Appendix B to Part 63 - Flight Navigator Training Course Requirements

(a) Training course outline -- (1) Format. The ground course outline and the flight course outline shall be combined in one looseleaf binder and shall include a table of contents, divided into two parts -- ground course and flight course. Each part of the table of contents must contain a list of the major subjects, together with hours allotted to each subject and the total classroom and flight hours.

(2) Ground course outline. (i) It is not mandatory that a course outline have the subject headings arranged exactly as listed in this paragraph. Any arrangement of general headings and subheadings will be satisfactory provided all the subject material listed here is included and the acceptable minimum number of hours is assigned to each subject. Each general subject shall be broken down into detail showing items to be covered.

(ii) If any agency desires to include additional subjects in the ground training curriculum, such as international law, flight hygiene, or others which are not required, the hours allotted these additional subjects may not be included in the minimum classroom hours.

(iii) The following subjects with classroom hours are considered the minimum coverage for a ground training course for flight navigators: 

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                                                               Classroom
                           Subject                               hours
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Federal Aviation Administration.............................           5
  To include Parts 63, 91, and 121 of this chapter.
Meteorology.................................................          40
  To include:
    Basic weather principles.
    Temperature.
    Pressure.
    Winds.
    Moisture in the atmosphere.
    Stability.
    Clouds.
    Hazards.
    Air masses.
    Front weather.
    Fog.
    Thunderstorms.
    Icing.
    World weather and climate.
    Weather maps and weather reports.
    Forecasting.
International Morse code:
  Ability to receive code groups of letters and numerals at
   a speed of eight words per minute
Navigation instruments (exclusive of radio and radar).......          20
  To include:
    Compasses.
    Pressure altimeters.
    Airspeed indicators.
    Driftmeters.
    Bearing indicators.
    Aircraft octants.
    Instrument calibration and alignment.
Charts and pilotage.........................................          15
To include:
  Chart projections.
  Chart symbols.
  Principles of pilotage.
Dead reckoning..............................................          30
To include:
  Air plot.
  Ground plot.
  Calculation of ETA.
  Vector analysis.
  Use of computer.
  Search.
Absolute altimeter with:
Applications................................................          15
  To include:
    Principles of construction.
    Operating instructions.
    Use of Bellamy's formula.
    Flight planning with single drift correction.
Radio and long-range navigational aids......................          35
  To include:
    Principles of radio transmission and reception.
    Radio aids to navigation.
    Government publications.
    Airborne D/F equipment.
    Errors of radio bearings.
    Quadrantal correction.
    Plotting radio bearings.
    ICAO Q code for direction finding.
    Loran.
    Consol.
Celestial navigation........................................         150
  To include:
    The solar system.
    The celestial sphere.
    The astronomical triangle.
    Theory of lines of position.
    Use of the Air Almanac.
    Time and its applications.
    Navigation tables.
    Precomputation.
    Celestial line of position approach.
    Star identification.
    Corrections to celestial observations.
Flight planning and cruise control..........................          25
  To include:
    The flight plan.
    Fuel consumption charts.
    Methods of cruise control.
    Flight progress chart.
    Point-of-no-return.
    Equitime point.
Long-range flight problems..................................          15
                                                             -----------
    Total (exclusive of final examinations).................         350
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(3) Flight course outline. (i) A minimum of 150 hours of supervised flight training shall be given, of which at least 50 hours of flight training must be given at night, and celestial navigation must be used during flights which total at least 125 hours.

(ii) A maximum of 50 hours of the required flight training may be obtained in acceptable types of synthetic flight navigator training devices.

(iii) Flights should be at least four hours in length and should be conducted off civil airways. Some training on long-range flights is desirable, but is not required. There is no limit to the number of students that may be trained on one flight, but at least one astrodrome or one periscopic sextant mounting must be provided for each group of four students.

(iv) Training must be given in dead reckoning, pilotage, radio navigation, celestial navigation, and the use of the absolute altimeter.

(b) Equipment. (1) Classroom equipment shall include one table at least 24&inch; × 32&inch; in dimensions for each student.

(2) Aircraft suitable for the flight training must be available to the approved course operator to insure that the flight training may be completed without undue delay.

The approved course operator may contract or obtain written agreements with aircraft operators for the use of suitable aircraft. A copy of the contract or written agreement with an aircraft operator shall be attached to each of the three copies of the course outline submitted for approval. In all cases, the approved course operator is responsible for the nature and quality of instruction given during flight.

