FSANA continues to represent its members and the flight training provider community in the ongoing efforts and meetings of the FAA Part 141 Modernization Project that began in March, 2025 when the public was invited to participate.

The stated goals for the project are:

• Enhancing Safety: By updating training standards and incorporating new technologies, the FAA aims to reduce accident rates in general aviation.

• Encouraging Innovation: The initiative seeks to create a robust training environment that adapts to advancements in aviation technology, such as GPS and electronic flight bags.

• Improving Training Efficiency: Modernized regulations will allow pilot schools to provide more effective training, potentially reducing the hours required for certification compared to traditional Part 61 training. 

The meetings are a mix of virtual and hybrid with the next meeting scheduled for July 8th-9th, being virtual.

The leaders on the project include the National Flight Training Alliance (NFTA) that volunteered to champion stakeholder engagement, Everette Rochon, FAA Manager of Airmen Training & Certification, AFS-810, Lyndsay Carlson, Part 141 Modernization Initiative Team, Training and Certification Group AFS-810 and a host of FAA support personnel and subject matter experts. NFTA lead Lee Collins demonstrated a timeline to produce a detailed report, similar to a white paper from the working groups to be issued to the FAA by December 2025. 

As for participants, Jeff Wolf, with NFTA Government Affairs, is the contact for participants and assigning participants to groups. There are numerous colleges/universities, independent training providers, supply chain partners and general aviation enthusiasts with a vast amount of talent, knowledge and experience within the 141 segment.

During the April 2025 meeting in Atlanta, it was determined that the four working groups would consist of Initial Certification, Certificate Management, Operations and Data Collection and Analysis.

Presentations from the FAA were shared on Examining Authority (EA) and Organization Designation Authorization (ODA). Group leads were chosen among NFTA and others, and subgroups consisted of participants that showed a desire to be a part of a specific or multiple groups.  

Some of the “Pain Points” discussed included lack of ASI’s, the desire for more Part 61 schools to enter Part 141, inconsistencies among POI’s and ASI’s upon inspections, challenges to hold Self-Examining Authority such as eliminating the 90% pass rate due to DPE issues, wait times and costs as a result of DPE shortage and wait times for training providers to become a 141 Pilot School.

There were suggestions from FSANA, NFTA, FAA and participants for possible solutions and the desire for the Modernized Part 141 included becoming more effective and efficient being the core goal.

Other thoughts included :

Centralized Part 141 Office

Tier levels for new 141 applicants [flight schools as providers, not the students] with a structure that each increment allows more privileges

Requiring pilot schools to utilize SMS and QMS for data sharing and analysis to reduce workload on POI’s

Incorporate an Operations Manual to gravitate away from TCO requirement

Reduced hours for Chief Instructors as well as more authority, eliminate Assistant Chief requirement for “other” locations

Eliminate certificate expiration like Part 147

Consider the EASA model to eliminate pass/fail rates with competency based completions (outcomes with better metrics)

Reduce CPL required hours, incentivize reduction of 1500 hour rule to 1000 hours.

"Competency Based Training" (CBT) is a major topic within the 141 project. With CBT, an airman that does not meet an established standard is placed back into the training cycle and given another check ride or phase check by an internal evaluator. There are no current FAA regulations on how many check rides and/or phase checks that an airman can fail before other actions are considered.

An example of a failed CBT model gone wrong was the Colgan Air flight #3407 fatal accident on February 3, 2025. With this accident, the Captain had over 3,300 hour of flight time. Training records indicated that the Captain had failed various internal Colgan check rides over a period of time.

Noted in the most recent Part 141 meeting was a response to a question regarding if a goal of the 141 modernization effort was to "bring all flight schools under some tier of 141, eventually making Part 61 flight training schools less important." The response to this by a group lead was that the "...vision would be that Part 61 [training] becomes truly individual instruction, not schools."

There is more to come, but these are some of the highlights of the meeting's discussion points through June 2025. While the 141 project is still maturing, FSANA is not necessarily in favor of all of the possible changes at this stage of the project.

Debbie Sparks, FSANA Vice President is the primary point of contact for the 141 project. Debbie can be reached at debbie@fsana.com

While the committees are hard at work in their respective areas, the next Virtual meeting will be held July 8th-9th and should hold significant advancement to the strategy of improvement and modernization of Part 141.

Robert Rockmaker, president & CEO of FSANA stated, “We are optimistic about the many positive value propositions that can be brought forward with an update to the current Part 141 regulations. We remain cautiously guarded with respect to the prospects for “Competency Based Training” (CBT). CBT without a just and proper testing culture which includes external checks and balances and data out reporting by the training providers, will most likely lead to a devaluation of airman quality at the Ab Initio level". More updates will be shared as the project moves forward.

Information can be obtained by visiting:

https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/afx/afs/afs800/afs810/modernization_of_part-141_initiative

or find the schedule of meetings and comments requested by clicking the following link:

Notice of Public Meetings and Request for Comment on the Modernization of Pilot Schools

FSANA has added a new staff position to further support our FSANA members and the GA industry. Captain Frank Wortell has joined the team as the new FSANA Vice President of Safety.

