The Transportation Security Administration issued an interpretation on Sept. 13 excluding 11 “training events” from the definition of recurrent training under the Alien Flight Student Program. The announcement applies to foreign students training in aircraft weighing more than 12,500 pounds.
The interpretation, effective Oct. 1, clarifies that training events viewed as checks or tests will not require security threat assessment (STA) applications under the program. The interpretation also states that students who have undergone a successful STA within the previous year may begin recurrent training “without waiting for the results of the new STA once TSA accepts all documentation.” Rules and guidance for training in aircraft weighing less than 12,500 pounds have not changed.
For information, read AOPA’s Guide to TSA’s Alien Flight Training/Citizenship Validation Rule .