Notice of Public Meeting and Request for Comment on the Modernization of Pilot Schools

[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 21 (Monday, February 2, 2026)] [Proposed Rules] [Pages 4464-4465] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2026-02010]

======================================================================== Proposed Rules Federal Register ________________________________________________________________________ This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules. ========================================================================

Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 21 / Monday, February 2, 2026 / Proposed Rules

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 141

[Docket No. FAA-2024-2531]

Notice of Public Meeting and Request for Comment on the Modernization of Pilot Schools

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of public meeting for proposed rulemaking; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces public meetings to solicit input on the modernization of pilot school regulations.

DATES: The FAA will hold virtual public meetings on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 and Wednesday, March 11, 2026, from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held virtually on Zoom. See website for registration information link for the meetings: https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/afx/afs/afs800/afs810/modernization_of_part-141_initiative. Comments: Written comments are requested no later than April 10, 2026. Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2024-2531 using any of the following methods: Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for sending your comments electronically. Mail: Send comments to Docket Operations, M-30; U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W12-140, West Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC 20590-0001. Hand Delivery or Courier: Take comments to Docket Operations in Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Fax: Fax comments to Docket Operations at (202) 493-2251. Privacy: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the public to better inform its rulemaking process. DOT posts these comments, without edit, including any personal information the commenter provides, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the system of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2008-01-17/pdf/E8-785.pdf. Docket: Background documents or comments received may be read at www.regulations.gov at any time. Follow the online instructions for accessing the docket or go to the Docket Operations in Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lyndsay Carlson with the Part 141 Modernization Initiative Team, Office of Safety Standards, General Aviation and Commercial Division, Training and Certification Group (AFS-810), Federal Aviation Administration; telephone (202) 267-1100; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 141 (Pilot Schools) prescribes the requirements for issuing pilot school air agency certificates, provisional pilot school air agency certificates, and associated ratings, and the general operating rules applicable to a holder of a certificate or rating issued under part 141. Through a part 141 pilot school, a student may obtain equivalent levels of aeronautical experience in fewer hours than required by 14 CFR part 61 (Certification: Pilots, Flight Instructors, and Ground Instructors). Part 141 schools are required to have FAA certification and supplementary oversight. Specifically, part 141 includes curricula standards for training and procedures to ensure a training course used by a school is adequate, appropriate, and administered by qualified personnel. The process of licensing or certification of pilot schools in the United States is approaching 100 years of existence. Although the FAA has revised certain regulatory requirements pertaining to pilot schools during this time, part 141 still has many foundational ties to Civil Air Regulations (CAR) part 50, which was implemented in the 1940s. Regulations for pilot schools are typically promulgated to improve safety, reduce aircraft accidents, and embrace changes such as advances in technology and the need for data collection and analysis. Modernizing part 141 is essential for addressing challenges pertaining to certification, certification management, examining authority, and evolving technology and learning methods. The objective of modernizing part 141 is to increase safety and create a foundation for a more structured and robust training environment to aid in the reduction of general aviation fatal accidents. Therefore, part 141 must be analyzed to determine how it can evolve with the changing aviation industry. Over the course of the project, the FAA is seeking engagement from the flight training industry through participation in public meetings. Collaboration is encouraged to stimulate the innovation of a modern part 141 that will serve the needs of current and future pilot schools, as well as provide a robust and safe training environment that instills the necessary knowledge, skills, critical thinking, and aeronautical decision making in its pilots to create a safer national airspace system.

Public Meeting

Information concerning the docket and public meetings, including upcoming meeting topics and previous meeting resources, will be posted at the following website: https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/afx/afs/afs800/afs810/modernization_of_part-141_initiative. DOT is committed to providing equal access to the meetings for all participants. If you require an alternative version of files provided or alternative accommodations, such as sign language, interpretation, or other ancillary aids, please contact the Part 141 Modernization Initiative Team, at [email protected] no later than February 24, 2026.

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Comments Encouraged

The FAA encourages the public to submit comments to www.regulations.gov, Docket No.: FAA-2024-2531. Comments that the FAA would find helpful include validated data and reports, unique discussion topics or scenarios, and/or feedback specific to modernizing part 141. The public is encouraged to provide feedback regarding innovative ideas; methods; solutions; products; and/or services that have, or could have, a significant impact on pilot school training. We encourage you to submit comments during these public meetings or electronically to Docket No.: FAA-2024-2531. If you submit your comments electronically, it is not necessary to also submit a hard copy. The submission of public comments is encouraged but not required for meeting participation. The FAA will consider public feedback to determine the need for future considerations to the CFR. The FAA will review comments that are post-marked, or submitted electronically, on or before the comment closing date of April 10, 2026.

Authority: 14 CFR 11.53.

Issued in Washington, DC, on January 28, 2026. Everette C. Rochon, Jr., Manager, Training and Certification Group, General Aviation and Commercial Division, Office of Safety Standards, Flight Standards Service. [FR Doc. 2026-02010 Filed 1-30-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910-13-P