FAA proposes SIC pilot type rating

Pilots serving as second-in-command (SIC) would be eligible to apply for an SIC type rating without any additional training required, under an FAA notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) published last month. The purpose of the rule is to make it relatively simple for FAA type-rating requirements to conform to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, allowing U.S. flight crews to continue operating to international destinations without the threat of being grounded for not holding the appropriate type rating. The FAA said that foreign civil aviation authorities have put the agency and U.S. flight crews “on notice that they intend to enforce the ICAO type rating standards for SIC crewmembers.”

The SIC type rating would not be required for operations within the domestic airspace of the U.S. To be eligible for the rating, a qualified PIC or a type-rated CFI would verify SIC training was given and an applicant would submit a completed FAA Form 8710-1 and logbook or training records in person to either an FSDO or a designated examiner. There is no practical test. Operators have until December 16 to submit comments.