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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.