Could Reduce Minimum Time For First Officers To 500 Hours In Some Situations

Some military pilots with as few as 500 hours flying time could be eligible for a right seat spot at an airline, according to sources familiar with guidelines being discussed by an FAA advisory committee.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the committee is mulling a change in the flight time rules put in place after Congress mandated that the agency do so as in part as a response to the Colgan flight 3407 accident in February, 2009. Under the rules that were put in place in 2013 by the FAA,  first officers are required to hold an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate, requiring 1,500 hours total time as a pilot. The rule makes exception for pilots with fewer than 1,500 hours or who have not reached the age of 23 to obtain a "restricted privileges" ATP certificate.

A restricted privileges ATP certificate allows a pilot to serve as a co-pilot until he or she obtains the necessary 1,500 hours. The options are:

• Military pilots with 750 hours total time as a pilot;
• Graduates holding a Bachelor's degree with an aviation major with 1,000 hours total time as a pilot;
• Graduates holding an Associate's degree with an aviation major with 1,250 hours;
• Pilots who are at least 21 years old with 1,500 flight hours.

But with more and more predictions of a shortage of qualified pilots in the pipeline, the FAA formed the committee to determine if the industry could keep up with demand given its current rules.

Apparently, that answer is "no".

A spokeswoman from the FAA told the Wall Street Journal that the agency is reviewing the committee's recommendations, but no other details are being released at this time.

And even if they do lower the requirements, Aviation Consultant Kit Darby told the blog AirlinePilotCentral.com that only about a quarter of the airline's pilots come from a military background, so the effect could be at best limited.

FMI: www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=14838