FAR 141.25 — Business Office and Operations Base
FAR 141.25 explains the business office and operations base requirements for Part 141 pilot schools, including location changes and approvals.
In Plain English
FAR 141.25 sets the facility rules every Part 141 (or provisional) pilot school must follow for its principal business office and operations base.
Key requirements:
- The school must keep a principal business office with a mailing address that matches the name on its certificate.
- The office's facilities and equipment must be adequate to maintain the files and records needed to run the school.
- The principal business office cannot be shared with another pilot school.
- Before relocating either the principal business office or the operations base, the school must notify the responsible Flight Standards office at least 30 days in advance, in writing, and include any needed amendments to the approved training course outline.
- Training may be conducted at an alternate operations base only if the Administrator has inspected and approved that base, and the course of training (with any amendments) has been approved for use there.
This matters because Part 141's structured oversight depends on the FAA knowing exactly where records live and where training occurs — keeping the school's certificate, facilities, and approved curriculum properly aligned.
Regulation Text
14 CFR § 141.25§ 141.25 Business office and operations base.
(a) Each holder of a pilot school or a provisional pilot school certificate must maintain a principal business office with a mailing address in the name shown on its certificate.
(b) The facilities and equipment at the principal business office must be adequate to maintain the files and records required to operate the business of the school.
(c) The principal business office may not be shared with, or used by, another pilot school.
(d) Before changing the location of the principal business office or the operations base, each certificate holder must notify the responsible Flight Standards office for the area of the new location, and the notice must be:
(1) Submitted in writing at least 30 days before the change of location; and
(2) Accompanied by any amendments needed for the certificate holder's approved training course outline.
(e) A certificate holder may conduct training at an operations base other than the one specified in its certificate, if:
(1) The Administrator has inspected and approved the base for use by the certificate holder; and
(2) The course of training and any needed amendments have been approved for use at that base.
[Docket 25910, 62 FR 16347, Apr. 4, 1997, as amended by Docket FAA-2018-0119, Amdt. 141-19, 83 FR 9175, Mar. 5, 2018]
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Oral Exam Questions a DPE Might Ask
Q1What are the basic requirements for a Part 141 school's principal business office?
Per FAR 141.25, the school must maintain a principal business office with a mailing address in the name shown on its certificate, with facilities and equipment adequate to keep required records, and it cannot be shared with another pilot school.
Q2If a Part 141 school wants to move its operations base, what must it do?
FAR 141.25 requires the certificate holder to notify the responsible Flight Standards office in writing at least 30 days before the move, along with any amendments needed to the approved training course outline.
Q3Can a Part 141 school train students at a location other than the operations base listed on its certificate?
Yes — FAR 141.25(e) allows training at another operations base only if the Administrator has inspected and approved that base for the certificate holder and the course of training, including any needed amendments, has been approved for use there.
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