October 7, 2009
What’s at Issue
U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) introduced S.1744, the Enhancing Flight Crewmembers Act.
Why It’s Important
The Enhancing Flight Crewmembers Training Act will significantly increase the entry threshold for applicants desiring a position with a Part 121 Air Carrier by requiring regulations to implement standards to ensure that crewmembers have proper qualifications and experience.
Major Provisions
The Enhancing Flight Crewmembers Training Act would require Part 121 Air Carriers to:
- Perform comprehensive pre-employment screening for flight crewmembers that includes an assessment of the skills, aptitudes, airmanship, and suitability of the applicant for the position in terms of the ability of the applicant to function effectively in the operational environment of the air carrier
- Ensure that within three years of enactment of S.1744 all flight crewmembers have an airline transport pilot certificate and a specific number of multi-engine hours to be specified by the FAA administrator
NATA Position
NATA believes that the provisions in the bill requiring air carriers to perform comprehensive pre-employment screening is a positive step for increasing air safety. However, requiring all Part 121 flight crewmembers to hold an air transport pilot (ATP) certificate would place unnecessary burdens on aspiring pilots that would do little to increase air safety. The majority of aspiring pilots would be forced, due to training costs, to remain as primary flight instructors as a means to acquire the additional time required to qualify for an ATP rating. These additional hours logged as a flight instructor in a relatively simple aircraft, in comparison to transport category aircraft, would not provide the type and quality of training and experience that S.1744 intends.
Status
The U.S. House of Representatives introduced H.R. 3371 the Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act of 2009, which includes a rulemaking proceeding almost identical to bill language in S. 1744. The rulemaking requires Part 121 air carriers to develop and implement methods for ensuring that flight crewmembers have proper qualifications and experience. One of the minimum requirements under the rule is that all flight crewmembers must obtain an airline transport pilot license under Part 61 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations. Senator Schumer believed that ATP requirements should be mandatory after the findings from the crash of Flight 3407 in Buffalo, New York. H.R. 3371 could reach the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives as early as next week. However, the likelihood of S. 1744 passing as a stand-alone bill on the floor of the U.S. Senate is slim.
Staff Contact: Kristen Moore
Director, Legislative Affairs
kmoore@nata.aero