U.S. SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION INDICATES 1,500 HOUR PILOT TRAINING REQUIREMENT WILL NOT CHANGE
May 13, 2019
On April 17, 2019, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao told the families of the victims of the February 12, 2009, Colgan Air flight 3407 crash that the Department would not seek to lower the current 1,500-hour pilot training requirement for first officers of scheduled air carriers. The requirement was first instituted in 2009, following the crash of Colgan Air Flight 3407, which crashed while en route from Newark Airport to Buffalo Niagara Airport. It is widely accepted that one of the primary causes of the crash was insufficient pilot training. Secretary Chao’s statement contrasts with her prior public statements on the issue, including comments made in July 2018 that the pilot training requirement has prevented capable pilots from being employed by Part 121 carriers.
Secretary Chao also confirmed that the FAA would establish an electronic database of all pilot records, as required by the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016. The database has been delayed due to software issues.
If you have any questions, please contact Evelyn Sahr (esahr@eckertseamans.com or 202-659-6622); Drew Derco (dderco@eckertseamans.com or 202-659-6665), or Alexander Matthews (amatthews@eckertseamans.com or 202-659-6633).
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