241 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 121.915 

flight: Proficiency training in an air-
craft, flight training device, flight sim-
ulator, or other equipment, as appro-
priate, on normal, abnormal, and emer-
gency flight procedures and maneuvers. 

(iv) For dispatchers and other oper-

ational personnel who do not conduct 
their duties in flight: ground training 
including a general review of knowl-
edge and skills covered in qualification 
training, updated information on newly 
developed procedures, safety related in-
formation, and, if applicable, a line ob-
servation program. 

(v) For instructors and evaluators: 

Proficiency training in the type flight 
training device or the type flight simu-
lator, as appropriate, regarding train-
ing equipment operation. For instruc-
tors and evaluators who are limited to 
conducting their duties in flight sim-
ulators or flight training devices: 
Training in operational flight proce-
dures and maneuvers (normal, abnor-
mal, and emergency). 

(b) 

Evaluation of performance. 

Con-

tinuing qualification must include 
evaluation of performance on a sample 
of those events and major subjects 
identified as diagnostic of competence 
and approved for that purpose by the 
FAA. The following evaluation require-
ments apply: 

(1) Evaluation of proficiency as fol-

lows: 

(i) For pilots in command, seconds in 

command, and flight engineers: An 
evaluation of proficiency, portions of 
which may be conducted in an aircraft, 
flight simulator, or flight training de-
vice as approved in the certificate 
holder’s curriculum that must be com-
pleted during each evaluation period. 

(ii) For any other persons covered by 

an AQP, a means to evaluate their pro-
ficiency in the performance of their du-
ties in their assigned tasks in an oper-
ational setting. 

(2) Line checks as follows: 
(i) Except as provided in paragraph 

(b)(2)(ii) of this section, for pilots in 
command: A line check conducted in 
an aircraft during actual flight oper-
ations under part 121 or part 135 of this 
chapter or during operationally (line) 
oriented flights, such as ferry flights or 
proving flights. A line check must be 
completed in the calendar month at 
the midpoint of the evaluation period. 

(ii) With the FAA’s approval, a no- 

notice line check strategy may be used 
in lieu of the line check required by 
paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section. The 
certificate holder who elects to exer-
cise this option must ensure the ‘‘no- 
notice’’ line checks are administered so 
the flight crewmembers are not noti-
fied before the evaluation. In addition, 
the AQP certificate holder must ensure 
that each pilot in command receives at 
least one ‘‘no-notice’’ line check every 
24 months. As a minimum, the number 
of ‘‘no-notice’’ line checks adminis-
tered each calendar year must equal at 
least 50% of the certificate holder’s 
pilot-in-command workforce in accord-
ance with a strategy approved by the 
FAA for that purpose. In addition, the 
line checks to be conducted under this 
paragraph must be conducted over all 
geographic areas flown by the certifi-
cate holder in accordance with a sam-
pling methodology approved by the 
FAA for that purpose. 

(iii) During the line checks required 

under paragraph (b)(2)(i) and (ii) of this 
section, each person performing duties 
as a pilot in command, second in com-
mand, or flight engineer for that flight, 
must be individually evaluated to de-
termine whether the person remains 
adequately trained and currently pro-
ficient with respect to the particular 
aircraft, crew position, and type of op-
eration in which he or she serves; and 
the person has sufficient knowledge 
and skills to operate effectively as part 
of a crew. The evaluator must be a 
check airman, an APD, or an FAA in-
spector and must hold the certificates 
and ratings required of the pilot in 
command. 

(c) 

Recency of experience. 

For pilots in 

command, seconds in command, flight 
engineers, aircraft dispatchers, instruc-
tors, evaluators, and flight attendants, 
approved recency of experience require-
ments appropriate to the duty position. 

(d) 

Duration of cycles and periods. 

Ini-

tially, the continuing qualification 
cycle approved for an AQP must not 
exceed 24 calendar months in duration, 
and must include two or more evalua-
tion periods of equal duration. After 
that, upon demonstration by a certifi-
cate holder that an extension is war-
ranted, the FAA may approve an exten-
sion of the continuing qualification 

VerDate Sep<11>2014 

08:20 May 17, 2019

Jkt 247048

PO 00000

Frm 00251

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8010

Y:\SGML\247048.XXX

247048