FAR 61.71 — Approved Training Program Graduates
FAR 61.71 explains how Part 141/142 graduates, Part 121 trained pilots, and foreign license holders can meet Part 61 requirements for U.S. certificates.
In Plain English
FAR 61.71 gives credit to pilots who completed training outside of Part 61, so they don't have to re-prove the same experience and knowledge already covered.
There are three groups this rule covers:
- Part 141 or Part 142 graduates: If you graduate from an approved training program under Part 141 or Part 142, you're considered to have met the aeronautical experience, knowledge, and areas of operation requirements of Part 61 — if you present your graduation certificate and pass the required practical test within 60 days of graduating.
- Airline transport pilot (ATP) applicants from Part 121 training: If you've satisfactorily completed an approved training curriculum and proficiency check covering all tasks and maneuvers required by §§ 121.424 and 121.441 to serve as PIC under Part 121, you're considered to have met § 61.157 (except for the ATP-CTP course in § 61.156). You must apply within 60 days of finishing that training.
- Foreign license holders: A pilot holding a foreign license may receive credit toward an equivalent U.S. certificate under a Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) and its associated Implementation Procedures for Licensing.
This matters operationally because it streamlines the path from structured airline or academy training into FAA certification without duplicating requirements.
Regulation Text
14 CFR § 61.71§ 61.71 Graduates of an approved training program other than under this part: Special rules.
(a) A person who graduates from an approved training program under part 141 or part 142 of this chapter is considered to have met the applicable aeronautical experience, aeronautical knowledge, and areas of operation requirements of this part if that person presents the graduation certificate and passes the required practical test within the 60-day period after the date of graduation.
(b) A person may apply for an airline transport pilot certificate, type rating, or both under this part, and will be considered to have met the applicable requirements under § 61.157, except for the airline transport pilot certification training program required by § 61.156, for that certificate and rating, if that person has:
(1) Satisfactorily accomplished an approved training curriculum and a proficiency check for that airplane type that includes all the tasks and maneuvers required by §§ 121.424 and 121.441 of this chapter to serve as pilot in command in operations conducted under part 121 of this chapter; and
(2) Applied for an airline transport pilot certificate, type rating, or both within the 60-day period from the date the person satisfactorily accomplished the requirements of paragraph (b)(1) for that airplane type.
(c) A person who holds a foreign pilot license and is applying for an equivalent U.S. pilot certificate on the basis of a Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement and associated Implementation Procedures for Licensing may be considered to have met the applicable aeronautical experience, aeronautical knowledge, and areas of operation requirements of this part.
[Docket 25910, 62 FR 16298, Apr. 4, 1997; Amdt. 61-103, 62 FR 40901, July 30, 1997; Amdt. 61-128, 76 FR 54107, Aug. 31, 2011; Amdt. 61-130, 78 FR 42374, July 15, 2013; Amdt. 61-144, 85 FR 10920, Feb. 25, 2020]
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Oral Exam Questions a DPE Might Ask
Q1If you graduate from a Part 141 school, how long do you have to take your practical test to receive credit toward Part 61 requirements?
Per FAR 61.71, you must present your graduation certificate and pass the required practical test within 60 days of the date of graduation to be considered to have met the applicable Part 61 aeronautical experience, knowledge, and areas of operation requirements.
Q2Can a pilot trained under a Part 121 program use that training toward an ATP certificate and type rating?
Yes. Under FAR 61.71(b), a pilot who satisfactorily completes an approved Part 121 training curriculum and proficiency check meeting §§ 121.424 and 121.441 is considered to have met § 61.157 — except for the ATP-CTP required by § 61.156 — if they apply within 60 days.
Q3How can a foreign-licensed pilot receive credit toward a U.S. pilot certificate?
FAR 61.71(c) allows a holder of a foreign pilot license to be considered as having met the applicable Part 61 aeronautical experience, knowledge, and areas of operation requirements when applying for an equivalent U.S. certificate based on a Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement and its Implementation Procedures for Licensing.
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§61.113 Privileges & Limits
Private pilot compensation, pro-rata sharing, and BasicMed limits
§61.57 Recent Flight Experience
90-day passenger, night, and instrument currency rules
§61.89 Student Pilot Limitations
Solo student limits: no passengers, no compensation, minimum visibility
§61.51 Pilot Logbooks
Logging training, aeronautical experience, and recency for certificates
§61.23 Medical Certificate Duration
First-, second-, and third-class medical requirement and validity periods
Instrument Rating Requirements
IFR eligibility and aeronautical experience
Related Sections in Part 61