FLYING Magazine
The FAA is halting single-pilot operations in certain models of Cessna Citation jets, citing safety concerns and “widespread noncompliance” with training exemptions.
On Friday the FAA issued a formal “Notice of Policy Change and Rescission of Single-Pilot Training Exemptions for Certain Cessna Aircraft.” The six-page report notes the change is based on safety concerns resulting from a review that “revealed widespread non-compliance with the exemptions,” which prompted the FAA to cease issuing exemptions that allow certain Cessna jets that require two pilots to be flown as a single-pilot operation.
The FAA issued the first CE-500 single-pilot exemption to Cessna Aircraft in 1984. At the time there was no data that specifically showed a degradation of safety between single-pilot operations in Part 23 CE-500 aircraft and two-pilot operations in Part 25 CE-500 aircraft.
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The agency stated that a grant of exemption would serve the public interest by providing operators with increased operating flexibility and reduced economic burdens and would provide the FAA with data that could be used to help assess the need for general rulemaking.
This data was gathered and eventually the FAA began granting exemptions to training providers under 14 CFR Parts 61, 141, and 142. These exemptions permitted these training providers to conduct single-pilot operations.
The aircraft that require two pilots as listed in the notice are the model 500 Cessna Citation and Citation I, 550 Citation II, S550 Citation S/II 2, 552 Navy T-47A, 560 Citation V and Citation Ultra, 550 Bravo, 560 Encore, and 560 Encore+.
“Current exemption holders are being notified that their exemptions will be rescinded by separate action,” the FAA notice states. “This notice also serves to inform pilots who obtained single-pilot endorsements from training providers that held exemptions that they must cease single-pilot operations in aircraft that require two pilots under the regulations as they have no relief from the regulations.”
The FAA noted that the accident rate for single-pilot Citation jets is twice that of those crewed by two pilots. In addition, the agency investigated the practices of 14 organizations that provide training and pulled the single-pilot exemptions for 13 of them for acts of non-compliance, which included incomplete records, conducting required flight training in an advanced aviation training device (AATD) contrary to the conditions and limitations (C&Ls), and improper checks by DPEs that included falsified records.
“As a result, 13 of the 14 Part 61 exemption holders were denied an extension or had their exemption rescinded either for failing to respond to information requests or for non-compliance with the C&Ls.”
The notice will be published in the Federal Register on Monday.