FAA: Charter Pilots Must Have CRM Training

Non-scheduled airlines and air taxis operating under Part 135 will have two years to create crew resource management (CRM) training programs for their roughly 24,000 pilots, plus flight attendants, according to a final rule announced Thursday. The FAA said analysis showed that CRM training helped reduce the rate of fatal accidents caused by pilot error by 25 percent. The agency believes the new training will reduce pilot error by improving decision-making, reducing stress and increasing awareness about the impact of fatigue. The rule addresses recommendations from the NTSB and becomes effective 60 days after its coming publication in the Federal Register. It was introduced as an NPRM in May of 2009, and received just seven comments.

Non-scheduled airlines and air taxis operating under Part 135 will have two years to create crew resource management (CRM) training programs for their roughly 24,000 pilots, plus flight attendants, according to a final rule announced Thursday. The FAA said analysis showed that CRM training helped reduce the rate of fatal accidents caused by pilot error by 25 percent. The agency believes the new training will reduce pilot error by improving decision-making, reducing stress and increasing awareness about the impact of fatigue. The rule addresses recommendations from the NTSB and becomes effective 60 days after its coming publication in the Federal Register. It was introduced as an NPRM in May of 2009, and received just seven comments.

The Air Line Pilots Association, Helicopter Association International and the NTSB were among those who offered comments. According to the FAA, some comments discussed increasing the requirements for certain provisions, like "adding minimum programmed hour requirements for training, and prohibiting credit for previous CRM training when a crewmember changes employers." Interested parties showed read the entire rule. It is available online here. (PDF)