Says FAA Reauthorization Bill May Not Be The Best Place To Address The Issue

Senate Commerce Committee Chair Senator John Thune (R-SD) says he is open to dropping a controversial pilot-training provision from the FAA reauthorization bill in an effort to get long-term funding in place for the agency early next year.

Senator Thune (pictured) told Bloomberg Government that the reauthorization bill might not be the best place to address pilot training. The bill would make it easier for pilots to move into a First Officer position with an airline by easing the 1,500 hour minimum requirement currently mandated by the federal government. Some have pointed to that requirement as contributing to a pilot shortage in the airline industry.

"If we feel like we’re making sufficient headway on the 1,500 hours or at least on the pilot shortage issue in some other venue then we might be able to just start moving our bill," Thune said.

The latest continuing resolution funding the FAA expires on March 31, 2018. Thune said that the willingness on the part of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to address the pilot shortage through regulation may mean that a legislative solution will not be necessary.

(Image from file)

FMI: Original Report