US: Beginning pilots could swap classroom training for flying under Senate bill

Beginning pilots could substitute “structured and disciplined” classroom training for flying experience in qualifying to work for airlines under legislation approved Thursday by a Senate panel. The provision would change minimum pilot training requirements the FAA adopted after the last fatal crash of a US passenger airline in 2009. Regional airlines, which contend there is a shortage of qualified pilots, have long sought to soften an FAA requirement after the crash that all pilots have at least 1,500 hours of flying experience. But critics said weakening the standard would mean writing new regulations in the "blood" of crash victims. Senator John Thune said the goal of his provision added to broader FAA legislation is to provide better quality training rather than a quantity of flying hours. <br/>