The FAA has issued an amendment to its 2009 rule on Part 61 flight training to make several corrections and clarifications. To conduct flight tests for the sport-pilot certificate, examiners aren’t required to have a medical certificate as long as they have a U.S. driver’s license, the FAA now says. EAA welcomed the change. “While this correction is important to all sport pilot examiners, it was critical to the few examiners conducting practical examinations in weight-shift control, powered parachutes, and gyroplanes,” said David Oord, EAA government and advocacy specialist. The change doesn’t apply to sport-pilot flight tests in gliders or balloons. The FAA’s amendment also clarified two other points.
The new language clarifies that a pilot who has failed to maintain instrument currency for more than six calendar months may not serve as pilot in command under IFR or in weather conditions less than the minimums prescribed for VFR until completing an instrument proficiency check. A third clarification addresses the use of flight simulators in training for type ratings.
