Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a
substantial increase in the qualification requirements for first officers
who fly for U.S. passenger and cargo airlines. The proposed rule would require
first officers, also known as copilots, to hold an Airline Transport Pilot
(ATP) certificate, requiring 1,500 hours of pilot flight time. Currently, first
officers are required to have only a commercial pilot certificate, which
requires 250 hours of flight time. The proposal also would require first
officers to have an aircraft type rating, which involves additional training
and testing specific to the airplanes they fly.
Other highlights of the proposed rule include:
- requirement for pilots to have at least 1,000 flight hours as a pilot in air carrier operations that require an ATP prior to serving as a captain for a U.S. airline.
- enhanced training requirements for an ATP certificate, including 50 hours of multi-engine flight experience and completion of a new FAA-approved training program.
- allowance for pilots with fewer than 1,500 hours of flight time, but who have an aviation degree or military pilot experience, to obtain a restricted-privileges ATP certificate. These pilots could serve only as a first officer, not as a captain. Former military pilots with 750 hours of flight time would be able to apply for an ATP certificate with restricted privileges. Graduates of a 4-year baccalaureate aviation degree program would be able to obtain an ATP with 1,000 hours of flight time, only if they also obtained a commercial pilot certificate and instrument rating from a pilot school affiliated with the university or college.
The proposal addresses recommendations from an Aviation
Rulemaking Committee, National Transportation Safety Board, and FAA’s Call to
Action to improve airline safety.