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130408 ATST WG Background Information for FR Review

Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee

Airman Testing Standards and Training Working Group

Industry-Led Changes to 

FAA Airman Testing Standards and Training

Background: Building an ARC

For many years, the aviation training community has criticized the FAA’s airman testing 

standards and training materials as being outdated and out of touch with current technology and 

education/training methods. Industry also faulted the agency for piecemeal and unilateral efforts 

to make revisions. 

To address these issues, in September 2011 the FAA chartered the Airman Testing Standards 

and Training Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) to make recommendations on the content, 

process, methodology, and priorities for updating airman testing standards and training 

material. The ARC included broad representation from the aviation community, including 

industry associations, universities, training providers, and professional associations. 

The ARC submitted its report and nine recommendations to the FAA on April 13, 2012.

The ARC’s key recommendation on content called for the FAA to integrate knowledge, skills, 

and risk management for each major task in the current Practical Test Standards (PTS) into a 

single Airman Certification Standards (ACS) document. ARC members stated that this 

approach would improve and integrate testing and training by clearly mapping aeronautical 

knowledge and risk management to the flight proficiency skills as defined in the PTS. 

From ARC to ARAC: Mapping a New Model for Airman Testing and Training

To accomplish this task and other ARC recommendations, the FAA accepted the ARC’s 

process and methodology recommendations to establish a stakeholder body of industry subject 

matter experts (SMEs). In August 2012, the FAA assigned this task to the Aviation Rulemaking 

Advisory Committee (ARAC), a formal standing committee comprised of representatives from 

aviation associations and industry. ARAC provides industry input in the form of information, 

advice and recommendations to be considered in the full range of FAA rulemaking activities, 

including regulatory support.

The FAA announced the ARAC’s acceptance of this task through a Federal Register Notice 

published on September 12, 2012. This Notice described the task elements and solicited 

participants for the ARAC Airman Testing Standards and Training Working Group (ARAC ATST 

WG), which formed and began its work in November 2012. Members of the ARAC ATST WG 

are listed on the final page of this document.
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130408 ATST WG Background Information for FR Review

As stated in the Notice, the FAA specifically tasked the ARAC ATST WG to provide:

• An integrated Airman Certification Standards (ACS) document that aligns the aeronautical 

knowledge testing standards required by 14 CFR part 61 with the flight proficiency 

standards ("Areas of Operation") set out in 14 CFR part 61 and the existing Practical Test 

Standards (PTS). Consistent with the ARC’s recommended prioritization, the FAA asked the 

ARAC ATST WG to develop complete ACS documents for the private pilot and flight 

instructor certificates and the instrument rating. 

• A detailed proposal to align and, as appropriate, streamline and consolidate existing FAA 

guidance material (e.g., FAA H-series handbooks) with the integrated Airman Certification 

Standards documents developed in accordance with the first task. The FAA also asked the 

ARAC ATST WG to recommend a process for ongoing stakeholder review and revision of 

these materials.

• Proposed knowledge test item bank questions that are consistent with both the newlydeveloped Airman Certification Standards documents and the test question development 

principles set forth in the ARC's recommendations. In addition, the FAA asked the ARAC 

ATST WG to recommend methods that provide for expert outside review (“boarding”) of 

proposed questions while safeguarding the integrity of the testing process.

Wind Check: Seeking Public Review and Comment

As of April 2013, the ARAC ATST WG has developed draft Airman Certification Standards 

(ACS) documents for the private pilot certificate and the instrument rating. 

As envisioned by the original ARC, these draft documents align the aeronautical knowledge 

testing standards required by 14 CFR part 61 with the flight proficiency standards set out in the 

existing Practical Test Standards (PTS). Where appropriate, the ARAC ATST WG also 

consolidated overlapping and/or duplicative Areas of Operation or Tasks.

In addition to supporting the FAA’s effort to improve the relevance, reliability, validity, and 

effectiveness of aeronautical testing and training materials, the draft ACS documents contribute 

to the goal of reducing fatal general aviation accidents by incorporating task-specific risk 

management considerations into each Area of Operation. 

