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[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 248 (Tuesday, December 27, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 80831-80832]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-33091]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 135

[Docket No. FAA-2011-1397]

Clarification of Policy Regarding Approved Training Programs

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

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: This document announces the availability of an FAA Notice that 
would require FAA inspectors to review 14 CFR part 135 approved 
training programs to identify and correct those programs which 
erroneously issued credit for previous training or checking. The 
document also provides guidance on constructing reduced hour training 
programs based on previous experience. Upon review of the comments and 
any necessary revision, this document would cancel and replace FAA 
Order 8900.1, Volume 3, Chapter 19, Paragraph 3-1111.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before February 27, 
2012.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2011-1397 
using any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://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, 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: The FAA will post all comments it receives, without 
change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal 
information the commenter provides. Using the search function of the 
docket web site, anyone can find and read the electronic form of all 
comments received into any FAA dockets, including the name of the 
individual sending the comment (or signing the comment for an 
association, business, labor union, etc.). DOT's complete Privacy Act 
Statement can be found in the Federal Register published on April 11, 
2000 (65 FR 19477-19478), as well as at http://DocketsInfo.dot.gov.
    Docket: Background documents or comments received may be read at 
http://www.regulations.gov at any time. Follow the online instructions 
for accessing the docket or Docket Operations in Room W12-140 of the 
West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, 
DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Burke, Air Carrier Training 
Branch, Air Transportation Division, Flight Standards Service, Federal 
Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 
20591; telephone: (202)

[[Page 80832]]

267-8262; facsimile: (202) 267-5229; email: robert.burke@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FAA Order 8900.1, Flight Standards 
Information Management System, was issued on September 13, 2007. This 
order consolidated and replaced FAA Orders 8300.1, 8400.1, and 8700.1, 
the FAA's guidance to inspectors. There have been numerous inquiries by 
part 135 certificate holders regarding the acceptance of training/
evaluations previously completed by a crewmember while in the 
employment of another certificate holder. Regulations do not permit the 
crediting of such training (with the specific exception of CRM and DRM 
training).
    Additionally, some training centers have distributed a training 
program template that provides credit for training/evaluations 
conducted by another operator. Such provisions are contrary to the 
intent as well as the technical provisions of part 135 and are not 
appropriate for inclusion in a certificate holder's approved training 
program.
    Part 135 certificate holders may develop and submit for approval 
multiple curriculums for a particular crewmember position and aircraft 
make/model/variant. For example, a part 135 certificate holder may have 
a an initial new-hire curriculum designed to meet the requirements of 
new hire crewmembers that have minimal flight time, no previous part 
135 experience, or do not have qualifications related to the 
certificate holder's operational environment. The certificate holder 
may then also apply for a reduced new hire curriculum for pilots that 
have previous experience as a crewmember in part 135 operations and/or 
the particular aircraft and duty position. The second curriculum in 
this example may have less training hours due to the crewmember's 
extensive experience. Each of these curriculums would also have 
detailed prerequisites to define the level of experience required to 
enter into either of these new hire programs. There are no hour 
requirements which need to be defined on a reduced training program, 
however all the training elements of the certificate holder's full 
initial training program must be accomplished as well as the 
qualification module.
    While the FAA generally does not request comment on internal 
Notices and orders, the agency has established a docket for public 
comments regarding this guidance for inspectors in recognition of the 
interest of current 14 CFR part 135 certificate holders. The agency 
will consider all comments received by January 26, 2012. Comments 
received after that date may be considered if consideration will not 
delay agency action on the review. A copy of the proposed order is 
available for review in the assigned docket for the Order at http://www.regulations.gov.

    Issued in Washington, DC on December 13, 2011.
John S. Duncan,
Acting Deputy Director, FAA Flight Standards Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-33091 Filed 12-23-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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