACS as their guide. These pilots should pay special attention to the cross-country and night experience requirements required for civilian certification. 

Airline Transport Pilot ACS

By the time a pilot has enough experience to acquire the airline transport pilot certificate, he or she should be well-versed in the airman certification standards. The tolerances for error on each maneuver are at their tightest. Applicants need to pay special attention to aircraft systems and there will be an emphasis on high altitude operations and air carrier operations.

Remote Pilot ACS

The remote pilot certificate—which enables the pilot to fly a small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) commonly known as a drone, for commercial purposes—is the new kid on the block as far as airman certification goes. Drones were introduced in 2015, and since then, they have rapidly advanced from recreational and hobby aircraft to tools for commercial operations. The remote pilot ACS contains the rules and regulations for remote pilots with an emphasis on understanding the coordination necessary when operating in airspace also occupied by manned aircraft, and with consideration to persons on the ground. It should be noted that as of September 16, 2023, the FAA will require all drone pilots to register their drones and they must operate their aircraft in accordance with the remote ID rule for pilots.

Drones, because they fly much lower than crewed aircraft, have more of a chance of encountering persons or property, or wildlife. The ACS addresses this in the form of an emphasis on risk management in all tasks. 

Which Type of Airman Certification Standard Should You Follow?

The certificate or rating you pursue will dictate which airman certification standards you will be expected to meet. A smart instructor introduces the ACS early in the training so that the learner (a fancy word for pilot doing the training) has a metric to determine their performance. Insist that your instructor introduce you to the ACS early so you know what to strive for.

The ACS Is the Minimum Standard

The airmen certification standards are the minimum standards as set forth by the FAA. If you meet these minimums, you can earn your certificate or rating—but as most pilots are very type A and strive to improve their skills, know the ACS for the certificate or rating you seek and challenge yourself to perform better. For example, if you are pursuing a private pilot certificate and the tolerance for holding altitude is +/- 100 feet, aim to hold altitude within 20 feet.

The ACS gives you a metric for assessing your skills and helps you identify the soft spots that need to be improved.

FAQ

The post What Are the 6 Types of Airman Certification Standards? appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Ten years ago, the aviation industry was fed up, and the FAA needed help to fix the problems that had developed within the process of testing applicants for pilot certificates and ratings.

So, what was the issue? Essentially, instructors and prospective pilots had two separate tests (the written exam and the practical test) to prepare for during the course of training for each certificate—private, commercial or airline transport pilot—or the instrument rating, and those tests followed two separate sets of standards. A committee composed of FAA and industry experts convened to resolve this, and it created a single standard that would apply to both knowledge and practical tests, otherwise known as check rides. At the same time, the group addressed the modern relevancy and appropriateness of the test questions and task elements along the way.

The airman certification standards were first released for private pilot airplane applicants in June 2016, and the ACS for other certificates have been issued periodically ever since. When the ACS process was crafted, it included a means of improvement, so updates, corrections and revisions could be properly considered and implemented in a timely manner.

So How Do I Use It?

So, what is the ACS, really? You can think of the document for each certificate as an outline for you to follow in your training.

Each ACS begins with an explanation of what it proposes to accomplish, as well as the philosophy, rationale and strategy behind the overall plan. The introductory material clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of the applicant (you) and the examiner during the course of the practical exam. The appendices at the end of the document go into further detail on various subjects, such as the knowledge exam and use of flight simulation.

Tables in the appendices pages give you a matrix through which you can determine what parts of the ACS apply to adding on a new class rating—for example, if you hold a private pilot “airplane” category certificate with a “land” class rating, the tasks you will be required to demonstrate when pursing a “sea” class rating.

The main body of the ACS is divided into sections called “areas of operation,” and each of these is divided into tasks and elements of each task. Each task includes the reference material used by the FAA and the objective behind testing on the task. The elements within a task are divided into knowledge, risk management and skills. These elements carry a code that can be used to place the element within a course of training; they also correlate to questions on the knowledge exam (see the sidebar, “Elements of the ACS”).

Read More: Learn to Fly

All active knowledge-exam test questions relate to the ACS and have been aligned, and you’ll see these codes show up on your Airman Knowledge Test Report once you’ve taken the written exam. Your instructor will use these codes to determine the areas you need to review and understand more completely, and your designated pilot examiner will refer to these codes when conducting your practical test to make sure that you have mastered these areas.