(c) Instructors. (1) Sufficient classroom instructors must be available to prevent an excessive ratio of students to instructors. Any ratio in excess of 20 to 1 will be considered unsatisfactory.

(2) At least one ground instructor must hold a valid flight navigator certificate, and be utilized to coordinate instruction of ground school subjects.

(3) Each instructor who conducts flight training must hold a valid flight navigator certificate.

(d) Revision of training course. (1) Requests for revisions to course outlines, facilities, and equipment shall follow procedures for original approval of the course. Revisions should be submitted in such form that an entire page or pages of the approved outline can be removed and replaced by the revisions.

(2) The list of instructors may be revised at any time without request for approval, provided the minimum requirement of paragraph (e) of this section is maintained.

(e) Credit for previous training and experience. (1) Credit may be granted by an operator to students for previous training and experience which is provable and comparable to portions of the approved curriculum. When granting such credit, the approved course operator should be fully cognizant of the fact that he is responsible for the proficiency of his graduates in accordance with subdivision (i) of paragraph (3) of this section.

(2) Where advanced credit is allowed, the operator shall evaluate the student's previous training and experience in accordance with the normal practices of accredited technical schools. Before credit is given for any ground school subject or portion thereof, the student must pass an appropriate examination given by the operator. The results of the examination, the basis for credit allowance, and the hours credited shall be incorporated as a part of the student's records.

(3) Credit up to a maximum of 50 hours toward the flight training requirement may be given to pilots who have logged at least 500 hours while a member of a flight crew which required a certificated flight navigator or the Armed Forces equivalent. A similar credit may also be given to a licensed deck officer of the Maritime Service who has served as such for at least one year on ocean-going vessels. One-half of the flight time credited under the terms of this paragraph may be applied toward the 50 hours of flight training required at night.

(f) Students records and reports. Approval of a course shall not be continued in effect unless the course operator keeps an accurate record of each student, including a chronological log of all instruction, subjects covered and course examinations and grades, and unless he prepares and transmits to the local Flight Standards District Office not later than January 31 of each year, a report containing the following information for the previous calendar year:

(1) The names of all students graduated, together with their school grades for ground and flight subjects.

(2) The names of all students failed or dropped, together with their school grades and reasons for dropping.

(g) Quality of instruction. Approval of a course shall not be continued in effect unless at least 80 percent of the students who apply within 90 days after graduation are able to qualify on the first attempt for certification as flight navigators.

(h) Statement of graduation. Each student who successfully completes an approved flight navigator course shall be given a statement of graduation.

(i) Inspections. Approved course operations will be inspected by authorized representatives of the Administrator as often as deemed necessary to insure that instruction is maintained at the required standards, but the period between inspections shall not exceed 12 months.

(j) Change of ownership, name, or location -- (1) Change of ownership. Approval of a flight navigator course shall not be continued in effect after the course has changed ownership. The new owner must obtain a new approval by following the procedure prescribed for original approval.

(2) Change in name. An approved course changed in name but not changed in ownership shall remain valid if the change is reported by the approved course operator to the local Flight Standards District Office. A letter of approval under the new name will be issued by the regional office.

(3) Change in location. An approved course shall remain in effect even though the approved course operator changes location if the change is reported without delay by the operator to the local Flight Standards District Office, which will inspect the facilities to be used. If they are found to be adequate, a letter of approval showing the new location will be issued by the regional office.

(k) Cancellation of approval. (1) Failure to meet or maintain any of the requirements set forth in this section for the approval or operation of an approved flight navigator course shall be considered sufficient reason for cancellation of the approval.

(2) If an operator should desire voluntary cancellation of his approved course, he should submit the effective letter of approval and a written request for cancellation to the Administrator through the local Flight Standards District Office.

(l) Duration. The authority to operate an approved flight navigator course shall expire 24 months after the last day of the month of issuance.

(m) Renewal. Application for renewal of authority to operate an approved flight navigator course may be made by letter to the local Flight Standards District Office at any time within 60 days before to the expiration date. Renewal of approval will depend upon the course operator meeting the current conditions for approval and having a satisfactory record as an operator.

[Doc. No. 1179, 27 FR 7970, Aug. 10, 1962, as amended by Amdt. 63-6, 31 FR 9211, July 6, 1966; Amdt. 63-28, 54 FR 39291, Sept. 25, 1989]