Captain Wortell has had a long career including starting with the United States Air Force in the flight simulation category. He then graduated from the Eastern Airlines Ab Initio pilot training program.

As a CFI, he has given over 1,200 hours of instruction. He joined Bar Harbor Airlines/Continental Express starting in 1990. Flying Beech 99, Embraer 120 and ATR-42 aircraft.

Frank joined Continental Airlines in 1997 which became United Airlines. He advanced to check airman status on the Boeing 757 and 767 over a 13-year time period. During that time, he built 6,000 hours as an instructor. He also became a simulator evaluator and an Aircrew Program Designee for 5 years.

Frank later added Check Pilot Examiner (CPE) to his flight plan which afforded him the ability to train and evaluate check airman. He retired with over 25,000 hours of flight time and his final aircraft was the Boeing 787 full model series.

Most recently, and the position from which he retired, he was a senior Captain at United Airlines on the 787 airframe. His retirement this past month now offers him time and freedom to engage back with the industry, in the training sector where he began before transitioning into airline service as a pilot.

Frank has been a student of aviation for decades and he spends time studying accident reports in order to ensure a "Never Ending Learning" approach to the art of flying aircraft.

Captain Wortell's first duties began last week with him representing FSANA at the General Aviation Joint Safety Committee meeting on behalf of the association and its members.

FSANA welcomes his many years of experience, dedication to safety and training, and looks forward to his participation in the association and the flight training community.

The General Aviation Joint Safety Committee meets quarterly to discuss all "General Aviation" (GA) safety matters. Captain Frank Wortell, FSANA's Vice President of Safety attended the meeting held at AOPA headquarters.

The GAJSC works collaboratively toward the creation of a safer GA industry. The practice of "Never Ending Improvement" forms the backbone of a quality safety culture which is key to the GA side of the aviation industry.

Stabilized Approach and Landing is one of the most recent Monthly Fly Safe Topic. Click here to see it and please share it with your CFI's and customers.

Hold the date!

More information coming soon, but the 17th Annual Flight School Operators Conference will be in San Diego at the Loews Hotel in Coronado Bay, February 25-27, 2026.

The conference will again bring together flight training providers, industry professionals, government officials, and product providers for the flight training industry.

We will have more information soon, including booking information for rooms and event details as the date approaches. For the meantime, set the data in your calendar and plan to join us for this yearly event.

Bringing DPEs together for the fourth time, FSANA is again going to be hosting a DPE conference. This year's DPE symposium will be held in Dallas on Wednesday through Friday, November 12, 13, and 14.

The goal of the conference has been and continues to be an effort to bring DPEs together to help standardization, help individuals who might be interested in becoming DPEs learn more about the process and potential, and bring FAA staff together with attendees to share information about FAA efforts, DPE practices, and currency.

A change to this year's conference, the last day of the conference is being crafted with the help of the FAA to be an event that will meet 24-month DPE currency requirements that are otherwise completed in an online training session. A goal of the FSANA DPE conference each year is to make each event, an in-person opportunity to share information and at the same time allow attendees to meet their every-other-year training requirements from the FAA for examiner currency.

FSANA looks forward to providing more information as the schedule is finalized and the hotel details become available. For now, if you are a DPE, keep November 12-15, 2025 open in your calendar and plan on joining FSANA and your fellow DPEs from around the country in Dallas.

FSANA continues to meet with Federal legislators and their staff to discuss items of interest in the flight training and GA space. Today, our Federal elected officials in Congress are busier than ever before.

Sharing the basics of flight training whether it be for career pathways or simply securing the private pilot certificate is always an interest on the Hill.

FSANA has become recognized in DC and will continue to share the flight training story and all related matters on a regular basis.

FSANA had been receiving questions recently regarding if a Real ID compliant ID was required for applicants to able to take practical tests. It was reported that some areas of the country had DPEs instructed that this was the case.

Last week, the FAA notified all DPEs that a REAL ID compliant ID was not required for a practical test.

Specifically, the communication in the FAA's Designee Management System noted:

Parts 61, 63, 65, 67, 107, or 183 of 14 CFR permit persons to apply for a certificate, rating, or authorization using a U.S. Driver’s License as a form of official government identification. Further, § 61.3(a)(2) requires persons who hold a part 61 certificate to carry photo identification when exercising the privileges of that pilot certificate or authorization. That photo identification may include a U.S. issued driver’s license.

The Real ID Act of 2005 does not apply to the issuance of a certificate, rating, or authorization under 14 CFR. The FAA and designees may continue to accept driver’s licenses that are not REAL ID compliant to meet requirements of parts 61, 63, 65, 67, 107, or 183 related to holding a driver's license. A Notice is projected to be published in July to formally address this.

Each year, the FAA surveys operational activity of aircraft in the national airspace system. To do this, they send out mailer cards to selected sample groups of aircraft owners. If you have gotten one of these surveys for an aircraft you own or operate, help them collect valid information by completing the survey prior to the deadline.

At its Summer 2025 Meeting, the IAAC Commission approved the proposed clarification to the current IAAC Standards applicable to adding new Branch locations.

