Removal of Expiration Date on a Flight Instructor Certificate; Additional Qualification Requirements To Train Initial Flight Instructor Applicants; and Other Provisions

<RULE> DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION <SUBAGY>Federal Aviation Administration</SUBAGY> <CFR>14 CFR Parts 11, 61, 63, 65, and 141</CFR> <DEPDOC>[Docket No. FAA-2023-0825; Amdt. Nos. 11-67, 61-155, 63-47, 65-65, and 141-25]</DEPDOC> <RIN>RIN 2120-AL25</RIN> <SUBJECT>Removal of Expiration Date on a Flight Instructor Certificate; Additional Qualification Requirements To Train Initial Flight Instructor Applicants; and Other Provisions</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation (DOT). <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Final rule. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> This action removes the expiration date on flight instructor certificates to align with other airman certificates. Additional amendments include updating renewal requirements to recent experience requirements, introducing a new method for establishing recent flight instructor experience, and allowing instructors with a lapse of no more than three months to reinstate privileges via an approved flight instructor refresher course instead of a practical test. This final rule also adds two new methods for flight instructors to qualify to train initial applicants. Finally, this final rule relocates and codifies the requirements for relief for U.S. military and civilian personnel who seek to renew their expired flight instructor certificate. </SUM> <EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> This final rule is effective December 1, 2024, except that amendatory instruction 10 is effective March 1, 2027. </EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">ADDRESSES:</HD> For information on where to obtain copies of rulemaking documents and other information related to this final rule, see “How to Obtain Additional Information” in the <E T="02">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION</E> section of this document. <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Allan G. Kash, Training and Certification Group, Flight Standards Service, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591; telephone (202) 267-1100; email <E T="03">allan.g.kash@faa.gov.</E> </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD1">List of Abbreviations and Acronyms Frequently Used In This Document</HD> <EXTRACT> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">AATD: Advanced Aviation Training Device</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">ATD: Aviation Training Device</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">BATD: Basic Aviation Training Device</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">FFS: Full Flight Simulator</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">FIEQTP: Flight Instructor Enhanced Qualification Training Program</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">FIRC: Flight Instructor Refresher Course</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">FSTD: Flight Simulation Training Device</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">FTD: Flight Training Device</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">NPRM: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">WINGS: FAA's Pilot Proficiency Program</FP> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Table of Contents</HD> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">I. Executive Summary</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Purpose of the Regulatory Action</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Changes Made in This Final Rule</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Summary of the Costs and Benefits</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">II. Authority for This Rulemaking</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">III. Background</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Statement of the Problem</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Summary of the NPRM</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. General Overview of Comments</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">IV. Discussion of Comments and the Final Rule</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Removal of Expiration Date on Flight Instructor Certificates (§ 61.19)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Changing the Flight Instructor Certificate Renewal Requirements to Flight Instructor Recent Experience Requirements (§ 61.197)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Recent Experience Based on Instructional Activity in an FAA-Sponsored Pilot Proficiency Program (§ 61.197(b)(2)(v))</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Reinstatement of Flight Instructor Privileges by FIRC (§ 61.199)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Instructor Qualifications for Training Initial Flight Instructor Applicants (§ 61.195(h); § 141.11; Part 141, Appendix K)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. Conforming Amendments (§§ 61.2, 61.56, 61.425, 61.427)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">G. SFAR No. 100-2 Codification Under § 61.40 and Associated Amendments</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">H. Miscellaneous Comments</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">V. Severability</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">VI. Regulatory Notices and Analyses</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Regulatory Evaluation</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Regulatory Flexibility Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. International Trade Impact Assessment</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Unfunded Mandates Assessment</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">E. Paperwork Reduction Act</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">F. International Compatibility</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">G. Environmental Analysis</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">VII. Executive Order Determinations</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Executive Order 13132, Federalism</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Executive Order 13175, Consultation and Coordination With Indian Tribal Governments</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">C. Executive Order 13211, Regulations That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">D. Executive Order 13609, Promoting International Regulatory Cooperation</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-2">VIII. Additional Information</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">A. Electronic Access and Filing</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP1-2">B. Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act</FP> </EXTRACT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">I. Executive Summary</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD2">A. Purpose of the Regulatory Action</HD> This final rule amends part 61 of title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) by revising the expiration, renewal, and reinstatement requirements for flight instructor certificates and revising the qualifications for flight instructors training initial flight instructor applicants. As explained in section III.A. of the preamble, the FAA will remove the expiration date on flight instructor certificates to align with other airmen certificates. The flight instructor certificate renewal requirements will become recent experience requirements, which flight instructors must establish at least once every 24 calendar months. The final rule also adds a new method for flight instructors to establish recent experience by serving as a flight instructor in an FAA-sponsored pilot proficiency program. Additionally, while the FAA is not removing any existing allowances to renew a flight instructor certificate, as is discussed in section III.A. of this preamble, this final rule amends the reinstatement requirements of § 61.199 by allowing flight instructors to reinstate their flight instructor privileges by taking an approved flight instructor refresher course (FIRC), provided their recent experience has not lapsed for more than three calendar months. As discussed in section IV.E. of the preamble, this final rule also revises the qualifications for instructors seeking to train initial flight instructor applicants. Specifically, the FAA is updating the existing qualification method by adding two new options. The first new option is based on training and endorsing successful applicants for practical tests. The FAA is also introducing a second new option as a method of qualification by completion of a new training program designed to prepare flight instructors to train initial flight instructor applicants. Finally, the FAA will relocate and codify Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) No. 100-2, <E T="03">Relief for U.S. Military and Civilian Personnel who are Assigned Outside the United States in Support of U.S. Armed Forces Operations,</E> into parts 61, 63, and 65, respectively. The codification of SFAR No. 100-2 is further discussed in section IV.F. of this preamble. <HD SOURCE="HD2">B. Changes Made in This Final Rule</HD> This final rule adopts the amendments largely as proposed. The FAA notes three revisions to the rule, as explained in section IV. of this preamble. This final rule revises the recent experience requirements based on instructional activity in an FAA-sponsored pilot proficiency program to clarify that 15 activities, rather than 15 hours of flight training, are required under the pilot proficiency program. Additionally, this final rule revises § 61.197(b)(2)(i) to clarify that the 80 percent passage rate is based on all practical test applicants endorsed by the recommending instructor in the preceding 24 calendar months. The FAA has identified an unintended omission in the NPRM regarding a reference to flight instructor certificate expiration in § 61.51(h)(2)(ii). To correct this, the FAA will implement a two-phased amendment to this rule. The first phase will ensure that flight instructors who hold a flight instructor certificate with an expiration date and flight instructors who hold a flight instructor certificate without an expiration date will remain compliant with the requirements of § 61.51 when logging training time in pilot logbooks after the effective date of the final rule. The second phase will begin 27 months after the effective date of the final rule. This second amendment will remove references to the flight instructor certificate expiration date from § 61.51. The detailed discussion and rationale behind these changes are further discussed in section IV.G. of this preamble. Finally, this final rule more precisely describes the timeframe that a person may exercise the relief set forth in new § 61.40, currently SFAR 100-2, as (1) while the person serves in an operation as set forth in § 61.40(b)(1), or (2) six calendar months after returning to the United States. The FAA notes that there is no cost impact associated with any of the changes adopted in this final rule. <HD SOURCE="HD2">C. Summary of the Costs and Benefits</HD> The FAA estimates this rule to result in $5.6 million, discounted ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 255k characters. Full document text is stored and available for version comparison. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━