What Can Pilots Do About License Renewals During The Pandemic?

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Ask the Editors: The Aviation Week Network invites our readers to submit questions to our editors and analysts. We’ll answer them, and if we can’t we’ll reach out to our wide network of experts for advice.

Are any alternate solutions available for pilots who need to have their license renewed or add flying hours during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Fred George, Aviation Week’s Chief Aircraft Evaluation Editor, responds: 

The FAA’s SFAR 118 and 118-1 (Special Federal Aviation Regulation), issued on June 25, grants up to a three-month temporary extension for certain currency, testing, training and checking requirements, if the pilot meets certain eligibility requirements. However, the three-month extension does not change the base month of the original requirement. For instance, if a pilot has a 12-month recurrent check that is extended to 15 months, his or her following check would be due nine months later, not 12 months.

Fred George

Fred formerly was senior editor and chief pilot with Business & Commercial Aviation and Aviation Week's chief aircraft evaluation pilot. He has flown left seat in virtually every turbine-powered business jet produced in the past three decades.