FAA denied a proposal to halve flight-time need for pilots as the shortage creates route cuts

September 21, 2022: -On Monday, the Federal Aviation Administration said it had abandoned a proposal to halve the hours required to become a co-pilot. A severe shortage of aviators enables carriers to cut routes.

Republic Airways, which flies short routes for Delta, American, and United, proposed to regulators in April that pilots be permitted to join an airline after 750 hours of flight time once they’ve met the carrier’s training program.

Typically, 1,500 hours of flying time are required before a replacement pilot can fly commercially, though an exception for a specific military experience cuts the requirement in half.

The 1,500-hour rule passed following the fatal Colgan Air crash in February 2009 near Buffalo, New York. The impact led to new requirements for a minimum rest time for pilots before a flight.

“The FAA considers it to be of greater public interest to ensure and maintain the level of safety provided by the foundation of an integrated aviation education required by” current criteria, the agency noted in its decision, which was dismissed daylight ahead of a regional airline conference in Washington, D.C.

The FAA’s decision is coming as airlines grapple with a severe shortfall of pilots, which executives have blamed on service cuts, particularly in small cities.

“We’re disappointed though not surprised that our petition to the FAA was not met with the review and engagement it merits,” Republic CEO Bryan Bedford said.