[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 116 (Thursday, June 16, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 35103-35104]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-14999]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Parts 121 and 135

[Docket No. 28471; Amendment Nos. 121-355 and 135-125]
RIN 2120-AF08


Training and Qualification Requirements for Check Airmen and 
Flight Instructors; Technical Amendment

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; technical amendment.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is amending its regulations regarding separate 
requirements for check airmen who check only in flight simulators and 
flight instructors who instruct only in flight simulators. This 
document corrects minor technical errors in the codified text of those 
regulations.

DATES: Effective June 16, 2011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric Friedman, Air Transportation 
Division, AFS-200, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591; telephone: 202-493-5259; e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On June 17, 1996, the FAA published a final rule entitled, 
``Training and Qualification Requirements for Check Airmen and Flight 
Instructors'' (61 FR 30734).
    In that final rule the FAA established separate requirements for 
check airmen who check only in flight simulators and flight instructors 
who instruct only in flight simulators. To ensure an equivalent level 
of safety, the affected check airmen and flight instructors must 
accomplish the following: Recency of experience requirements, including 
completion of an approved line-observation program within each 12-

[[Page 35104]]

month period; and required training, including recurrent ground and 
flight training. Additionally this rule allowed check airman and flight 
instructors to obtain all of their flight training in simulators, as 
opposed to the then current scheme in which initial and transition 
flight training must include an in-flight element.

Technical Amendment

    This technical amendment makes two revisions to the final rule: (1) 
The language in Sec.  121.412(f)(2) incorrectly uses the term ``check 
airman'' when the term ``flight instructor'' should have been used; and 
(2) the language in Sec.  135.338(f)(2) incorrectly uses the term 
``check airman'' when the term ``flight instructor'' should have been 
used. Accordingly, this technical amendment revises Sec. Sec.  
121.412(f)(2) and 135.338(f)(2).
    Because the changes in this technical amendment result in no 
substantive change, we find good cause exists under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) 
to make the amendment effective in less than 30 days.

List of Subjects

14 CFR Part 121

    Air carriers, Aircraft, Airmen, Alcohol abuse, Aviation safety, 
Charter flights, Drug abuse, Drug testing, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Safety, and Transportation.

14 CFR Part 135

    Air taxis, Aircraft, Airmen, Alcohol abuse, Aviation safety, Drug 
abuse, Drug testing, and Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

The Amendments

    In consideration of the foregoing, the Federal Aviation 
Administration amends chapter I of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations as follows:

PART 121--OPERATING REQUIREMENTS: DOMESTIC, FLAG, AND SUPPLEMENTAL 
OPERATIONS

0
1. The authority citation for part 121 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 40119, 41706, 44101, 44701-
44702, 44705, 44709-44711, 44713, 44716-44717, 44722, 46105.


0
2. Amend Sec.  121.412 by revising paragraph (f)(2) to read as follows:


Sec.  121.412  Qualifications: Flight instructors (airplane) and flight 
instructors (simulator).

* * * * *
    (f) * * *
    (2) Satisfactorily complete an approved line-observation program 
within the period prescribed by that program preceding the performance 
of any flight instructor duty in a flight simulator.
* * * * *

PART 135--OPERATING REQUIREMENTS: COMMUTER AND ON DEMAND OPERATIONS 
AND RULES GOVERNING PERSONS ON BOARD SUCH AIRCRAFT

0
3. The authority citation for part 135 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  49 U.S.C. 106(g), 41706, 40113, 44701-44702, 44705, 
44709, 44711-44713, 44715-44717, 44722, 45101-45105.


0
4. Amend Sec.  135.338 by revising paragraph (f)(2) to read as follows:


Sec.  135.338  Qualifications: Flight instructors (aircraft) and flight 
instructors (simulator).

* * * * *
    (f) * * *
    (2) Satisfactorily complete an approved line-observation program 
within the period prescribed by that program preceding the performance 
of any flight instructor duty in a flight simulator.
* * * * *

    Issued in Washington, DC, on June 10, 2011.
Dennis R. Pratte,
Acting Director, Office of Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2011-14999 Filed 6-15-11; 8:45 am]
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