An FAA-sponsored virtual public meeting is scheduled on March 6 to solicit input on the agency’s plan for modernizing FAR Part 141 pilot school regulations. This will be the first in a series of public meetings on the topic before any regulatory proposals are published. The meeting is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. EST. Written comments are requested no later than March 21, 2025.

“Modernizing Part 141 would address challenges pertaining to certification, certification management, examining authority, and evolving technology and learning methods,” said the FAA. Through a Part 141 flight school, a student may obtain equivalent levels of aeronautical experience in fewer hours than required by the alternative training requirements under Part 61.

The agency noted that the process of certifying pilot schools in the U.S. is approaching 100 years of existence. Although the FAA has revised certain regulatory requirements pertaining to pilot schools during this time, Part 141 still has many foundational ties to Civil Air Regulations (CAR) Part 50 implemented in the 1940s. An overhaul of pilot school regulations would further “improve safety, reduce aircraft accidents, and embrace changes such as advances in technology and the need for data collection and analysis.”

Over the course of the project, the FAA said it “is seeking engagement from the flight training industry through participation in public meetings and submitted comments. Collaboration within the industry is encouraged to stimulate the innovation of a modern Part 141 that will serve the needs of current and future pilot schools.”