Since its inception, the Commission has had an established and published standard, policy and procedure for adding additional locations that are apart from the Main School campus. These are specified in Section 1-H - Additional Procedures for Institutions to Add Additional Locations, Branches, Satellites or Academic Spaces apart from the School, IAAC Aerospace Accreditation Standards, sub-section (d) The Commission may consider the additional branch for accreditation after it has completed an evaluation and assured that the Commission standards have been met.

As a new agency, the IAAC has recognized that this portion of the standards regarding Branch campuses requires further clarification. We are issuing this guidance so as to avoid any confusion regarding the addition of new Branch locations. New Branch locations are those that were not originally submitted when the main school applied for initial accreditation. This clarification outlines and applies to a currently accredited main school wishing to add a new Branch Campus. The IAAC has other policies and procedures for locations that are not branches. Schools are directed to review document S – Definitions of Institutional Classifications for guidance.

The Policy for Adding a New Branch provides necessary clarity and direction to accredited schools so as to guide their deliberations when considering an expansion. It outlines the criteria which constitutes a Branch and the timing for initial and final approval by the Commission.

The Application for a Branch Campus collects the necessary preliminary data and information for the Commission to reach a reasonable conclusion that the main school has substantively met the criteria, subject to review and verification to continue through the process.

For more information click here.

Kansas City, MO — [May 19, 2025] — Flight Schedule Pro, the aviation industry's most widely used platform for training operations, has partnered with Sallie Mae® to offer students responsible financing options as they track their training milestones on their path to becoming pilots.

This exclusive partnership offers approved schools in all 50 states a trusted private student lending option for qualified students. In addition to using Flight Schedule Pro for scheduling, training, and billing, students will be able to track their Sallie Mae private student loan disbursements throughout their program, providing a fully integrated student experience—from loan to logbook. The partnership also enhances analytics for flight schools and instructors, improving coaching, graduation rates, and operations.

“Flight schools are the backbone of our industry, and their work is nothing short of heroic,” said Nick Wegner, CEO of Flight Schedule Pro. “As pilots ourselves, we know what it takes to chase the dream of flight — and we build every solution with that journey in mind. By partnering with Sallie Mae, a trusted and well-capitalized lender, we ensure students have the opportunity to reach their first destination: the left seat of a professional cockpit.”

For decades, aspiring pilots have faced financial hurdles, with little transparency or predictability in how funds were used. Now, Flight Schedule Pro and Sallie Mae are partnering to deliver a new model — one that mirrors the standards and structure of modern higher education.

“This collaboration brings responsible, career-focused lending and new levels of transparency to flight training at a critical moment for the industry,” said Patrick Freeman, senior vice president and general manager of private student lending and deposits at Sallie Mae. “We're proud to play a role in helping aspiring aviators access the tools they need to stay on track and complete their programs with confidence."

Running a flight school today means juggling far more than aircraft and airspace — it’s about maximizing fleet utilization, ensuring CFI performance, increasing student throughput, and delivering on career outcomes. Yet without a consistent benchmark for training success, schools have lacked the data to grow efficiently. Flight Schedule Pro is changing that. By working hand-in-hand with our flight school partners, we’re creating a new performance framework for aviation training — one that helps schools track outcomes, optimize resources, and build sustainable, student-first operations.

Together, we are setting a new standard in aviation training and financing — mirroring the accessibility and structure of traditional higher education. “This is a milestone moment,” said Nick Wegner, CEO of Flight Schedule Pro. “Student pilots deserve more than a loan — they deserve a flight plan for their career. By embedding loan tracking into the heart of the training journey, we’re not only making it easier to access flight training, we’re creating accountability for both students and schools.”

Flight Schedule Pro is the only platform that tracks student progress at scale, and with the trust of the nation’s top-flight schools. In Q1 2025 alone, over 70 new schools joined the platform. The integration and student progress dashboards were built and tested in collaboration with the needs of Part 141 flight schools.

Flight schools already using the new integration are seeing the impact firsthand — both operationally and financially:

"We used to spend hours every month chasing down student loan details across multiple portals. Now, having everything in one place — with a clear view of each student’s financial standing — not only saves time but gives us confidence in the accuracy of our data. This is a transformative improvement to our accounting process."

— Keara Neifach, Director of Operations, ATD Flight Systems

"This is the first solution that truly connects the dots between student training and financing. It’s a whole new level of visibility and control."

— Robert Ferree, CEO, High Flight Academy

The program’s staged rollout is already underway, with early adopters beginning implementation. Interested flight schools ready to transform how they support career-focused students are encouraged to complete this form to express interest and secure a spot in the rollout.

Learn more at: http://flightschedulepro.com/

The May/June 2025 issue of FAA Safety Briefing magazine focuses on the variety of tools and technology pilots use to safely avoid and mitigate risk during flight. Feature articles cover some of the FAA’s latest weather research work and programs and provide important tips on how to properly “tame” your technology. We also explore the many benefits of participating in the annual GA and Part 135 Activity Survey.

You can see the download the May/June 2025 issue by clicking here.