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FLT Academy
What is Examining Authority at FLT Academy?
Curious about Examining Authority and what it means for your flight training journey? Let’s explore this special FAA approval and the unique benefits it brings to students at FLT Academy.
FLT Academy Courses Offered Under Part 141
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Understanding Part 141 Flight Schools
When you choose to train at a Part 141 flight school, like FLT Academy, you’re selecting a structured, FAA-approved program that ensures rigorous standards in both curriculum and instruction. Unlike Part 61 programs, which may offer more informal instruction, Part 141 schools provide a streamlined path to earning your certifications through FAA-approved training. One significant perk of Part 141 is that it often requires fewer flight hours to complete, as the structured curriculum has demonstrated a high standard of quality and efficiency.
What Makes Examining Authority Special?
Not every Part 141 school has the privilege of Examining Authority. This designation allows certain schools to conduct official flight evaluations and directly issue pilot certificates upon successful completion of a course. In most cases, if a school lacks Examining Authority, students must schedule and pass a final checkride with an external FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE). However, FLT Academy’s Examining Authority streamlines this process, allowing you to take your final assessment with our Chief or Assistant Chief Flight Instructor—saving time and offering continuity with instructors you know.
How Does a Flight School Achieve Examining Authority?
The FAA grants Examining Authority only to schools that meet specific, high standards. Schools must operate as a Part 141 institution for at least two years and maintain a student pass rate of 90% or higher. At FLT Academy, we’ve demonstrated these standards consistently, enabling us to hold Examining Authority for our Commercial course.
Benefits of Examining Authority at FLT Academy
Faster Progression
For students, Examining Authority brings a significant advantage: faster progression through training. The current shortage of DPEs often leads to extended wait times—sometimes weeks or even months—to schedule a checkride. With Examining Authority at FLT Academy, this delay is removed, allowing you to earn your license without waiting for an external DPE, speeding up the completion of your training.
Smoother Testing Experience
When you train at a school with Examining Authority, you’ll complete your end-of-course flight as the final checkride. Once you pass, you’ll receive your temporary pilot certificate immediately. This process can make the experience feel less stressful since you’re assessed by an instructor you’ve already flown with, in an environment you’re familiar with.
Streamlined Pilot Certification
Additionally, Examining Authority can streamline your journey if you’re progressing through multiple ratings. You might find that while you’ll complete your Private Pilot course with our Examining Authority, some advanced ratings still require a DPE checkride, depending on the course approvals.
Why Choose FLT Academy?
At FLT Academy, we aim to be a step above the rest, providing not only a high-quality training program but also a faster, more personalized path to earning your certifications. Our Examining Authority approval is one of the many reasons students choose us, as it reduces wait times, minimizes stress, and provides a streamlined path to your aviation goals.
FLT Academy currently holds Examining Authority for Commercial Pilot courses, and are actively in the application process for Private Pilot, Instrument Rating, and CFI courses—offering you even more streamlined training options as you advance through your aviation journey.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Examining Authority.
Examining Authority is a special FAA approval that allows FLT Academy to conduct final flight evaluations and issue pilot certificates directly upon course completion. This means students can bypass the need to schedule a checkride with an external FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE), making the process faster and more efficient.
While all Part 141 schools follow a structured FAA-approved curriculum, not all have Examining Authority. Without it, students must wait for a DPE to conduct their final checkride, which can take weeks or even months due to the current DPE shortage. With FLT Academy’s Examining Authority, students can complete their certification faster by testing directly with our Chief or Assistant Chief Flight Instructor.
The FAA grants Examining Authority only to schools that meet strict criteria, such as maintaining a student pass rate of 90% or higher over at least two years. FLT Academy has consistently met these standards, which is why we hold Examining Authority for our Commercial Pilot courses.
FLT Academy currently holds Examining Authority for Commercial Pilot courses. We are actively working on securing Examining Authority for Private Pilot, Instrument Rating, and Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) courses, which will further streamline your path to achieving your aviation goals.
With Examining Authority, a student’s flight training can be completed faster and more affordably. Currently, there is a national shortage of Designated Pilot Examiners (DPEs) which can lead to weeks or even months of waiting by the student simply to be able to take their checkride and progress to the next stage of training. Additionally, when students are waiting for checkrides, they must still fly to remain proficient in their skills. These extra flights can add up quickly, and are necessary to remain in a position to pass a checkride. With Examining Authority, students may only need to wait a few days rather than weeks to take their test and progress to the next stage of training.
At FLT Academy, our Examining Authority allows you to move through your training more efficiently. We provide a high-quality, structured training environment with fewer delays, ensuring you achieve your certifications faster and with less stress. It’s just another reason why FLT Academy is a step above the rest.
FLT Academy’s Examining Authority only applies to students enrolled in the approved FAR Part 141 course. Currently, only our Part 141 Commercial students are eligible for checkrides under Examining Authority. FLT Academy is actively applying for Examining Authority for our Part 141 Private Pilot, Part 141 Instrument Rating, and Part 141 Certified Flight Instructor courses.
FAR Part 61 students are not eligible for Examining Authority and must still take their checkride with a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE).
No. The standards and requirements to pass a checkride are set by the FAA and are the same, regardless of whether a student takes their checkride from a FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) or from an approved FLT Academy in-house examiner.
A checkride is a term used in the aviation industry which refers to a students Practical Exam – essentially, it is the “final test” at each stage of training that a student must take in order to receive their pilot certificate and/or additional privileges of flying.
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