The FAA views the ACS documents as the foundation of its transition to a more integrated and 

systematic approach to airman certification testing and training. To accomplish this objective 

and achieve its overall safety goals, the FAA intends to use the safety management system 

(SMS) framework. SMS methodology provides a systematic approach to achieving acceptable 

levels of safety risk. The ACS, associated guidance, and test item bank question components of 

the airman certification system are being constructed around the four functional components of 

an SMS: 

• Safety Policy that defines and describes aeronautical knowledge, flight proficiency, and risk 

management as integrated components of the airman certification system;

• Safety Risk Management processes through which internal and external stakeholders 

identify and evaluate regulatory changes, safety recommendations, or other factors that 

require modification of airman testing and training materials;
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Airman Testing Standards and Training Working Group

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130408 ATST WG Background Information for FR Review

• Safety Assurance processes to ensure the prompt and appropriate incorporation of changes 

arising from new regulations and safety recommendations; and 

• Safety Promotion in the form of ongoing engagement with both external stakeholders (e.g., 

the aviation training industry) and FAA policy divisions.

Given the foundational nature of the ACS documents and their importance in the ongoing 

evolution of the airman certification testing and training system, the ARAC ATST WG has asked

the FAA to make its draft ACS documents for the private pilot certificate and the instrument 

rating available to the public now for review and comment. The ARAC ATST WG will use the 

comments it receives to refine and inform its ongoing work on this project.

Next Steps: Moving to Completion and Implementation

The ARAC ATST WG continues its work to develop the authorized instructor ACS and complete 

its remaining assignments. As noted, these include developing a detailed proposal to align and, 

as appropriate, streamline and consolidate existing FAA guidance material (e.g., H-series 

handbooks) with each integrated Airman Certification Standards document; and to propose 

methodologies to ensure that knowledge test item bank questions are consistent with both the 

ACS documents and the test question development principles set forth in the ARC's 

recommendations. 

The ARAC ATST WG is scheduled to provide its final report with draft documents and 

recommendations to the ARAC and the FAA by September 30, 2013. A possible next step is for 

the FAA to assign the ARAC a follow-on task to develop the ACS and associated materials for 

the Commercial and Airline Transport Pilot certificates. The FAA would ask the ARAC to solicit 

participation in any such follow-on work from both members of the current ARAC ATST WG and 

other appropriate stakeholder organizations.

In addition to working closely with the ATST WG during the process of developing the integrated 

airman certification testing and training system, the FAA is beginning to identify those changes 

required in internal documents (e.g., guidance to aviation safety inspectors and designees), job 

aids, and standardized business processes (e.g., Quality Management System) to implement 

and support the transition to the integrated ACS-driven airman certification testing standards 

and training system. The goal is to field the new Airman Certification Standards (along with 

associated guidance and updated test item data bank questions) for the private pilot certificate, 

the instrument rating, and the authorized instructor certificate, no later than the beginning of 

FY15.
Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee 

Airman Testing Standards and Training Working Group

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130408 ATST WG Background Information for FR Review

Airman Testing Standards & Training Working Group

PARTICIPANTS

Name Organization

Jason Blair, Co-Chair

David Oord, Co-Chair AOPA

Eric Crump Polk State College

Jeremy Desruisseaux Jeppesen

Kate Fraser General Aviation Manufacturers Association

John King King Schools

Dr. Janeen Kochan Aviation Research, Training, & Services, Inc.

Kent Lovelace University of North Dakota

John “Mac” McWhinney King Schools

Kurt Reesman Liberty University

Hans Reigle University Aviation Association

Roger Sharp Redbird Simulations

Jackie Spanitz Aviation Supplies & Academics

Doug Stewart SAFE

Batson Michael Wilson AnywhereEducation Inc.

Susan Parson FAA Flight Standards, Technical Special Assistant

Van Kerns FAA AFS-600, Regulatory Support Division

Danny Goss FAA AFS-630, Airman Testing Standards Branch

Jim Viola FAA AFS-800, General Aviation & Commercial Division

Jeff Smith FAA AFS-810, Certification & Flight Training Branch

Marcel Bernard FAA AFS-810, Certification & Flight Training Branch

Ray Johnson FAA AFS-810, Certification & Flight Training Branch

Bradley Palmer FAA AFS-810, Certification & Flight Training Branch

Robert Burke FAA AFS-210, Air Carrier Training Branch

Robyn LaPorte FAA AFS-210, Air Carrier Training Branch

Leisha Bell FAA, AFS-270, Policy Integration Branch

Barbara Adams FAA AIR-230, Aviation Safety Inspector

Sabrina Jawed FAA AGC, Office of the Chief Counsel

Randa Hayes FAA Program Support (McBreen & Kopko)