Standardized Curriculum: Where to From Here?

The industry-wide proposed “standardized curriculum” (SC) concept for pilots training to fly Part 135 aircraft is gaining steam and could become the norm. Announced through an FAA Advisory Circular (AC 142-1) in May 2020, the SC, if adopted, will address administrative inefficiencies that exist between Part 135 operations and Part 142 training centers and enhance safety. Robert W. Moorman explores this development in  Setting The New Standard.

CAE has been integrally involved in the multi-year effort to develop recommendations for a Standardized Curriculum (SC) for pilots training to fly Part 135 aircraft and the instructors who will guide them.

Christopher Ranganathan, Chief Learning Officer for CAE, ticked off the steps to be taken now that the latest Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee’s Standard Working Group Standard (ARAC-TS WG) on developing the SC is formed:

1. The TS WG recommends aircraft-specific standardized curriculum to the FAA.
2. The FAA develops a draft of the curriculum and submits it to the US Federal Registry for public comment.
3. The FAA addresses the comments and publishes the curriculum.
4. The Part 142 training center prepares a Standardized Curriculum Package (SCP) based on the FAA-published training curriculum, policies and other items needed to support the SCP. The package then goes to the Training Center Program Manager (TCPM).
5. The TCPM accepts the SCP, which is then listed in the Part 142 training specifications document.
6. A Part 135 operator considering the SC analyzes the SCP content to see if it meets the training need of their operation.
7. A Part 135 operator receives approval from the Principal Operations Inspector (POI) to train pilots following the SC training program.