TSA Alien Flight Training Rule
 

FAA Examiners can no longer give checkrides to foreign pilots without evidence that the applicant had cleared TSA security checks. This is a new development but it indicates that TSA is no longer willing to put up with the wave of uncooperative behavior demonstrated by flight schools and independent instructors who have criticized the rule as unworkable.

Processing times are currently 5 working days but this is due to expand to 30 days (the limit authorized by Congress) as more people start registering.

Additionally there is significant confusion about whether or not a student may start flight training while TSA conducts it's background checks. TSA's own helpdesk is unable to conclusively state one way or another. Notwithstanding that point, if processing times continue to expand, students should consider budgeting for delays in their training programs.

The law was hastily written and failed to consider that the "devils always in the detail."

Update
 

Thanks to Sandra from Congressman Mica's office (Chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee) there is some clarification on the TSA rule as it affects flight examiners.

TSA will email the training provider confirmation that a student has submitted all the required documents for background checks. THAT email must be shown to the flight examiner at the time of the checkride - not the results of the TSA's background check which are not disclosed unless there's a problem in which case a checkride is probably irrelevant.

The issue of starting training while TSA conduct their checks has yet to be solidly clarified. Will update after further talks with Rep . Mica's office.

My school told me that I need to be TSA cleared BEFORE I can even start training - let alone do the flight test!
It takes about a week to process, you can do it at any police station in the US, or even your own cop shop at home - as long as it's not in France where none of them would even get off their asses in the station because it wasn't their 'responsibilitay missyuhr"

But apparantly even the TSA doesn't know what its left and right hands are doing! :rolleyes:

Roll on April 6th when I'll be coming home with my PPL and Night Rating!.......I hope!;)

Meanwhile, if you really have bad intentions w.r.t. your purposefully newly gained skills, who needs a checkride?

Bloody idiot bureaucracy & their knee jerk panic reactions.

Well the simple fact is people will just stop going to the States for any flight training! Wonder how much that will dent the economy, tourists are already giving up on visiting. You just have to look at how much advertising the yanks are doing on our television just now. The best security they can implement now is to get rid of that muppet in charge who has caused all the worlds problems in the fisrt place.......:ouch:

Fingerprinting update
 

TSA's own helpdesk is a contradiction in terms, staffed with people whose intelligence ranks among the lowest of any federal agency, so after some digging around I managed to speak to a TSA attorney who has responsibility for the Alien Flight Training program. He tells me that TSA should be rolling out a plan to allow fingerprinting abroad within the next 4 - 5 weeks. Not, it must be stressed, at US Embassy's, but through private organizations like NATA, etc. This should help clear the paperwork obstacles prior to students travelling.

I asked him why the State Department couldn't do this through their chain of Embassy's but it seems there's a political tug of war going on. You'd have thought 3 1/2 years after 911 that federal agencies would share information but obviously not!

Embassy's check a number of databases when reviewing visa applications but not the ones that TSA check - a bizarre way to organize national security.

When you can begin training
 

For those students registering as a Category 3 for training on a/c with MCTOW of 12,500 lbs or less you may begin training as soon as the TSA acknowledges receipt of your fingerprint cards and any identity/citizenship documentation requested during your registration. You do not need to wait for approval from the TSA to begin training or take a checkride.

www.flightschoolcandidates.gov is the registration website and details the process on the frontpage.

Feel free to e-mail if you have any questions on the registration process itself.

Have to say in the end that it was all pretty straight forward. I still haven't been asked for my prints yet, or any money, but the initial registration although cumbersome was ok. :ok: