Impacts of Public Law 111-216: Will the Flight Instructor Career Path Remain a Viable Option for Aspiring Airline Pilots?

On August 1, 2010, President Obama signed Public Law 111-216: Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Extension Act of 2010. This new legislation has an impact on the practices of 14 CFR Part 121 air carriers, as well as dictating the requirement of all airline pilots to hold an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate. This article reports on a study that considered how a flight instructor in a 14 CFR Part 141 pilot school measures up to the aeronautical experience requirements of the ATP certificate. The authors analyzed the aeronautical experience of 174 current flight instructors employed by a Part 141 collegiate aviation program. The bill states that a minimum of 1,500 total flight hours will be required. In addition to these 1,500 hours, Section 217 also requires sufficient flight hours in difficult operational conditions that may be encountered by an air carrier. The results of the study indicate that this group of flight instructors significantly lacked the required cross-country flight experience required by the ATP certificate. The authors also report on an analysis of the training course requirements specified by the Part 141 approved curriculum in the areas of total dual (instructional) flight time, dual cross-country flight time, and solo cross-country flight time. The research also found that the number of flight instructors aspiring to work for air carriers is on the decline. The impact of requiring all Part 121 airline pilots to hold an ATP certificate may negatively affect the decision of well qualified pilots seeking employment as a flight instructor.