# 14 CFR 141.55: What a Part 141 training course must contain

> Each Part 141 course must meet the curriculum and minimum hours in its appendix and be written up in a training course outline. The outline describes the rooms, training aids, simulators, airports and aircraft, the instructors' qualifications, and a syllabus with every lesson's objectives, standards and stage checks.

Source: https://www.aerscheduler.com/regulations/141-55
Official text: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/section-141.55 (eCFR, current as of 2026-10-15; section last amended 2017-01-01)

## In plain English

- Meet the curriculum and minimum ground and flight hours in the appropriate Part 141 appendix. [(a)](https://www.aerscheduler.com/regulations/141-55#a)
- Describe ground training rooms and their capacity (unless online), training aids, and simulators or flight training devices. [(c)(1)](https://www.aerscheduler.com/regulations/141-55#c-1)
- List the airports where training flights start and their facilities, and describe the aircraft. [(c)(4)](https://www.aerscheduler.com/regulations/141-55#c-4)
- State the minimum qualifications of each instructor. [(c)(6)](https://www.aerscheduler.com/regulations/141-55#c-6)
- Include a syllabus: prerequisites, each lesson's objectives, standards and time, stage standards, and the checks and tests for each stage. [(c)(7)](https://www.aerscheduler.com/regulations/141-55#c-7)
- A school certificated for 24 months can get initial approval of a course below the minimum hours, with tests given by the FAA or an outside examiner. [(d)](https://www.aerscheduler.com/regulations/141-55#d)
- Final approval of a reduced-hour course needs 24 months of initial approval, 10 students trained and an 80 percent first-time pass rate. [(e)](https://www.aerscheduler.com/regulations/141-55#e)

## Common questions

**Can I write my own syllabus?**

Yes. Most schools adapt a commercial syllabus, but the training course outline the FAA approves must contain everything in paragraph (c), including lesson objectives, standards and stage checks.

## Official text of 14 CFR 141.55

Training course: Contents.

(a) Each training course for which approval is requested must meet the minimum curriculum requirements in accordance with the appropriate appendix of this part.

(b) Except as provided in paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section, each training course for which approval is requested must meet the minimum ground and flight training time requirements in accordance with the appropriate appendix of this part.

(c) Each training course for which approval is requested must contain:

  (1) A description of each room used for ground training, including the room's size and the maximum number of students that may be trained in the room at one time, unless the course is provided via an internet-based training medium;

  (2) A description of each type of audiovisual aid, projector, tape recorder, mockup, chart, aircraft component, and other special training aids used for ground training;

  (3) A description of each flight simulator or flight training device used for training;

  (4) A listing of the airports at which training flights originate and a description of the facilities, including pilot briefing areas that are available for use by the school's students and personnel at each of those airports;

  (5) A description of the type of aircraft including any special equipment used for each phase of training;

  (6) The minimum qualifications and ratings for each instructor assigned to ground or flight training; and

  (7) A training syllabus that includes the following information:

    (i) The prerequisites for enrolling in the ground and flight portion of the course that include the pilot certificate and rating (if required by this part), training, pilot experience, and pilot knowledge;

    (ii) A detailed description of each lesson, including the lesson's objectives, standards, and planned time for completion;

    (iii) A description of what the course is expected to accomplish with regard to student learning;

    (iv) The expected accomplishments and the standards for each stage of training; and

    (v) A description of the checks and tests to be used to measure a student's accomplishments for each stage of training.

(d) A pilot school may request and receive initial approval for a period of not more than 24 calendar months for any training course under this part that does not meet the minimum ground and flight training time requirements, provided the following provisions are met:

  (1) The school holds a pilot school certificate issued under this part and has held that certificate for a period of at least 24 consecutive calendar months preceding the month of the request;

  (2) In addition to the information required by paragraph (c) of this section, the training course specifies planned ground and flight training time requirements for the course;

  (3) The school does not request the training course to be approved for examining authority, nor may that school hold examining authority for that course; and

  (4) The practical test or knowledge test for the course is to be given by:

    (i) An FAA inspector; or

    (ii) An examiner who is not an employee of the school.

(e) A pilot school may request and receive final approval for any training course under this part that does not meet the minimum ground and flight training time requirements, provided the following conditions are met:

  (1) The school has held initial approval for that training course for at least 24 calendar months.

  (2) The school has:

    (i) Trained at least 10 students in that training course within the preceding 24 calendar months and recommended those students for a pilot, flight instructor, or ground instructor certificate or rating; and

    (ii) At least 80 percent of those students passed the practical or knowledge test, as appropriate, on the first attempt, and that test was given by:

      (A) An FAA inspector; or

      (B) An examiner who is not an employee of the school.

  (3) In addition to the information required by paragraph (c) of this section, the training course specifies planned ground and flight training time requirements for the course.

  (4) The school does not request that the training course be approved for examining authority nor may that school hold examining authority for that course.

## Related

- [14 CFR 141.5: Getting a Part 141 pilot school certificate](https://www.aerscheduler.com/regulations/141-5.md)
- [14 CFR 141.101: Part 141 training records](https://www.aerscheduler.com/regulations/141-101.md)
- [14 CFR 61.109: Private pilot flight experience](https://www.aerscheduler.com/regulations/61-109.md)

AerScheduler enrolls each student against a version of your syllabus and keeps their lessons, grades and endorsements together. [https://www.aerscheduler.com/features/training](https://www.aerscheduler.com/features/training)

_The plain-English summary is AerScheduler's reading of the rule, not legal advice. The official text above is the eCFR's, published by the Office of the Federal Register; the eCFR is the current text._