U.S. Plans New Restrictions on Young Pilots
New limits will probably be set on young people flying airplanes, including a ban on their attempts to set airborne records, Transportation Secretary Federico Pena said Thursday.
Pena ordered a review of rules covering young pilots after the fatal crash of 7-year-old Jessica Dubroff of Pescadero, Calif., who was trying to become the youngest person to fly across the country.
Although 16 is the minimum age for a student pilot license, there is no restriction on who can take control of a plane as long as a licensed pilot is aboard.
Pena said the Federal Aviation Administration has completed a preliminary review of its rules.
He supports a bill by John J. “Jimmy” Duncan Jr. (R-Tenn.), chairman of the House Transportation aviation subcommittee, that would ban attempts to set aviation records by people who do not hold a private pilot’s license. The minimum age for that license is 17.
Pena also wants the measure to include restrictions on takeoffs and landings by people under 16 because those are the most dangerous parts of any flight. Younger people could still take the controls in flight.
The FAA could make exceptions to the age limits for groups that have safe, well-supervised programs for young people.
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