But Agency Says No Regulatory Changes Are Imminent
The National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI),
representatives of other aviation organizations, and flight
instructor renewal clinic (FIRC) providers met with representatives
from the FAA's AFS-800 division in Washington, D.C. this week to
discuss "Updating the Flight instructor Renewal Process to Enhance
Safety of Flight." The meeting was the result of the FAA's
indication that it has "been reviewing indicators that suggest that
the process currently in place (by which flight instructors renew
their certificates) may lack sufficient effectiveness in ensuring
that CFIs are being provided the best information in the most
useful manner."
"The impetus behind the meeting wasn't that the FAA sees a
significant problem with flight instructors, but that it was part
of the agency's overall goal to reduce the accident rate in general
aviation, which has been flat in recent years per 100,000 hours of
operational activity," said NAFI Executive Director Jason Blair.
"The FAA sees flight instructors as an important part of the
solution of helping to decrease that overall accident rate."
Participants' initial concerns related to whether the FAA would
continue to allow flight instructors to renew their certificates
using the FIRC process, plus a broader concern that the FAA was
attempting to increase the requirements and continuing education
processes flight instructors would be subjected to in order to
renew their certificates.
While Blair said the FAA didn't indicate that it considers the
FIRC process to be broken, the agency is looking ahead. "Changes
are coming, and the FAA will evaluate what it needs to do to
address training in those upcoming changes," he said.
Agency officials indicated that, in some cases, FIRCs have
served a great service over the years and help keep instructors up
to date-maybe better than renewals granted through the
active-instruction renewal process, Blair said. So much so, that
requiring instructors to attend FIRCs every two years to promote
continued involvement in regular educational updates is on the
table.
"The FAA indicated that it's not expected that any regulatory
change will be made in the renewal process at this time," Blair
said. "The discussion was focused on continually improving the
quality of material that flight instructors encounter in their
renewal process."
The goal is professional, knowledgeable flight instructors who
can provide effective instruction for their clients, Blair said.
"NAFI certainly agrees with this goal, along with the continued
ability of flight instructors to renew their certificates under
current regulatory processes until such a time that any more
appropriate process can be validated by the FAA or through
collaboration with the industry."
Last week NAFI conducted a survey of its members to explore some
of the discussions expected at the meeting. The results of this
survey and the comments received from its members helped NAFI
explain the concerns of the flight-instructor community. "It was my
pleasure to share the comments and concerns of the NAFI membership
with the FAA and other industry representatives at this meeting,"
Blair said.
The survey results, along with comments submitted to the FAA at
the outset of the meeting, can be viewed at online.