Redbird Expands Role in Flight Training Reform

At EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025, Redbird Flight announced multiple initiatives aimed at strengthening the future of aviation training. The company joined the National Flight Training Alliance (NFTA), which is working to modernize 14 CFR Part 141 as the FAA’s selected industry partner. Redbird COO Josh Harnagel has also joined NFTA’s Board of Directors and serves on its Subcommittee on Simulation, FTDs, and Modern Training Technologies.

Redbird will contribute to industry comments on FAA regulations that have not seen major revision since 1997, and much of which was originally published before the mid-1970s. Redbird is also collaborating with the University of North Dakota and Purdue University to develop and test an experimental flight training curriculum for the FAA.

“We are excited to work with NFTA and an experienced group of industry experts to advance this critical initiative,” said Harnagel. “Making aviation more accessible and affordable has been core to the Redbird mission since the company’s founding in 2006, and Part 141 modernization is a unique opportunity to implement a regulatory structure that better enables many flight training organizations to achieve those goals.”

Redbird is also engaged in research efforts as part of the FAA Center of Excellence for General Aviation. In partnership with Purdue, the company is investigating how AI-based tools can support pilot training in diverse and distributed settings.

Redbird began an annual survey of flight training in 2021. The results show significant cost increases across pilot certification levels. Harnagel noted that integrating aviation training devices into curricula could help address rising training costs and improve outcomes.

The FAA is tentatively planning public meetings later in 2025 to discuss technology, simulation, and curriculum reform related to the Part 141 initiative.