RAA Calls for Flight Training Degree Recognition

The Regional Airline Association (RAA) President and CEO, Faye Malarkey Black testified at a U.S. Department of Education public hearing, advocating for accredited flight training programs to be recognized as professional degrees. This change aims to make pilot careers more accessible to students from diverse financial backgrounds and help address the ongoing pilot shortage.

With many pilots approaching mandatory retirement age, the aviation sector faces workforce challenges. Black highlighted that the high costs of flight training—required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)—limit access for many aspiring pilots. Accredited Part 141 programs, often part of university curricula, add roughly $90,000 in costs due to mandated flight hours and certifications.

“Wages have climbed, and career interest is high, but barriers to entry are higher," said Black. "The highest of all is the cost of flight training – and the inability to finance it. These barriers put pilot careers squarely out of reach for working families.”

“Accredited, Part 141 flight training programs—often embedded within university programs—add around $90,000 of additional costs to a four-year degree. These are not optional extras; they are Federal Aviation Administration required flight hours, certifications, licenses, and safety benchmarks,” said Faye Malarkey Black. “Students in these programs are need the same access to the same financial tools their peers in law, medicine, and pharmacy already have.”

Recognizing these programs as professional degrees would provide students with financial tools similar to those available in law, medicine, and pharmacy, supporting workforce growth and the broader economy.