The following information is provided to assist prospective course participants. We have included the federal regulation that authorizes the course and proscribes the content. Also included is the Practical Test Standard that describes the Oral and Practical exams that are conducted by the FAA Examiners to obtain the certificate.

Prospective participants should be aware this is a difficult course that requires their full attention from the day the course starts until the day they take the Practical Test. At least 2-3 hours should be available every evening for study, and the week ends should be free for tutoring and study. Participants are REQUIRED to be present everyday-all day for the full 200 hours of class. Attendance rosters are required to be kept.

The first reference is 14 CFR Part 65C and Appendix A. Part 65C describes the certification process, school and participant requirements.
Part 65.53 Lists the eligibility requirements.
Part 65.55 Describes the knowledge requirements in broad terms.
Part 65.57 Lists Experience or Training requirements.
Part 65.59 Describes the skill requirements
Part 65.61 Describes the course content and hour requirements.

The second important reference is the PTS (Practical Test Standards). This document includes the information and tools that the applicant must provide and the knowledge and skills to be tested. A qualified school provides all of the documents and tools necessary and trains the applicants to use them along with the knowledge to pass the knowledge tests and oral exam.

There has been considerable discussion about the substitution of experience and previous training in lieu of attending an approved course. Previous training or experience does not eliminate the need to pass the FAA ADX test, attend the Unit on Practical Dispatching, and the Oral Exam/ Practical Test as described in the PTS (65.53). A person considering using the previous experience provision should carefully review their level of knowledge and skill against the PTS and knowledge requirements. There is also no provision at this time for on-line courses or lessons.

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