1. Applicability. This appendix prescribes the minimum curriculum for the special preparation courses that are listed in § 141.11 of this part.

2. Eligibility for enrollment. Prior to enrolling in the flight portion of a special preparation course, a person must hold a pilot certificate, flight instructor certificate, or ground instructor certificate that is appropriate for the exercise of the operating privileges or authorizations sought.

3. General requirements. (a) To be approved, a special preparation course must:

1. (1) Meet the appropriate requirements of this appendix; and
2. (2) Prepare the graduate with the necessary skills, competency, and proficiency to exercise safely the privileges of the certificate, rating, or authorization for which the course is established.

3. (b) An approved special preparation course must include ground and flight training on the operating privileges or authorization sought, for developing competency, proficiency, resourcefulness, self-confidence, and self-reliance in the student.

   4. Use of full flight simulators, flight training devices, or aviation training devices. (a) The approved special preparation course may include training in a full flight simulator or flight training device, provided it is representative of the aircraft for which the course is approved, meets requirements of this paragraph, and the training is given by an authorized instructor. A flight instructor enhanced qualification training program may include training in an advanced aviation training device in accordance with paragraph 14 of this appendix and § 61.195(h)(3)(v) of this chapter.

4. (b) Except for the airline transport pilot certification program in paragraph 13 of this appendix and the flight instructor enhanced qualification training program in paragraph 14 of this appendix, training in a full flight simulator that meets the requirements of § 141.41(a) may be credited for a maximum of 10 percent of the total flight training hour requirements of the approved course, or of this section, whichever is less.
5. (c) Except for the airline transport pilot certification program in paragraph 13 of this appendix and the flight instructor enhanced qualification training program in paragraph 14 of this appendix, training in a flight training device that meets the requirements of § 141.41(a), may be credited for a maximum of 5 percent of the total flight training hour requirements of the approved course, or of this section, whichever is less.

6. (d) Training in the full flight simulators or flight training devices described in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, if used in combination, may be credited for a maximum of 10 percent of the total flight training hour requirements of the approved course, or of this section, whichever is less. However, credit for training in a flight training device that meets the requirements of § 141.41(a) cannot exceed the limitation provided for in paragraph (c) of this section.

   5. Stage check and end-of-course tests. Each person enrolled in a special preparation course must satisfactorily accomplish the stage checks and end-of-course tests, in accordance with the school's approved training course, consisting of the approved areas of operation that are appropriate to the operating privileges or authorization sought, and for which the course applies.

   6. Agricultural aircraft operations course. An approved special preparation course for pilots in agricultural aircraft operations must include at least the following—

7. (a) 25 hours of training on:

   1. (1) Agricultural aircraft operations;
   2. (2) Safe piloting and operating practices and procedures for handling, dispensing, and disposing agricultural and industrial chemicals, including operating in and around congested areas; and
   3. (3) Applicable provisions of part 137 of this chapter.

8. (b) 15 hours of flight training on agricultural aircraft operations.

   7. Rotorcraft external-load operations course. An approved special preparation course for pilots of external-load operations must include at least the following—

9. (a) 10 hours of training on:

   1. (1) Rotorcraft external-load operations;
   2. (2) Safe piloting and operating practices and procedures for external-load operations, including operating in and around congested areas; and
   3. (3) Applicable provisions of part 133 of this chapter.

10. (b) 15 hours of flight training on external-load operations.

    8. Test pilot course. An approved special preparation course for pilots in test pilot duties must include at least the following—

11. (a) Aeronautical knowledge training on:

    1. (1) Performing aircraft maintenance, quality assurance, and certification test flight operations;
    2. (2) Safe piloting and operating practices and procedures for performing aircraft maintenance, quality assurance, and certification test flight operations;
    3. (3) Applicable parts of this chapter that pertain to aircraft maintenance, quality assurance, and certification tests; and
    4. (4) Test pilot duties and responsibilities.

12. (b) 15 hours of flight training on test pilot duties and responsibilities.

