FAA Says No To Trimming Pilot Training Time

The airlines are looking for ways to resolve a severe pilot shortage issue in the industry.

The Federal Aviation Administration today said that cutting the number of required hours of flight training time to become a co-pilot is not one of the answers.

The FAA rejected a proposal to trim the requirement in half, putting an end to the request by Republic Airways, according to CNBC.

It has been smaller, regional airlines like Republic that have been most affected by the pilot shortage as major commercial carriers have dipped into the regional ranks to fill its own holes. A combination of pilots who reached the mandatory retirement age of 65, along with the pandemic, buyouts, and early retirement have created the shortages among domestic airlines.

Republic had proposed cutting the required 1,500 hours of flight time needed to become a co-pilot in half to 750 hours after finishing an airline’s respective pilot training program. Currently, only those who served as military pilots can skirt the training time to become a commercial pilot.

“The FAA considers it to be of greater public interest to ensure and maintain the level of safety provided by the foundation of an integrated aviation education required by” current standards, the FAA said in its decision.

Republic made its request to the FAA in May.