Definition
A pilot training organization certificated by the FAA under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 141 or Part 142. A Part 141 Pilot School operates under an FAA-approved structured training course outline (TCO) with defined lesson plans, stage checks, and minimum hour requirements that are generally lower than Part 61 equivalents. A Part 142 Training Center is a higher-level certificated facility authorized to conduct training, testing, and checking using flight simulation training devices (FSTDs), typically for type ratings and airline-style crew training.
Plain English
These are two kinds of FAA-approved flight schools. A Part 141 school follows a strict, FAA-approved syllabus and is the more formal alternative to learning under Part 61. A Part 142 training center is a step up again — it specializes in advanced training using full-motion simulators, often for airline pilots and jet type ratings.
Context Anchor
Seen when the FAA discusses when simulator-based training may be used in an approved pilot training program.
Derivation
The names come directly from the part numbers in Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR), where Part 141 covers pilot schools and Part 142 covers training centers. The numbers are just regulatory labels, but pilots use them as shorthand for two distinct training environments.
Why Pilots Care
Training at these schools can lead to certificates and ratings with lower minimum flight time and provides a structured path recognized by the FAA and employers.
Intuition Check
Do not read “part” here as a piece of something. In this context, “part” means a numbered section of FAA regulations. Also, “141/142” means either a Part 141 pilot school or a Part 142 training center, not one single combined school type.
Example Sentence 1
She earned her commercial certificate at a Part 141 pilot school because the structured syllabus let her finish with fewer flight hours than a Part 61 program would require.
Example Sentence 2
Instructors at Part 141 schools must meet specific FAA requirements for teaching the approved syllabus.