FAR Part 142 — Training Centers

14 CFR Part 142 was established in 1996 to create a distinct regulatory framework for simulator-based training centers that operate outside the structure of Part 141 flight schools. The critical distinction is one of scope: a Part 141 school trains applicants for initial pilot certificates and ratings from the ground up; a Part 142 training center delivers advanced training — type ratings, recurrent proficiency training, Advanced Qualification Programs, and crew qualification courses — to pilots who already hold FAA certificates. This distinction permits Part 142 centers to operate exclusively with simulators and flight training devices, without maintaining a fleet of actual aircraft, while still delivering FAA-credit training.

§142.1 defines applicability: the regulation covers any person who provides training for required crewmembers for air carriers under Parts 121 or 135 in approved flight simulators or FTDs, or who offers ATP, type rating, or instrument rating training in simulators. §142.11 describes the application and certification process, which involves submitting a training specifications document to the FAA Aircraft Certification Office or Flight Standards office. The training specifications — analogous to the Part 141 Training Course Outline — must describe each course offered, the approved simulator or FTD to be used, the curriculum, completion standards, and qualification requirements for each instructor and evaluator.

Facility and training device requirements are detailed in §§142.31–142.35. §142.33 requires training centers to maintain facilities appropriate to the courses offered, including briefing rooms and crew resource management training spaces. §142.35 specifies that each flight simulator or FTD used for credit training must hold a current qualification letter from the FAA National Simulator Program (NSP) and must be maintained at that qualification level. Simulators qualified under FAA Advisory Circular AC 120-40 (for FFS) or AC 120-45 (for FTDs) at Levels A through D — with Level D being the highest fidelity, permitting zero-flight-time type rating training — are the equipment backbone of Part 142 operations.

§142.47 specifies instructor requirements. Instructors at a Part 142 center must hold the certificate and ratings appropriate to the training they deliver and must be qualified in the specific simulator or device. §142.53 covers Advanced Qualification Programs (AQP), which allow operators approved under §121.909 to substitute competency-based, data-driven training cycles for fixed-interval recurrency — one of the most significant provisions in the regulation. Under AQP, an airline with FAA approval can conduct proficiency checks at intervals other than the standard annual cycle if its LOSA and QAR data demonstrate that the competency objectives are being met. Many large U.S. carriers and their affiliated Part 142 training providers operate under AQP.

§142.55 establishes record retention requirements for training centers: student training records must be retained for at least 1 year after course completion; training program documents and qualification records for instructors must be retained for the duration of the certificate.

Part 142 training centers are the dominant delivery channel for type rating training for U.S. airline pilots and corporate jet operators. Airlines that operate Boeing 737, Airbus A320, or other type-rated aircraft cannot practically train all their pilots in line aircraft; Full Flight Simulator (FFS) Level D devices at FlightSafety, CAE, or the airline's own training center provide equivalent training value with zero revenue-flight disruption and dramatically reduced risk. For flight academies and ATOs that market ATP-pipeline and airline-preparation programs, understanding Part 142 is essential because ATP-CTP (required by §121.156 before the ATP knowledge test) must be completed at an FAA-approved Part 141 or Part 142 training provider — directing candidates to specific qualified organizations.

For aviation training organizations outside the U.S., Part 142 has an EASA parallel: EASA Part-ORA (Organization Requirements for Aerodromes), specifically Subpart ATO, which certifies synthetic training device-based ATOs. The two frameworks share the underlying concept of simulator-based training separate from aircraft-based certification programs, but differ in approval architecture (Part 142 uses training specifications; EASA ORA.ATO uses an Approval Certificate and Operations Manual) and in simulator qualification standards (FAA Advisory Circular AC 120-40 vs. EASA CS-FSTD(A)).

Aviatize's training management module supports the training specifications tracking and course completion records that Part 142 training centers must maintain under §142.55. Each type rating course, AQP qualification cycle, or recurrent simulator event is logged against the approved training specification, with the specific simulator qualification level and device identifier recorded alongside the student outcome — creating the audit trail required for FAA surveillance and course completion certificate issuance.

For flight academies that send students to Part 142 centers for ATP-CTP or type rating completions, Aviatize maintains the external training record as part of the student's overall profile. ATP-CTP completion dates, type rating endorsements, and check event outcomes from external Part 142 centers are imported and visible in the same dashboard as the school's own internal training records, giving the school a consolidated view of each student's certification pathway status without requiring manual reconciliation across external systems.