Part 61 vs. Part 141
3/20/2015
Posted in
Flight Training
Tags: part 61, part 141
One of the questions I always received as a flight instructor was; “What’s the difference between Part 61 and Part 141 training?” Well there are a few key differences that I wanted to discuss to hopefully shed some light on this otherwise confusing industry and hopefully lead you to making the decision that is right for you. The FAA provides some of this information, but some of it will be from my years of experience as a professional flight instructor. But, first I think it’s important to discuss why there are any differences to begin with.
Part 61 vs. Part 141
Written by Jacob Kasprzyk (Gold Seal CFI, CFII, MEI, ATP)
One of the questions I always received as a flight instructor was; “What’s the difference between Part 61 and Part 141 training?” Well there are a few key differences that I wanted to discuss to hopefully shed some light on this otherwise confusing industry and hopefully lead you to making the decision that is right for you. The FAA provides some of this information, but some of it will be from my years of experience as a professional flight instructor. But, first I think it’s important to discuss why there are any differences to begin with.
Aviation flight training falls under two categories of regulatory guidelines that are issued under the CFR (Code of Federal Regulations). These two categories are FAR Part 61 and FAR Part 141. This is where the 61 and 141 comes from. In general Part 61 pertains to any flight instruction provide by an authorized flight instructor. This could range from a local grass strip flight school operated by a single instructor and a single aircraft, all the way up to a well-established large flight school with dozens of instructors and aircraft and operated at some of the nation’s busier airports.
In contrast a Part 141 school is generally referred to as a “certificated” flight school. This means that they have been issued an Air Agency Certificate from the FAA to conduct flight instruction for specific certificates or ratings (it does not mean all training from that flight school will be conducted as Part 141). So, what does that do? This means that the flight school is structured and organized in a manner that the FAA deems appropriate. The flight school’s operations, location, facilities, fleet, and training syllabus are all kept to a strictly enforced FAA set of guidelines, where as their Part 61 counterparts are not. So let’s talk about why you should choose one over the other.
This is probably the biggest difference that is usually discussed. To become a Private Pilot at a Part 61 flight school, you will be required to fly a minimum of 40 hours of training. In a Part 141 school you will only be required to fly a minimum of 35 hours of training. At an average cost of around $200/hr for a well-equipped aircraft and a well-trained flight instructor, this would save you around $1000. Sounds great right? Well the part that usually is not discussed is that the national average (for Part 61 or Part 141) is around 65-70 hours of flight training. The entire argument for a Part 141 saving you time and money is nullified in that regard. This is of course the general rule, and is not always the case. You may be one of the lucky few that is actually able to finish their training in the minimum number of hours. In my professional opinion I would not base my decision on a flight school based on whether or not it’s Part 61 or Part 141 because of minimum training requirements.
Organization and Structure
It is generally true that a Part 141 flight school is either as organized and structured as a Part 61 school, or even more so. A Part 141 flight school is required to have an established syllabus of training that is used for every certificate or rating conducted under Part 141. This ensures that both the student and the flight instructor both are on the same page with their training at every step. It also means that a student can more easily switch from one instructor to another with in theory less of a headache. The new instructor should be able to pick up exactly where the last instructor left off. It’s the nature of the business that flight instructors will often come and go based on what is best for their personal careers.
It is also required of a Part 141 school to offer a ground school program that ensures that the student pilot receives the required minimum number of ground training hours. These are usually conducted as either a formal classroom ground school, one-on-one training, or as a CBT (Computer Based Training) program at home.
A Part 141 school is also legally required to have both a Chief Flight Instructor and an Assistant Chief Flight Instructor on staff at all times. These positions are also tightly regulated by the FAA and ensure that the individuals holding theses positions have a minimum level of flight instructor qualifications and experience.
“Progress Checks” or “Stage Checks” are also a requirement of 141 training. These checks are designed to give you a second opinion from a typically more senior instructor into whether or not you are ready to move on with your training or if you are ready for your Practical Check ride from the FAA. A Part 141 school can also legally have a DPE (Designated Pilot Examiner) on staff that can provide “in-house” examing. This means that you do not have to go to your local FSDO (Flight Standards District Office) for your flight exams. For many people this provides a less stressful check ride to become a certificated pilot. This is because you will likely already have met the DPE prior to the exam and are familiar with the individual. However, I personally have known many Part 61 schools that have developed strong working relationships with their local DPEs. This often results in an “in-house” style environment with the DPEs at that flight school.
All in all these requirements and privileges of a Part 141 school help to ensure that you are receiving the flight training that you both need and deserve, and that you are receiving value for your money spent. This however does not mean that a Part 61 school does not also hold themselves to these high standards, it simply means that a Part 141 is legally required to.
Safety
This idea should be the foremost concern for any student, pilot, or flight school. Flying is safe if done properly and within the limits of both the pilot and the aircraft. Thousands upon thousands of flights are conducted everyday in the United States and at any given time there is on average over 5000 aircraft airborne over the Contiguous 48 States (visit http://flightaware.com/live/ for the current up-to date numbers). So which flight school is safer, a Part 61 or a Part 141 school? The answer is neither. Safety is determined by the ADM (Aeronautical Decision Making) of the crew involved. The best that you can do is ask who conducts the aircraft maintenance? Has the school ever suffered a fatal/serious accident? If so, why? When was the last time a student from your school was involved in an incident, if ever? Do any of the instructors have any incidents on their records? If the school has a track record of maintenance neglect or incidents with their students or instructors, I would be wary of that school. The Part 61 or Part 141 should not matter here. Check out our ratings and reviews here at www.PilotPlanet.com for more information on individual schools to see if other fellow pilots have had safety concerns at a particular school.
Should an individual looking for a professional career as a pilot choose a Part 61 or a Part 141 flight school? In truth it really doesn’t matter. Flight hours, and more importantly flight experience, is the same regardless of whether it’s Part 61 or Part 141. Your logbook will show no difference. The only advantage to one or the other is that if you are looking to receive a flight instructor job at a Part 141 school, they may be more apt to hire you because you have experience operating in a Part 141 environment. In truth, during my time as a Senior Instructor at a Part 141 school I was often involved in the interviewing and hiring process of new flight instructors and never was our decision to hire or not to hire an individual based solely on which type of training they received. We always based our decisions on the candidate’s professionalism, knowledge, piloting skills, and their ability to provide excellent instruction. It was not based on where they received their training. I have also been informed from many HR departments at airlines, charter operations, fractional ownerships, and government agencies that training under Part 61 or Part 141 is usually not a factor. What experience in a Part 141 school does provide is knowledge of how to work in a more regulated and controlled environment. If you think the oversight at a Part 141 school is bad, try talking to an airline pilot about their oversight in their day-to-day operations!
In conclusion it is important for you to choose a flight school that best meets the learning style and environment that you are best accustomed to. Every individual is different and learns differently. Pick a flight school that you feel will give you the best compatibility with your learning style. If you like a structured style of learning with an organized process to follow and are typically a serialist style of learner, I recommend a Part 141 school. If you are an individual that learns best at your own pace and typically learns better in a holistic environment, I recommend a Part 61 school. Think back to other education that you have received. Did you learn best studying on your own at home at your own pace, or did you learn best when the educator provided a clear outline of what you needed to do and when? The important thing to remember is that neither Part 61 nor Part 141 is necessarily better for everyone. It comes down to your personal preference and your personal learning style.
References:
14 CFR Part 61, 14 CFR Part 141
FAA-h-8083-27a (Student Pilot Guide)
http://flightaware.com/live/