In fact, the codes showing what you’ve missed are just one part of your check ride. The DPE will compose your test using the full ACS for that certificate or rating. The plan of action includes from each task: at least one knowledge element, at least one risk-management element and all of the skill elements—plus those subjects you missed on the written, if any. All told, though, your check ride shouldn’t take any longer than check rides did in the past, but it does require a bit more orchestration on the part of the DPE to integrate all of the required elements.

What if you don’t pass the check ride the first time around? First of all, don’t panic—a failed test happens to a lot of pilots who go on to be successful in their careers. Using the ACS, you should have a clear understanding from the examiner where you missed the mark. Regroup with your instructor to go over those elements where you were weak, and practice again for a retest. If that second test takes place within two calendar months of your original check ride, the elements you passed before count toward its completion. After two months, you’ll need to retake the entire test.

What if I Need More Info?

The FAA’s ACS website includes a repository of useful tools for you to access during your training—from the time you begin to when you prep for your check ride. Not only are the downloadable ACS guides for each certificate there (such as for private pilot, commercial pilot and instrument rating), but you’ll also find FAQ, a slide deck outlining how the ACS was built and how it’s used, sample knowledge exams, and a “What’s New” document to keep up with any changes as you go.

As of press time, the most recent update to the Private Pilot Airplane ACS was made in June 2018, with a Change 1 effective date of June 6, 2019. You should regularly check in on the FAA ACS site to ensure that you are working from the latest version—or ask your instructor to show you so you can work together on following the plan.

With the ACS as a road map for both the knowledge and practical exams, you should have a clear route to your next level of achievement.

Elements of the ACS

A series of elements abridged from the Private Pilot Airplane ACS might look like this:

Area of Operation: Navigation

Task: Diversion

References: FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-25; AIM; navigation charts

Objective: To determine that the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management and skills associated with diversion.

Knowledge: The applicant demonstrates understanding of:

PA.VI.C.K1: Selecting an alternate destination.

Risk Management: The applicant demonstrates the ability to identify, assess and mitigate risks, encompassing:

PA.VI.C.R1: Collision hazards, to include aircraft, terrain, obstacles and wires.

Skills: The applicant demonstrates the ability to:

PA.VI.C.S1: Select a suitable destination and route for diversion.

PA: Private Pilot Airplane

VI: Area of Operation (Navigation)

C: Task (Diversion)

K1: Knowledge Task Element 1

R1: Risk-management Task Element 1

S1: Skills Task Element 1

This story appeared in the 2021 Learn to Fly Special Issue of Flying Magazine

The post Navigating the Airman Certification Standards appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The FAA has released the new Airmen Certification Standards (ACS) for the airline transport pilot (ATP) rating, effective on June 28, 2019. The effort brings together the previously used practical test standards with additional requirements for the certificate, updates to the knowledge exam, and notes formerly distributed across a variety of source materials.

As with previous iterations of the new ACS, the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee’s ACS Working Group took the opportunity to produce a new approach to testing and certification, coordinating task elements across the certificates. The process began with the private certificate, then moved through the instrument rating, with the commercial ACS debuting in June 2017. Further updates to the private and commercial ACS were issued in June 2018, keeping to a revision schedule set by the initial ACS directives.

One driver of the new ATP ACS can be found in the ATP rule change implemented in June 2013, with the split into single-engine and multi-engine ATP pathways. New questions for the written exam were boarded and incorporated, and then the development of the ACS was officially launched in June 2017. A draft of the standards was published in October 2018, and nearly 100 comments were considered in the final version.

The new ACS also covers type ratings, and references the new ATP-CTP course required for initial ATP applicants after August 1, 2014. The notes have also been moved into the appendices for clarity and easier reference, including advisories on the knowledge test, practical test eligibility and prerequisites, task tables, safety of flight, aircraft/equipment operational requirements, and use of FSTDs and ATDs. Barbara Adams, team lead for the program for the FAA’s Training and Simulation Group, presented a summary at the World Aviation Training Symposium in Orlando, Florida, in early May, highlighting several features.

Tasks follow the organization of the private, commercial, and instrument ACS wherever possible, with stall-related tasks grouped into a separate Area of Operation, with knowledge and risk elements tailored to each stall iteration. Another streamlining element: Required landings are now grouped with their associated approach procedure. Additionally, all instrument-related tasks have been brought together.

The post FAA Launches Airmen Certification Standards for ATP appeared first on FLYING Magazine.