Tell HN: The FAA is pushing to decimate small flight schools

[salusinarduis]

TL;DR: The proposed FAA changes require examiners to have at least five hours of flight time in the exact model of airplane you are using before they can test you. Because there are hundreds of slightly different model variations (like a Cessna 172P vs. a 172R), most examiners won't have the specific hours needed for every plane. This effectively disqualifies the majority of local examiners, creating massive backlogs and making it nearly impossible to find someone legally allowed to give you a checkride. This directly benefits big corporate schools as their have their own certification process that is unaffected by this change.

The FAA has released proposed changes to FAA Order 8000.95D Chg 1 that directly affect how designated pilot examiners (DPEs) operate and how flight schools schedule and conduct practical tests. The deadline to submit comments is fast approaching-11:59 PM Friday night, January 23rd. Please review and provide feedback on these proposed changes before they become final policy.

Comments are quick and easy if you follow the instructions and links the end of this message.

Summary of Key Proposed Changes FAA Order 8000.9D Chg 1 Restrictions on DPEs Conducting Flight Instructor Examinations: The changes would limit the ability of DPEs to administer flight instructor practical tests. This restriction could significantly reduce the flexibility and availability of examiners, particularly impacting high-volume flight schools. Found in Volume 3, Chapter 5, Section 2, paragraph H, items (3) & (15).

New PIC Time Requirements: Examiners would be required to have at least five hours of pilot-in-command (PIC) time in each make and model before conducting a check ride in single engine aircraft. This requirement may limit the pool of available examiners and could lead to scheduling delays. Found in Volume 3, Chapter 1, Section 2, Table 3-3.

Fee Collection Provision: The proposed changes would prohibit DPEs from collecting any fees until after the applicant's eligibility is determined during the pre-test briefing. This could create administrative burdens for both examiners and flight schools, potentially complicating the scheduling and payment process. Found in Volume 3, Chapter 5, Section 2, Paragraph C, Items (7) & (8).

Review the full text of the proposed changes to FAA Order 8000.95D Chg 1 here: https://www.regulations.gov/document/FAA-2025-1218-0003

[JCBird1012]

And just when I thought the DPE system couldn’t get any worse.

[bediger4000]

What are the follow-on effects of this? Would it empty or slow the pipeline to military pilot status or something? What caused the proposed change? Did some training disaster related to small differences in airplanes occur, or is this some favor to a Trump donor, or something else?

[toomuchtodo]

Military pilots have their own training pipeline, and usually end up in commercial airline roles when they separate from service. This could potentially impair the pilot feeder pipeline to small regional carriers, and those pilots eventually graduate to large carriers once they have enough time on their log. Might also impact regional air routes and service.

https://raa.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Press-Release-ALP... (2022)

[almosthere]

Probably because their customers are Chinese nationals learning to fly.