What are FAA 141 courses?

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ShaggyAce

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I am starting training at a local flight school and their website says they offer FAA 141 courses. What are these? How are they beneficial to regular pilot courses?
 
ShaggyAce said:
I am starting training at a local flight school and their website says they offer FAA 141 courses. What are these? How are they beneficial to regular pilot courses?
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There are two ways of going about getting your certificates and ratings. One way is to go through your local Fixed Base Operator, FBO, and get paired up with a CFI. Typically, this is done under part 61 of the FAR'.

Another way to go is through a formal flight school. Those schools typically operate under part 141 of the FAR's. Basically, what that means is that there is much more structure and oversight to the flight training. The "benefit" to that is that in some cases you can get your training done in fewer hours. But fewer hours does not always mean cheaper because a lot of times the cost per hour is higher in a 141 school.

If your intention is to go from zero hours through commercial, it may be beneficial to go the 141 route. But not always. It pays to do some homework in your area to make an informed decision.
 
Some people see benefits of 141 schools such as a foreigner can get a student visa to train at one but not part 61. GI Bill will pay for some ratings at 141 but not part 61. Student loans are available for some 141 training.

So if you are a US citizen or already have your visa and are paying out of pocket it comes down to personalized individual instruction vs. a more structured less personal approach. Don't get me wrong there is a lot of variation in quality and approach on both sides of that fence.

It seems to be a very individual thing which one will work best for you. I know people who love one and hate the other.

Joe
 
The big difference between Part 61 and Part 141 is that Part 141 programs must be conducted IAW the standards contained in Part 141. These go beyond simply telling what it is you have to know and do for the certificate/rating, but also get into everything from the syllabi and documentation of training to the facilities themselves (classrooms, briefing areas, etc) to the airplanes (which must each be inspected by the FAA). In return for adhering to these standards, the FAA often reduces the aeronautical experience requirements for the certificate/rating, and other governmental agencies will provide funding for your training.

That said, there are plenty of local flight schools which have Part 141 certification, and "big formal" flight schools which offer training under Part 61 (usually in addition to their regular 141 programs, but at least in theory, possibly exclusively). Thus, Part 141 certification is not in and of itself a guarantee of quality training, and the fact that a school operates only under Part 61 does not mean the training won't be as good or better than a "big formal" 141 program. Only a good "pre-purchase inspection" and due diligence of the schools you're considering will give you a good idea of how good any school is.
 
IMHO, if you're not going to fly for the airlines and you're not going to pay for it via GI Bill or something else that requires you to go for part 141, you're much better off with part 61, even if the school offers 141.

The school will probably try to convince you to go 141 because they need a certain number of students to go through the 141 program to keep their certificate. Don't let them pressure you into it if it's not right for YOU, which is a pretty limited set of circumstances.
 
ShaggyAce said:
I am starting training at a local flight school and their website says they offer FAA 141 courses. What are these? How are they beneficial to regular pilot courses?
Click to expand...

As for getting your certificate, you get the same one whether you do the training under part 61 or 141.
Take a good look at yourself and how you learn best. Are you more the structured, want an outline for every lesson etc.. or more of a free spirit when it comes to learning?
Go and actually talk to some of the CFI's, ask them how they teach, what materials do they use for both part 61 and 141, see which one you like best.
Remember it is your hard earned money and time, so go with what fits YOU the best.
 
The outfit I did my private and IR with is a large and well-organized school, 141 certified. Their practice was that all students went through as 141 students, because all students followed the same syllabus and stage check practices, etc. - very organized. Of course I knew nothing of any of this, until some time around the sixth hour or so, when my instructor sheepishly told me I was going to be getting my ticket under 61 in stead of 141, because (as it works out) you must have your medical before logging hour 1 under 141, and I had just gotten my medical. Just a dropped thread, so to speak.

When I finally understood what he was saying, I was soundly in the "so what" category. My training proceeded apace, and I presented for and passed my check ride at just a hair over 40 hours, and that was when I was ready.
 
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