Newcastle, WA — Over the past several months, ASA has been participating on the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) Airman Testing Standards and Training Working Group, which resulted from the Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) conducted in 2011. One of the primary tasks of the ARAC was to provide an integrated Airman Certification Standard (ACS) which will replace the Practical Test Standards (PTS).
The ACS aligns the aeronautical knowledge standards set out in 14 CFR Part 61 with the flight proficiency standards (“Areas of Operation”) from the PTS. 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. Each Area of Operation includes Tasks, which consist of an Objective, Knowledge, Skill, and Risk Management component. 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.
Draft documents of these Private Pilot and Instrument Rating ACS have been published in the Federal Register, along with an invitation for the public to review and comment. This is one of the most significant changes to the airman certification process we’ve seen in the last 20 years and will have far-reaching ability to improve the training and testing process associated with airman certification.
We encourage everyone in the industry to participate by offering feedback on the important draft documents found at this address:
https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=FAA-2013-0316
About ASA:
Aviation Supplies & Academics, Inc. has been providing trusted aviation training products for more than 65 years to flight instructors, aviation maintenance technicians, air traffic controllers, career aviators, and students. ASA’s pilot supplies, software, and publications are supported with integrity, consistency, superior quality, and the best customer service in the industry. Corporate headquarters are located at 7005 132nd Place SE, Newcastle, WA 98059.
