Regional Airline Association Issues Statement on Republic Airways Petition | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-07.07.25

Airborne-NextGen-07.08.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.09.25

Airborne-FlightTraining-07.10.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.11.25

Thu, Sep 22, 2022

Regional Airline Association Issues Statement on Republic Airways Petition

FAA Denies Request to Consider Private, Part 141 R-ATP Flight School Equivalent to Military Pilot Training

The RAA has weighed in on the FAA's decision to deny a Republic Airways attempt to lessen the experience requirement for those pilots graduating from their LIFT Flight Academy. 

The airline filed a petition last April requesting an exemption from Part 61.160, arguing that its Restricted-ATP program sufficiently resembles US Military training in quality and spirit. If granted, the exemption would allow graduates of its pilot school to fly under the same experience requirements as former military aviators. If it had been approved, the graduates of the LIFT Academy would be able to fly for Republic Airways at 750 hours of total flight time instead of the ATP-standard of 1,500. 

Republic Airways argued that their closed-loop, integrated program was sufficiently similar to military pilot training, and should meet the requirements outlined in 14 CFR §61.160. Republic believes that their "comprehensive and structured training…satisfies the spirit of regulations, while enhancing safety and providing a benefit to the public." They argue that LIFT Academy, the airline's subsidiary flight school, shares "close alignment" with its parent, allowing them to maintain similarity in SOP, operations, assessments, and AQP data analysis. The "zero-to-hero" aspect of the school, where students progress from initial flight training to a First Officer applicant at Republic Airways was hoped to be close enough to military R-ATP training that there would not be an appreciable difference between them.

The FAA disagrees entirely, saying that even if the schooling were equivalent, the airline sought to address their desires the wrong way. “FAA disagrees with reducing the amount of required aeronautical experience at this time. Further, the FAA finds that, if a reduction in hours was appropriate, an exemption is not the appropriate vehicle with which to make such a determination." They do not agree that the exemption would help to address a pilot shortage, saying that the idea it would is “overly simplistic and does not present a persuasive argument to lower 14 CFR Part 61 pilot certification standards.” 

The Regional Airline Association was understandably crestfallen at the refusal. Were the exemption granted, it might have opened a new path to cultivating sorely needed first officers right as the pilot shortage looms closer. “We are still reviewing the FAA's decision," said Faye Malarkey Black, CEO of the RAA. "It is the mission of all airlines to have robust safety programs and to improve flight training on a continuous basis. The first focus must be safety. Expanding structured training pathways would improve access for people who can’t access a pilot career today."

"It is important to note that Republic’s petition was designed to be in compliance with the information and conclusions reached by FAA’s Aviation Rulemaking Committee recommendations & conclusions on two separate meetings of that group. We look forward to reviewing the FAA’s response. None of this changes our sentiment that flight training must continuously advance."

FMI: www.raa.org

Advertisement

More News

Classic Aero-TV: Up Close And Personal - The Aeroshell Aerobatic Team at Oshkosh

From 2014 (YouTube Version): One Of The Airshow World's Pre-Eminent Formation Teams Chats About The State Of The Industry At EAA AirVenture 2014, ANN News Editor Tom Patton gets th>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (07.13.25): Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN)

Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) An ultra-high frequency electronic rho-theta air navigation aid which provides suitably equipped aircraft a continuous indication of bearing and dis>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (07.13.25)

Aero Linx: Doobert Hi, we're Chris & Rachael Roy, founders and owners of Doobert. Chris is a technology guy in his “day” job and used his experience to create Doobe>[...]

NTSB Prelim: Pitts S2

The Airplane Was Spinning In A Nose-Down Attitude Before It Impacted Terrain On June 20, 2025, at 0900 eastern daylight time, a Pitts Aerobatics S-2B, N79AV, was destroyed when it >[...]

Airborne 07.09.25: B-17 Sentimental Journey, Airport Scandal, NORAD Intercepts

Also: United Elite Sues, Newark ATC Transitions, Discovery Moves?, Textron @ KOSH The Commemorative Air Force Airbase Arizona is taking its “Flying Legends of Victory Tour&rd>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC