FAR 141.79 — Part 141 Flight Training
FAR 141.79 covers who can give flight training at a Part 141 school, solo flight approval, and recurrent proficiency checks for instructors.
FAR 141.79 sets the rules for who can deliver flight training at a Part 141 pilot school and how instructors stay current.
Key points:
- Only a certificated flight instructor (or a commercial pilot with a lighter-than-air rating) who holds the ratings and minimum qualifications listed in the approved training course outline may train students under that course.
- A student pilot can't begin a solo practice flight from an airport until an instructor who is physically present at that airport approves the flight.
- Each chief instructor and assistant chief instructor must, every 12 calendar months, complete an approved syllabus of ground/flight training or an approved flight instructor refresher course (FIRC).
- Before training students in a course, an instructor must review the course objectives and standards and pass an initial proficiency check in each make and model used.
- Every 12 calendar months after that, the instructor must complete a recurrent proficiency check in one of the aircraft used for training. These checks are administered by the chief, assistant chief, or check instructor.
This matters because Part 141 schools earn their accelerated training privileges by holding instructors to standardized, recurring proficiency requirements.
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Q1Who is authorized to provide flight training to students at a Part 141 pilot school?
Q2What must happen before a student pilot starts a solo practice flight from an airport under Part 141?
Q3What recurrent proficiency requirement applies to instructors at a Part 141 school?
§141.79 instructor, solo, and proficiency-check gates
As of 2026-06-18, §141.79 is the Part 141 flight-training authorization rule. It is not only a student rule: it ties each approved course to instructor qualifications, airport-present solo approval, and 12-calendar-month proficiency/currency checks.
| Gate | Requirement | Compliance check |
|---|---|---|
Who may teach §141.79(a) | Only a certificated flight instructor, or a commercial pilot with a lighter-than-air rating, who also has the ratings and minimum qualifications in the approved course outline. | Match instructor certificate/rating records to the specific approved training course before assigning students. |
Solo practice from an airport §141.79(b) | A student pilot cannot be authorized to start the solo practice flight until an authorized instructor approves it while present at that airport. | Treat this as a dispatch gate, not just a logbook endorsement written earlier. |
Chief and assistant instructor currency §141.79(c) | Each chief instructor and assistant chief instructor assigned to a training course needs an approved syllabus of training or approved refresher course at least every 12 calendar months. | Track the calendar-month clock separately for each assigned course. |
Initial authorization for assigned instructors §141.79(d)(1) | Before training students in a course, the instructor needs a briefing on course objectives and standards plus an initial proficiency check in each make and model used for instruction. | A generic school checkout is not enough if the instructor teaches multiple aircraft models. |
Recurrent proficiency check §141.79(d)(2) | Every 12 calendar months after the last initial make/model check, the instructor needs a recurrent check in one aircraft in which that person trains students. | Do not let an outdated proficiency check carry a Part 141 training assignment. |
- The FAA Chief Counsel McMahon interpretation says a final progress check does not automatically satisfy §141.79(d).
- The school must show the progress check fully covers the required pilot proficiency-check scope.
- The check must be administered by someone authorized to conduct both the final progress check and the instructor proficiency check.
- A check in one make/model does not authorize instruction in another make/model unless the school administers the additional proficiency check.
§141.79 has two recurring clocks: chief and assistant instructors assigned to a course need annual syllabus/refresher currency, and assigned flight instructors need recurrent proficiency checks every 12 calendar months. Track both by course and role.
Part 141 flight training FAQ
What does 14 CFR §141.79 require for Part 141 flight training?
Section 141.79 controls the operating gates for flight training under an approved Part 141 course: who may teach, who must approve a student solo practice flight from an airport, annual chief/assistant instructor currency, and initial plus recurrent proficiency checks for assigned instructors.
Does §141.79 require a recurrent proficiency check every 12 calendar months?
Yes. Under §141.79(d)(2), each certificated flight instructor or eligible lighter-than-air commercial pilot assigned to a flight training course must complete a recurrent proficiency check every 12 calendar months after the last initial make/model proficiency check.
Can a Part 141 student start a solo practice flight without an instructor at the airport?
No. Section 141.79(b) says a student pilot may not be authorized to start a solo practice flight from an airport until the flight has been approved by an authorized instructor who is present at that airport.
Does a final progress check automatically satisfy the §141.79(d) proficiency check?
No. FAA Chief Counsel guidance says a final progress check only works if the Part 141 school can show it fully encompasses the required proficiency-check scope and is administered by an employee authorized to conduct both checks.