Page 61 - EAA78.Newsletter.Archives.(February.2017-July.2021)

CHAPTER CHATTER, EAA Chapter 78 8

Senator John Thune’s proposal fuels ALPA believes, “with a solid foundation of training
and experience, pilots are essential in maintaining
speculation about future airline pilot the safety of our system and ensuring that aviation
qualifications. safety continues to advance. Between 1990 and
2009, more than 1,100 people died on Part 121
Third-ranking Senate Republican John Thune of passenger airlines. Since new pilot training and
Nebraska added a proposal to the recently- qualification requirements were passed by
introduced FAA reauthorization bill hoping to amend Congress in 2010, the United States has not
the 1,500-hour requirement for airline pilot hiring. The experienced a single fatality on these carriers.”
rule, enacted in July 2013, requires Part 121 airline
new hires to qualify for an ATP certificate before Some experts acknowledged only a coincidence
starting work. Thune says he believes what he calls a between the law, the date of its implementation and
“narrow revision” to the law “preserves the strong accidents, but there is no factual evidence proving the
safety demands of the original law, but will offer law is responsible for the improved safety.
ways to make it easier for regional airlines to hire
copilots.”

Thune said his amendment will focus on the quality of
pilot training hours over quantity included in the current
law. Thune said any revisions to the rule would need to EAA Chapter 78
pass safety muster by the FAA.

The proposal could allow pilots to receive credit for
academics gathered from unaccredited institutions and
possibly while in training at the airlines. Critics
interpreted the possible changes to mean future pilots
could be hired based on “time spent watching videos President
in a classroom.” Beth Signore
Bethwhir39@yahoo.com
New York Democratic Senator Charles Schumer, a
sponsor of the original 1,500-hour rule, called it Vice President
“unthinkable” that anyone would try to water down Tom Russell
the FAA’s qualification standards, while his Senate Russelltc@yahoo.com
associate, Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand, said she’d use
every tool in her arsenal to defeat Thune’s amendment. Treasurer
Otto Blavier
The fact that Thune’s proposal left out specifics on how Ogblavier@gmail.com
his updates might be implemented didn’t stop critics
from creating a variety of narratives supporting the Secretary
case for leaving the original law untouched. The Air Guy Ullman
Line Pilots Association held a news conference last Guypeg@aol.com
Tuesday during which association president Tim Canoll
appeared with family members of those lost in the 2009 Editor
Colgan Flight 3407 crash to demand the law remain
intact. Bob Ferguson
Geronimo.e.kia369@gmail.com

The Buffalo News recently published an unconfirmed
document, Legislative Concepts to Address Pilot Webmaster
Shortage – Funding for Pilot Training, reportedly Bob Ferguson
detailing how Thune’s amendment might work. https://sites.google.com/view/eaa78/
EAAchapter78@gmail.com