    9. Special operations course. An approved special preparation course for pilots in special operations that are mission-specific for certain aircraft must include at least the following—

13. (a) Aeronautical knowledge training on:

    1. (1) Performing that special flight operation;
    2. (2) Safe piloting operating practices and procedures for performing that special flight operation;
    3. (3) Applicable parts of this chapter that pertain to that special flight operation; and
    4. (4) Pilot in command duties and responsibilities for performing that special flight operation.

14. (b) Flight training:

    1. (1) On that special flight operation; and

    2. (2) To develop skills, competency, proficiency, resourcefulness, self-confidence, and self-reliance in the student for performing that special flight operation in a safe manner.

       10. Pilot refresher course. An approved special preparation pilot refresher course for a pilot certificate, aircraft category and class rating, or an instrument rating must include at least the following—

    3. (a) 4 hours of aeronautical knowledge training on:

       1. (1) The aeronautical knowledge areas that are applicable to the level of pilot certificate, aircraft category and class rating, or instrument rating, as appropriate, that pertain to that course;
       2. (2) Safe piloting operating practices and procedures; and
       3. (3) Applicable provisions of parts 61 and 91 of this chapter for pilots.

    4. (b) 6 hours of flight training on the approved areas of operation that are applicable to the level of pilot certificate, aircraft category and class rating, or instrument rating, as appropriate, for performing pilot-in-command duties and responsibilities.

       11. Flight instructor refresher course. An approved special preparation flight instructor refresher course must include at least a combined total of 16 hours of aeronautical knowledge training, flight training, or any combination of ground and flight training on the following—

    5. (a) Aeronautical knowledge training on:

       1. (1) The aeronautical knowledge areas of part 61 of this chapter that apply to student, recreational, private, and commercial pilot certificates and instrument ratings;
       2. (2) The aeronautical knowledge areas of part 61 of this chapter that apply to flight instructor certificates;
       3. (3) Safe piloting operating practices and procedures, including airport operations and operating in the National Airspace System; and
       4. (4) Applicable provisions of parts 61 and 91 of this chapter that apply to pilots and flight instructors.

    6. (b) Flight training to review:

       1. (1) The approved areas of operations applicable to student, recreational, private, and commercial pilot certificates and instrument ratings; and

       2. (2) The skills, competency, and proficiency for performing flight instructor duties and responsibilities.

          12. Ground instructor refresher course. An approved special preparation ground instructor refresher course must include at least 16 hours of aeronautical knowledge training on:

       3. (a) The aeronautical knowledge areas of part 61 of this chapter that apply to student, recreational, private, and commercial pilots and instrument rated pilots;
       4. (b) The aeronautical knowledge areas of part 61 of this chapter that apply to ground instructors;
       5. (c) Safe piloting operating practices and procedures, including airport operations and operating in the National Airspace System; and

       6. (d) Applicable provisions of parts 61 and 91 of this chapter that apply to pilots and ground instructors.

          13. Airline transport pilot certification training program. An approved airline transport pilot certification training program must include the academic and FSTD training set forth in § 61.156 of this chapter. The FAA will not approve a course with fewer hours than those prescribed in § 61.156 of this chapter.

          14. Flight instructor enhanced qualification training program. An approved flight instructor enhanced qualification training program must include the ground and flight training specified in § 61.195(h)(3) of this chapter. The FAA will not approve a course with fewer hours than those prescribed in § 61.195(h)(3) of this chapter.

[Docket 25910, 62 FR 16347, Apr. 4, 1997; Amdt. 141-9, 62 FR 40910, July 30, 1997, as amended by Amdt. 141-17, 78 FR 42380, July 15, 2013; Amdt. 141-17A, 78 FR 53026, Aug. 28, 2013; Docket FAA-2015-1846, Amdt. 141-18, 81 FR 21462, Apr. 12, 2016; Docket FAA-2023-0825, Amdt. 141-25, 89 FR 80054, Oct. 1, 2024]