FAA proposes additional training

WASHINGTON, May 12 (UPI) -- The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed a major overhaul of air carrier crew training in an effort to make flying U.S. skies safer, officials said.

The FAA said Thursday the changes would require flight crews to demonstrate, not just learn, critical skills in "real-world" training scenarios.

"The United States has the world's safest aviation system, but we are continually seeking ways to make it even safer," U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said. "This proposal will make U.S. pilots and other crew members even better-equipped to handle any emergency they may encounter."

FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said his agency "is proposing the most significant changes to air carrier training in 20 years."

"This is a major effort to strengthen the performance of pilots, flight attendants and dispatchers through better training," Babbitt said.

Under the proposal pilots would be required to train as a complete flight crew and would coordinate their actions through a program called Crew Resource Management.

The revised ground and flight training would teach pilots how to recognize and recover from stalls and other aircraft anomalies.

Flight attendants will be required to complete hands-on emergency drills every 12 months and dispatchers will be required to have extra training on how to deal with emergencies.