New Training Program Holds Promise

FAA Administrator Marion C. Blakey has announced that an FAA partnership with industry and academia is producing new innovative flight training products for advanced small general aviation aircraft. The FAA/Industry Training Standards Program (FITS) will help pilots keep pace with new aircraft and avionics technology, new airspace, and air traffic technology emerging in the general aviation community.

The program is focused on piston- and small turbine-powered aircraft used primarily for transportation, rather than for recreation or sport, and flown by a single professional pilot who is the aircraft’s owner. The FITS products primarily use risk management, scenario- and web-based training, and personal computer advanced training devices for initial, transition, recurrent, and flight instructor training.

"The core strategy of FITS is to improve safety by training pilots to fly as they would in the real world, rather than to merely pass a test," said Blakey, herself a non-pilot. "We’re thinking ‘outside the envelope’ to create advanced training that matches today’s technically advanced aircraft."

Impressive industry team:

The FITS development team includes Cirrus Design; AirShares Elite, a major fleet customer for the Cirrus aircraft; and Avidyne and Garmin, the avionics suppliers for Cirrus. The initial products issued under FITS include a transition training syllabus for the Cirrus SR-22 and a generic master transition training syllabus for similar technically advanced aircraft. The SR-22 syllabus training is currently conducted by the University of North Dakota Aerospace.

The development team also includes the FAA’s Center of Excellence for General Aviation Research and Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.

Eclipse Aviation is pioneering FITS development for turbine-powered aircraft, such as their Eclipse 500. Adam Aircraft, Diamond Aircraft, and Lancair have announced programs for producing single pilot small turbine powered aircraft.

The FITS partnership also includes training product suppliers and insurance entities. The Air Safety Foundation, Jeppesen, and King Schools are developing FITS products. Avemco has announced that satisfactory completion of certain FITS training may qualify pilots for premium credits of up to 10 percent under their Safety Rewards Program. An industry oversight team that includes the Small Aircraft Manufacturers Association, General Aviation Manufacturers Association, National Air Transportation Association, and the Air Safety Foundation provides additional support.

Incentives such as insurance benefits, reduced training times, convenient training such as self directed web based tutorials, and training relevant to the pilot’s type of flying should encourage the general aviation community to quickly adopt FITS. No regulatory mandates will be used and pilots may continue to comply with current regulatory standards such as the flight review and pilot proficiency or "Wings" program. 

The FITS program is managed by the FAA’s Flight Standards Service General Aviation and Commercial Division.

FMI: www.faa.gov