Part 61 vs. Part 141 Flight Schools
Air America Flight Center is a FAA Part 61 Flight School
Part 141
FAA Part 141 Flight Schools have an approved syllabus that is specific to the individual flight school and the FAA. The training is conducted in a sequential manner that can not be changed. To move on to a new lesson plan you must first complete the previous lesson. The flight training and the ground training are done concurrently throughout the training.
This approach allows the FAA Part 141 Flight Schools to offer accelerated training with lower training time requirements. It also allows them to have "in-house" examiners to conduct the practical tests.
FAA Part 141 accreditation is required for the flight school to be authorized to do the following:
- Issue I-20's for visas
- Offer student loans for flight training
- Train military members using grants for flight training
Part 61
FAA Part 61 Flight Schools train to meet the requirements specified in Part 61 of the Federal Aviation Regulations and the proficiency specified in the Practical Test Standards. Because there is not a syllabus that must be followed the training can be done in a manner that meets the needs of the student. Students at FAA Part 61 Flight Schools are treated as individuals with a curriculum tailored to their learning style.
This flexibility in training is especially helpful when training pilots who have unfinished ratings. FAA Part 61 Flight Schools can count 100% of all previous flight time towards meeting the requirements of a rating (FAA Part 141 Flight Schools can only count a maximum of 25% of the previous flight time and in some cases none of it).
Another difference is FAA Part 61 Flight Schools allow freedom in choosing the ground training. Students can choose training materials from any vendor and can even self-study using a product like the Cessna CPC Kit (http://cessnaflighttraining.kingschools.com/) which offers comprehensive training at a greatly reduced price compared to a classroom.
FAA Part 61 Flight Schools are not authorized to do the following:
- Issue I-20's for visas
- Offer student loans for flight training
- Train military members using grants for flight training
