U S Government Accountability Office

Aviation Safety U S Government Accountability Office

" Regional airlines have experienced the last six fatal commercial airline accidents, and pilot performance has been cited as a potential contributory factor in four of these accidents, including the most recent in February 2009 which resulted in 50 fatalities. Public and media concerns about aviation safety escalated as a result about the level of safety across the entire airline industry, particularly about pilot education and training before they can be hired by regional airlines. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is responsible for ensuring that pilots receive the necessary training and undergo the proper certification testing. Once hired, all U. S. commercial airlines are required to provide the advanced training for their pilots. However, to become a certified commercial pilot, which is currently the minimum requirement for being hired by an airline as a first officer; individuals must undergo several steps of pilot training and certification in accordance with FAA regulations. This statement is based on GAO's November 2011 report on initial pilot training and focuses on (1) the various types of U. S. pilot training organizations, the regulatory training requirements for commercial airline pilots, and how they compare in preparing pilots candidates for commercial airlines, and (2) how and to what extent FAA carries out its oversight role of pilot training and certification of private and commercial"