Rule2023-02600
Notification of Policy for Implementation of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 for Flight Training, Checking, and Testing in Experimental Aircraft
Primary source
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Published
February 8, 2023
Effective
February 8, 2023
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
This notification provides information on flight training, checking, and testing for compensation in aircraft that hold experimental airworthiness certificates in compliance with the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (the Act), which was signed by President Joseph R. Biden on December 23, 2022. This notification provides sample scenarios to illustrate when a letter of deviation authority (LODA) is required and scenarios when a LODA is not required.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 26 (Wednesday, February 8, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 26 (Wednesday, February 8, 2023)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 8223-8224]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-02600]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 91
[Docket No.: FAA-2023-0290]
Notification of Policy for Implementation of the James M. Inhofe
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 for Flight
Training, Checking, and Testing in Experimental Aircraft
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation.
ACTION: Notification of policy.
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SUMMARY: This notification provides information on flight training,
checking, and testing for compensation in aircraft that hold
experimental airworthiness certificates in compliance with the James M.
Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (the
Act), which was signed by President Joseph R. Biden on December 23,
2022. This notification provides sample scenarios to illustrate when a
letter of deviation authority (LODA) is required and scenarios when a
LODA is not required.
DATES: The policy described herein is effective February 8, 2023.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical questions concerning
this policy notification, contact Erin Cappel, General Aviation and
Commercial Division, General Aviation Operations Section, (202) 267-
1100, or email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6d54402c2b3e40555d5d402e021f1f081e1d02030908030e082d0b0c0c430a021b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="754c58343326584d454558361a07071006051a1b11101b1610351314145b121a03">[email protected]</span></a>, 800 Independence Ave.
SW, Washington, DC 20591.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: President Joseph R. Biden signed the James
M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (the
Act) (Pub. L. 117-263) on December 23, 2022. Section 5604 of the Act
mandates self-enacting provisions related to flight training, checking,
and testing in experimental aircraft. The Act states that flight
instructors, registered owners, lessors, or lessees of an experimental
aircraft shall not be required to obtain a letter of deviation
authority (LODA) to allow, conduct, or receive flight training,
checking, and testing in experimental aircraft, if:
(1) The flight instructor is not providing both the training and
the aircraft;
(2) No person advertises or broadly offers the aircraft as
available for flight training, checking, or testing; and
(3) No person receives compensation for the use of the aircraft for
a specific flight during which flight training, checking, or testing
was received, other than expenses for owning, operating, and
maintaining the aircraft.
The Act provides relief from the Sec. 91.319(h) LODA requirement
for certain persons who wish to receive training, checking, or testing
in an experimental aircraft. Likewise, the Act supersedes the 2021 FAA
Notification of Policy requiring owners and flight instructors in
certain circumstances to obtain a LODA through a streamlined
process.\1\ The Act does not enable persons to broadly offer flight
training in these aircraft (e.g., advertising online or by word of
mouth). Likewise, the Act limits the amount of compensation for use of
the aircraft for a particular flight to only expenses for owning,
operating, and maintaining the aircraft related to that training,
checking, or testing flight.
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\1\ 86 FR 36493 (July 12, 2021).
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The instructor providing the training may receive compensation for
their services but may not provide the aircraft. Persons who wish to
broadly offer flight training, testing, or checking in experimental
aircraft, or who seek financial gain for provision of an aircraft for
those services, will still be required to obtain a LODA (FAA Order
8900.1, Volume 3, Chapter 11, Section 1).
Sample Scenarios
The FAA provides the following flight training scenarios to provide
greater clarity on the impact of section 5604 of the Act and the
situations in which a LODA is still required.
Scenario A: An experimental aircraft owner wishes to hire a flight
instructor to receive flight training in the owner's own aircraft. The
owner intends to pay the flight instructor for the instruction. This
operation is permissible under the Act without a LODA.
Scenario B: An experimental aircraft owner seeks to provide flight
training in their aircraft to others. This owner (or a person or entity
action on their behalf) is willing to allow almost anyone who comes to
receive flight training in the owner's aircraft, provided the person
receiving training pays a fee. The owner advertises flight training on
a website and/or offers these training flights to attendees at various
air shows. This operation is not permissible under the Act and would
continue to require a LODA.
Scenario C: Four people co-own an experimental aircraft as part of
a flying club. One of these people needs to get a flight review in the
aircraft, so that person hires a flight instructor and pays the
instructor for the training, plus pays a pre-arranged hourly rate that
covers fuel used during the flight, as well as ongoing maintenance
costs. Each co-owner pays the same hourly rate as a part of a co-
ownership contract. Members of the flying club do not expect monetary
gain or profit, but rather the fee is in place to cover the costs of
owning, operating, and maintaining the aircraft. This scenario is
permissible under the Act without a LODA.
Scenario D: An owner of an experimental aircraft starts a flying
club and advertises to gain flying club members. This person charges a
fee for ``club membership,'' and club members are given a flight
training flight or series of flights in return. This fee yields a
profit for the owner in excess of the compensation permissible under
the Act. This operation includes broadly offered flight training, as
well as an operator offering both the aircraft and the instructor. This
operation is not permissible under the Act and would continue to
require a LODA. Depending on the circumstances, this operation may also
require some other kind of authorization from the Administrator, such
as an air carrier or commercial operator certificate, or a commercial
air tour letter of authorization.
Effect of Legislation on Streamlined LODA Process
As noted in the July 2021 Federal Register notification, the FAA
has long emphasized the importance of pilots being trained and checked
in the aircraft they will operate. Specifically, the FAA underscored
that it is critical that pilots understand and are familiar with the
particular systems, procedures, operating characteristics, and
limitations of the aircraft they will operate. This flight training is
distinct from a situation where an aircraft with a special
airworthiness certificate is ``held out'' broadly for training to
individuals who pay for both the flight training and use of an aircraft
that they will not have further access to upon completion of LODA
training. It is also distinct form the broadly offered basic flight
training that can be accomplished effectively and safely in any
standard category aircraft.
In the July 2021 Federal Register notification, the FAA established
a streamlined process that allowed owners and flight instructors to
apply for a LODA through an expedited process and accomplish certain
flight training in experimental aircraft. Through this expedited
process, the FAA was able to promote flight training for owners and
those affiliated with the owners of experimental aircraft without
overburdening the segment of the
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regulated community. The FAA maintained the more rigorous LODA process
for flight training broadly offered to the public. With the passage of
section 5604 of the Act, this streamlined LODA process is no longer
necessary. The FAA will cease processing LODAs through this process. In
addition, the FAA considers LODAs issued under this process to be
terminated.\2\ Henceforth, the requirements of section 5604 will govern
the flight training, checking, and testing that can be accomplished in
experimental aircraft without a LODA. Flight training, checking, and
testing that is broadly offered to the public, or that does not conform
to the stipulations of the Act will continue to require a LODA.
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\2\ The FAA notes that section 5604 addressed only experimental
aircraft. The July 2021 policy pertaining to exemption relief
remains valid for limited category and primary category aircraft.
Issued in Washington, DC, on February 2, 2023.
Wesley L. Mooty,
Acting Executive Director, Flight Standards Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-02600 Filed 2-3-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on February 8, 2023.
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