Summary. The FAA is asking for comments to a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking regarding aviation maintenance technician education. In 2015, the FAA proposed changes to its Aviation Maintenance Technical School (AMTS) regulations, but did not finalize the rules at that time. Comments to the 2015 rulemaking convinced the FAA to evaluate, expand, and re-issue its proposal. The current proposal allows for competency based training, satellite training locations, and to eliminate quality of training requirements by replacing the national passing norms with a standard pass rate. The deadline for comments is on or before June 17, 2019.
Scope. The FAA is proposing to change the regulations for AMTSs in three significant ways. First, it will allow AMTSs to deliver their approved curriculums using competency-based training (CBT). CBT is a method of instruction that defines a set of competencies and that trains and assesses each student to achieve those competencies. A competency is a combination of skills, knowledge, and observable behaviors required to perform a task to the prescribed standards. The FAA’s proposal will make it optional for AMTSs to adopt CBT. This will allow students with prior training or aircraft experience to complete a pre-training assessment and pursue an individualized curriculum.
Second, it will allow AMTSs to use satellite training locations. Satellite training locations will permit a school to conduct operations outside of its primary locations, such as at high schools. Satellite locations must be listed on the parent organization’s OpsSpecs.
Finally, the current national passing norm will be replaced with a standard pass rate applicable to all AMTSs. Each AMTS must ensure that 70% of its students pass the FAA written exam.