FAA Reinstates Flight Deck Training, Letting Controllers Ride Along in Cockpits Again
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on October 14 that it is reinstating its Flight Deck Training program, giving air traffic controllers firsthand experience aboard commercial, general aviation and military aircraft.
Controllers may apply for jumpseat access on eligible flights to observe pilot workload, cockpit procedures and how air traffic control instructions affect flight crews. Each controller may take two commercial or general aviation flights and one military flight per year, subject to approval, and must file a report on what they learned. The FAA worked closely with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) to restore the program, which was paused at the start of the pandemic; all major U.S. airlines have agreed to participate, and formal operations are expected to begin after Thanksgiving.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said that after listening to frontline controllers, the agency is excited to bring the program back, and that firsthand experience makes controllers better at their jobs. NATCA President Nick Daniels said there is no substitute for firsthand experience in the cockpit and called the program a vital part of controller training.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：一名平民在奥弗特空军基地体验军用飞机驾驶舱。摄影：美国空军，CC BY 2.0，来源：Wikimedia Commons / Photo: A civilian experiences a military aircraft cockpit at Offutt Air Force Base. Credit: U.S. Air Force, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
