FAR 141.7 — Provisional Pilot School Certificate
FAR 141.7 explains how an applicant can earn a provisional pilot school certificate when the recent training activity requirement isn't yet met.
FAR 141.7 creates a path for a new flight school applicant to get certified even when it doesn't yet have a track record of training students. Normally, to receive a full Part 141 pilot school certificate, an applicant must satisfy all the requirements of subparts A, B, and C of Part 141 — including the recent training activity requirement in § 141.5(d) (which requires the school to have actually graduated and recommended a minimum number of students for FAA tests).
A brand-new school obviously can't show that history on day one. So FAR 141.7 allows the FAA to issue a provisional pilot school certificate with ratings to an applicant that:
- Meets the requirements of subparts A, B, and C of Part 141, but
- Does not yet meet the recent training activity requirement of § 141.5(d).
Why it matters operationally: this lets a startup Part 141 school legally operate, build students, and demonstrate training results so it can later qualify for a full (non-provisional) certificate.