FAA · Information for Operators (InFO)
InFO 17017: Enhanced Pilot Training and Qualification for Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14CFR) Part 121 Pilots
In Brief
What It Addresses
This InFO serves to remind part 121 air carriers, per part 121 §§ 121.405, 121.423, 121.424, and 121.441, and part 121 appendices E and F, that pilot training and qualification curriculums must be revised and approved by March 12, 2019, to include the enhanced pilot training and qualification requirements. Additionally, this InFO serves to remind part 121 carriers, per part 60, that full flight simulators (FFS) must be specifically qualified to conduct the training and checking of specific maneuvers by March 12, 2019.
Why It Matters
On November 12, 2013, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued the Qualification, Service, and Use of Crewmembers and Aircraft Dispatchers Final Rule, which implemented enhanced pilot training and qualification in part 121, including stall and upset prevention and recovery training. Additionally, on March 30, 2016, the FAA issued the Flight Simulation Training Device Qualification Standards for Extended Envelope and Adverse Weather Event Training Tasks Final Rule, which improved existing technical standards and introduced new technical standards to define flight simulation training device (FSTD) fidelity requirements to conduct the enhanced pilot training and qualification.
Recommended Action
Part 121 Directors of Operations, Chief Pilots, and Training Managers should develop a plan to ensure the carrier will meet the enhanced pilot training and qualification requirements by the compliance date, including the following: • Flight instructors and check pilots will be appropriately trained on the revised curriculum prior to conducting training or checking of the new maneuvers and procedures; • The carrier will have access to a sufficient number of qualified FFSs for each airplane type by the compliance date; • The carrier can appropriately schedule training to ensure all pilots qualified on March 12, 2019, will complete the recurrent extended envelope training no later than March 31, 2020. Depending on the number of pilots and FFSs available, carriers may need to begin the recurrent extended envelope training prior to the compliance date to ensure all pilots complete the training by March 31, 2020; and • Carriers who lease an FFS(s) from another entity need to coordinate with that entity to ensure the FFS(s) will meet the additional qualification requirements by the compliance date or coordinate to obtain their own FFS(s) or use of a qualified FFS(s) from another entity.
From the Document: selected source passages, quoted as written, for a quick overview.
Distributed by: AFS-200 OPR: AFS-280
http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/airline_operators/airline_safety/info An InFO contains valuable information for operators that should help them meet certain administrative, regulatory, or operational requirements with relatively low urgency or impact on safety.
Subject: Enhanced Pilot Training and Qualification for Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14CFR) Part 121 Pilots
Purpose: This InFO serves to remind part 121 air carriers, per part 121 §§ 121.405, 121.423, 121.424, and 121.441, and part 121 appendices E and F, that pilot training and qualification curriculums must be revised and approved by March 12, 2019, to include the enhanced pilot training and qualification requirements. Additionally, this InFO serves to remind part 121 carriers, per part 60, that full flight simulators (FFS) must be specifically qualified to conduct the training and checking of specific maneuvers by March 12, 2019.
This InFO applies to carriers that train and qualify pilots in accordance with part 121 subparts N and O and carriers that train and qualify pilots in accordance with part 121 subpart Y.
Background: On November 12, 2013, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued the Qualification, Service, and Use of Crewmembers and Aircraft Dispatchers Final Rule, which implemented enhanced pilot training and qualification in part 121, including stall and upset prevention and recovery training.
Additionally, on March 30, 2016, the FAA issued the Flight Simulation Training Device Qualification Standards for Extended Envelope and Adverse Weather Event Training Tasks Final Rule, which improved existing technical standards and introduced new technical standards to define flight simulation training device (FSTD) fidelity requirements to conduct the enhanced pilot training and qualification.
Discussion: Any initial, transition, upgrade, or requalification pilot training and qualification curriculum that has not been revised and approved by the FAA to include the new requirements may not be used after March 12, 2019. Compliance with the enhanced pilot training and qualification requirements is required no later than March 12, 2019. In accordance with § 121.423(f), pilots qualified to serve in operations under part 121 on March 12, 2019, must complete the recurrent extended envelope training specified in § 121.423 no later than March 31, 2020.
In accordance with part 60 (FSTD Directive 2), after March 12, 2019, a Level C or D FFS must be specifically qualified in order to conduct the training or checking of upset recovery, recovery from full stall and stick pusher activation, recovery from bounced landing, crosswind takeoffs and landings with gust, and demonstrations of the effects of engine and airframe ice accretion. FSTD qualification for these tasks will be issued by the National Simulator Program and annotated on the FSTD’s Statement of Qualification (SOQ). Air carriers should coordinate with their simulator data providers such as aircraft InFOInformation for Operators
U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation
Administration
InFO 17017
DATE: 11/20/17
Flight Standards
Service
Washington, DC
Distributed by: AFS-200 OPR: AFS-280
original equipment manufacturers or other third-party data providers to ensure aerodynamic data updates are provided in a timely manner in order to meet the compliance dates. Specific requirements for aerodynamic source data and validation data are described in part 60, FSTD Directive 2. FSTD Directive 2 is available at http://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/nsp/fstd_dir/. Section 121.423 permits a carrier to submit a request for deviation to conduct the extended envelope training using an alternative method to meet the learning objectives.
However, as explained in the preamble to the Qualification, Service, and Use of Crewmembers and Aircraft Dispatchers final rule, this deviation is intended only for those limited instances in which a Level C or higher FFS does not exist (e.g., certain older fleets such as the Convair 580) or, for extraordinary reasons, access to a Level C or higher FFS is limited. The preamble further explained that currently over 95 percent of FAA-qualified FFSs that replicate airplanes used in part 121 operations are a Level C or higher FFS. Therefore, with proper planning, very few carriers will have a need for a deviation.
The FAA will not authorize a deviation to the requirements of § 121.423 due to the carrier’s lack of planning.
Recommended Action: Part 121 Directors of Operations, Chief Pilots, and Training Managers should develop a plan to ensure the carrier will meet the enhanced pilot training and qualification requirements by the compliance date, including the following:
Flight instructors and check pilots will be appropriately trained on the revised curriculum prior to conducting training or checking of the new maneuvers and procedures;
The carrier will have access to a sufficient number of qualified FFSs for each airplane type by the compliance date;
The carrier can appropriately schedule training to ensure all pilots qualified on March 12, 2019, will complete the recurrent extended envelope training no later than March 31, 2020. Depending on the number of pilots and FFSs available, carriers may need to begin the recurrent extended envelope training prior to the compliance date to ensure all pilots complete the training by March 31, 2020; and
Carriers who lease an FFS(s) from another entity need to coordinate with that entity to ensure the FFS(s) will meet the additional qualification requirements by the compliance date or coordinate to obtain their own FFS(s) or use of a qualified FFS(s) from another entity.
Resources: Additional information and resources are available at
https://www.faa.gov/pilots/training/air_carrier/.
Contact: Questions or comments regarding this InFO should be directed to the Air Carrier Training Systems and Voluntary Safety Programs Branch, AFS-280, at (202) 267-8166. Questions or comments regarding FSTD Directive 2 should be directed to the National Simulator Program Branch, AFS-205, at 404-474-5620.
Source: Federal Aviation Administration — www.faa.gov. Reproduced from the published record; FlightPush adds formatting only.
InFO 17017