Regional airlines have experienced the last six fatal commercial airline accidents, and pilot performance has been cited as a potential contributory factor in four of these accidents. As a result, Congress and others have raised questions about, among other issues, the initial pilot education and training required before pilots can be hired by airlines, at which time they receive further training. The initial training is provided by pilot schools overseen by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). As requested, this report discusses (1) the various types of U.S. pilot schools, how they compare, and associated issues; (2) key similarities and differences between the U.S. and international approaches to pilot training; and (3) how and to what extent FAA carries out oversight of pilot training and certification. To address these issues, GAO reviewed literature, legislation, regulations, and FAA documents and inspection and enforcement data; interviewed agency and industry officials; and studied the training approach in Europe because of the different training model and visited four European countries.
Initial Pilot Training: Better Management Controls Are Needed to Improve FAA Oversight
2011
70 pages
Report
No indication
English
Management Practice , Air Transportation , Aeronautics , Job Training & Career Development , Pilot training , US FAA , Oversight , Flight training , Regional airlines , Pilot performance , Human factors engineering , Education , Pilot certification , Private pilot , Commercial pilot , Airline transport pilot
Online Contents | 2013