A 471-page industry report released through the FAA’s Part 141 modernization docket proposes a sweeping rewrite of how certificated flight schools are approved, overseen and run in the US, with changes that would centralize oversight, expand simulator and extended reality credit, and tie more school privileges to formal safety and quality systems. The FAA is accepting comments through April 10, 2026.
The report, dated March 31, 2026, was prepared by the National Flight Training Alliance and filed in the FAA docket as part of the agency’s modernization effort for Part 141 pilot schools. The FAA has said the current framework has roots in the early years of pilot training and needs to be updated for modern technology, safety practices and teaching methods.
At the center of the proposal is a recommendation to create a Central Management Office, or CMO, that would handle certification and certificate management for Part 141 schools nationwide.
The report argues that today’s system produces uneven interpretations and delays because oversight is spread across local offices. Under the proposal, the CMO would centralize administration while local FAA offices would still play a role in regulation and oversight.
The report also calls for all Part 141 schools to operate under formal Safety Management Systems and Quality Management Systems. It proposes a two-tier QMS structure that would measure not just whether a school has documented procedures, but whether those procedures are producing demonstrable results.
In practice, that would move Part 141 further toward a data-driven oversight model and away from some of the older administrative triggers that shape the system today.
Another major section targets training technology. The report recommends expanded credit for flight simulation training devices, recognition of extended reality devices, and creation of a new Enhanced Advanced Aviation Training Device category.
It also proposes rewriting Part 141 appendices to reflect newer training methods, revised professional-pilot course structures and future consensus-standard based training paths.
The report would also overhaul examining authority, recommending that the FAA move away from current practical-test pass-rate thresholds as the main gatekeeper and instead base eligibility more heavily on system maturity, instructor standardization and internal evaluation processes. It also calls for more formal qualification and standardization requirements for chief and check instructors.
Part 141 is the section of FAA regulations that governs FAA-certificated pilot schools operating under an approved training syllabus, structured curriculum, stage checks, and formal oversight. Part 61, meanwhile, is the broader rule set that governs pilot certification and instructor operations generally, including most independent flight instruction and many local flight schools.
The FAA has not yet formally proposed new Part 141 rules, and could decide to adopt all, some or none of the recommendations.
The short review window is already drawing attention, given the size of the document and the fast-approaching April 10 deadline.
