In a departure from its general short-term Covid-related exemptions granted from certain crew training, medical, and other requirements, the FAA has provided a year-long extension for check airman observations. The exemption is one of the latest in a series of extensions the agency has agreed to as the Covid pandemic has dragged on, but also comes as the FAA has warned that it is looking to normalize operations.

With the check airman observation exemption, the agency has extended the timeframe for observations of check airmen from 24 months to 36 months for those due between January 2021 to December 2021. This extension came at the request of NATA with the strong support of NBAA.

“In general, the FAA has granted only short-term relief based on Covid-19 to allow the agency the opportunity to continually assess the changing circumstances associated with the public health emergency and adapt as appropriate,” the agency said. “With the positive news of several vaccines becoming broadly available in the coming months, the FAA does not find the Covid-19 public health emergency alone merits relief from check airman observations for the extended period of time requested by the petitioner. However, in the course of considering the petition and assessing the safety impact, the FAA finds there is justification to extend the timeframe for check airman observations from 24 to 36 months.”

The agency, which said the extension enables check airmen to perform critical tasks for 12 more months under certain conditions and limitations, cited a review of data on the last several years finding that during 9,700 check airman observations, check airmen performance was found unsatisfactory in less than 1 percent of the time.

“Based on this low failure rate, coupled with the additional mitigations imposed by the conditions and limitations of this exemption, the FAA finds that a grant of exemption would have no adverse impact on safety.”

The FAA recognized the importance of the availability of check airmen to the Part 135 community. Check airmen must undergo observation by either FAA inspectors or an operator’s aircraft crew designated examiner, but the FAA noted that the vast majority of operators do not have aircrew designated examiners on staff and therefore must rely on the agency.

“The FAA has determined that granting the exemption is necessary because without this relief, check airman qualifications would lapse, and air carriers and operators would be unable to maintain a sufficient number of qualified pilots due to the inability of check airmen to perform duties necessary to keep pilots qualified,” the agency said.

“It has become increasingly difficult for operators to accomplish check airman observations over the last several months,” said NBAA director of flight operations and regulations Brian Koester. “Inspectors have been unable to conduct observations due to Covid-related FAA policies or their own personal restrictions. The result is check airmen and pilots around the country risk being grounded.” Koester added that the exemption provides critical relief.

“We could not be more grateful to the FAA for their swift, innovative, and exceptional response to mitigating unconventional circumstances that greatly impact our members and the industry,” added NATA v-p of regulatory affairs John McGraw.

In addition to the check airman exemption, the FAA granted NATA’s petition for extended relief from ground personnel and crew training and qualification requirements due during the first three months of 2021.