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This rulemaking would amend the regulations for air carrier training programs under part 121. The action is necessary to ensure that air carriers establish or modify training programs to address mentoring, leadership and professional development of flight crewmembers in part 121 operations. This rulemaking is required by the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Act of 2010.

Statement of Need:

On August 1, 2010, the President signed the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-216). Section 206 of Public Law 111-216 directed the FAA to convene an aviation rulemaking committee (ARC) to develop procedures for each part 121 air carrier pertaining to mentoring, professional development, and leadership and command training for pilots serving in part 121 operations and to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) based on the ARC recommendations. This NPRM is necessary to satisfy a requirement of section 206 of Public Law 111-216.

Summary of the Legal Basis:

The FAA authority to issue rules on aviation safety is found in title 49 of the United States Code. Subtitle I, Section 106 describes the authority of the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII, Aviation Programs, describes in more detail the scope of the agency's authority. This rulemaking is promulgated under the general authority described in 49 U.S.C. 106(f) and 44701(a) and the specific authority found in section 206 of Public Law 111-216, the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010 (49 U.S.C. 44701 note), which directed the FAA to convene an aviation rulemaking committee (ARC) and conduct a rulemaking proceeding based on this ARC's recommendations pertaining to mentoring, professional development, and leadership and command training for pilots serving in part 121 operations. Section 206 further required that the FAA include in leadership and command training, instruction on compliance with flightcrew member duties under 14 CFR 121.542.

Alternatives:

The Flight Crewmember Mentoring, Leadership, and Professional Development ARC presented recommendations to the FAA in its report dated November 2, 2010.

Anticipated Costs and Benefits:

For the timeframe 2015 to 2024 (Millions of 2013 Dollars), the total cost saving benefits is $72.017 ($46.263 present value) and the total compliance costs is $67.632 ($46.774 present value).

Risks:

As recognized by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the overall safety and reliability of the National Airspace System demonstrates that most pilots conduct operations with a high degree of professionalism. Nevertheless, a problem still exists in the aviation industry with some pilots acting unprofessionally and not adhering to standard operating procedures, including sterile cockpit. The NTSB has continued to cite inadequate leadership in the flight deck, pilots' unprofessional behavior, and pilots' failure to comply with the sterile cockpit rule as factors in multiple accidents and incidents including Pinnacle Airlines flight 3701 and Colgan Air, Inc. flight 3407. The FAA intends for this proposal to mitigate unprofessional pilot behavior which would reduce pilot errors that can lead to a catastrophic event.