New FTL in USA?

[flareflyer]

I found an interesting article about the implementation of new flight time limitations in north america.
Somebody says that if they will be really become law many US guys will go back home.......it would be very interesting for EK......

Flare

[411A]

Sorry to disappoint, however, the proposal to amend has been withdrawn just a few days ago.
Much pressure from the Air Transport Association and various airlines.

[huncowboy]

My understanding is that they have pulled back an old initiative that was started in 1995. This new one is still going strong and something will come out of it but it will be a long time like 1-2 or 3 years before full implementation.

FAA pulls 14-year-old proposed flight time, rest rule (http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/11/20/335279/faa-pulls-14-year-old-proposed-flight-time-rest-rule.html)

I too think this will draw some US folks back home.

[PorkKnuckle]

Included in the original NPRM were proposals for a 14-hour duty day for two-pilot operations and a 10-hour flight time limit.

That was the proposal? What's the current limit on two-pilot ops??

I presume they were trying to increase the limits - to 14 and 10.

[fly2AK]

This will be interesting to watch and see the affects it has. It has passed the house of representatives already.

H.R. 3371, THE "AIRLINE SAFETY AND PILOT TRAINING IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2009"
Pilot Training, Qualifications, Screening and Professional Development
Air Carrier Safety and Pilot Training Task Force

Establishes a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Task Force that will identify aviation industry best practices regarding: pilot training, pilot professional standards, and inter-carrier information sharing, mentoring and other safety-related practices.
The Task Force shall report to Congress every 180 days on air carrier progress implementing best practices, and make recommendations for legislative and regulatory action.
Implementation of National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Recommendations

Requires FAA to ensure that pilots are trained on stall recovery, upset recovery, and that airlines provide remedial training.
Mandates that the FAA convene a multidisciplinary panel on pilot training for stick pusher operations (which pulls an aircraft out of a stall), and to implement the recommendations of the panel.
Requires the Secretary of Transportation to provide an annual report to Congress on how the agency is addressing each open NTSB recommendation pertaining to part 121 (commercial) air carriers.
Pilot Qualifications, Screening, Mentoring & Professional Development:

Requires airline pilots to hold an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate (1,500 minimum flight hours required).
Requires the FAA to raise the minimum requirements for the ATP certificate. The pilot must receive training to function effectively in: an air carrier operational environment; adverse weather conditions, including icing; high altitude operations; and a multi-pilot crew. Enables the FAA to consider allowing certain academic training hours that may increase the level of safety above the minimum requirements to be counted towards the 1,500-hour ATP certificate requirement.
Establishes comprehensive pre-employment screening of prospective pilots including an assessment of skills, aptitudes, airmanship and suitability for functioning in the airline’s operational environment.
Requires airlines to: establish pilot mentoring programs whereby highly experienced pilots will mentor junior pilots; create Pilot Professional Development Committees; modify training programs to accommodate new-hire pilots with different levels and types of flight experience; and provide leadership and command training to pilots in command (including complying with the "sterile cockpit rule").
Airline Training Requirements

Hours: Studies the best methods and optimal time needed in airline training programs for pilots to master necessary aircraft systems, maneuvers, and procedures; the length of time between training events including recurrent training; and the best methods to reliably evaluate mastery of systems, maneuvers and procedures.
Weather Event Training Panel: Requires the FAA to convene a multidisciplinary panel on pilot training for weather events including microburst, windshear and icing conditions.
2
Pilot Records Database

Creates a Pilot Records Database to provide airlines with fast, electronic access to a pilot’s comprehensive record.
Information in the database will include: pilot licenses, aircraft ratings, check rides, notices of disapproval, other flight proficiency tests, and State motor vehicle driving records.
FAA will maintain the database and airlines will be able to access the database for hiring purposes only.
Fatigue

Flight and Duty Time Rule: Directs the FAA to update and implement new pilot flight and duty time rules and fatigue risk management plans within one year to more adequately track scientific research in the field of fatigue.
Fatigue Risk Management Systems: Requires air carriers, within 90 days, to create fatigue risk management systems approved by FAA to proactively mitigate pilot fatigue.
Commuting Study: Studies the impact of pilot commuting on fatigue and provides preliminary results to the FAA to be considered as part of the flight and duty time rulemaking.
Voluntary Safety Programs

ASAP and FOQA: Directs the FAA to develop and implement a plan to facilitate the establishment of an Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) and a Flight Operational Quality Assurance (FOQA) program by all commercial airlines and their unions.
Report: Requires FAA to report on ASAP, FOQA, Line Operations Safety Audit (LOSA), and Advanced Qualification Program (AQP), which will include: an analysis of which airlines are using the programs or if they are using something comparable that achieves similar safety goals; how FAA will expand the use of the programs; and how FAA is using data from the programs as safety analysis and oversight tools for aviation safety inspectors.
Flight Schools, Flight Education and Pilot Academic Training Study

Directs the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study of: pilot academic training requirements; pilot education provided by accredited two- and four-year colleges/universities; foreign academic requirements; FAA’s oversight of flight schools; and student loan options available to student pilots.
Other

FAA Safety Oversight by Inspectors: Requires the Department of Transportation Inspector General to study and report to Congress on if the number and experience level of safety inspectors assigned to regional airlines is commensurate with that of mainline airlines; and whether the multiple data sources that inspectors utilize for airline oversight can be streamlined into one data source.
Truth in Advertising: Mandates that Internet websites that sell airline tickets disclose to the purchaser on the first page of the website the air carrier that operates each segment of the flight.

[atpcliff]

Hi!

The FAA has said the new rules proposal will come out in Jan, 2010. They have said they will speed the process to get the new rules implemented.

Congress is pissed, and they may decide to change the rules, bypassing the FAA. If they do that, then the day Obama signs the legislation, the rules go into effect.

The rules will mean the US airlines will have to hire new pilots.

The new rules are similar to British CAA rules. Your duty day/flight time, will be reduced if you don't start at an optimum time, and if you fly too many legs.

Currently, a 2-pilot crew, could have as little as 4 hours of rest (possibly even LESS!), under certain conditions. International crews, under certain conditions, had no specified rest of any kind.

cliff
NBO