FITS - Introduction

This syllabus is an FAA Industry Training Standards (FITS) accepted training method. This generic syllabus is a guide for you to use in developing your specific FITS curriculum. This FITS Syllabus is intended as a guide for aircraft manufacturers, training providers, and flight schools to use in developing a specific FITS curriculum for their aircraft, geographic region, and customer base. This syllabus is unique in several ways. First, it is a syllabus that uses real-world scenarios as the foundation of the training. Flight maneuvers are still a vital part of flight training and flight maneuvers are a part of this syllabus, but the use of real-world scenarios is used to also enhance the pilot’s decision making skills. The syllabus presents situations and circumstances that pilots face everyday as learning experiences and lessons. The primary tenant of FITS training is that you prepare for the real world of flying, by acting as a pilot while in training. Therefore, throughout the syllabus, the pilot in training (PT) will take on different tasks or jobs just as if they were already certificated pilots. The second important unique feature of this syllabus and of FITS training is that it is all competency based. When the pilot in training (PT) masters a particular skill area in the syllabus, he/she moves on regardless of how much time it takes to reach that point of mastery. This means that each lesson does not necessarily equal one flight. It may take several flights before the PT masters the elements of the lesson and is ready to move on to the next lesson. Consequently, the amount of total flight hours a PT has when the syllabus is completed may be more or less than the minimum times under current aviation regulations. Please note that FITS training is conducted under the current CFAR's. Although philosophically, FITS is competency based, many training organizations must still require their students to meet the FAA minimum training hours. Courses under CFAR Part 142 and section 141.55(d) may be approved to train to competency and not require a minimum number of hours.

This generic syllabus is adaptable to 14 CFR Parts 142, 141, or 61. Please refer to the appropriate regulations for your specific curriculum requirements.

FITS acceptance is achieved by developing your specific curriculum and submitting it to:
FITS Program Manager, AFS-840 800 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington DC, 20591 202 -267-8212.

Once accepted, you are free to use the FITS Logo on all curriculums and in advertising about this particular curriculum. The FITS logo will not be used in relationship to non-FITS products.

1. Accepted FITS Flight Syllabus: Will contain all the tenets of FITS and will include flight in an aircraft or at least an Advanced Training Device. Examples of this type of syllabus include initial, transition, and recurrent training syllabi.
2. Accepted FITS Syllabus (No flight): It is not intended to teach the pilot in training (PT) psychomotor pilot skills or full cockpit/aircraft integration in a specific aircraft. It’s intended to enhance certain skill sets of the PT. Application of this level of acceptance may be to teach the PT how to use a new glass cockpit display or develop better SRM skills. A FITS Accepted Syllabus will also contain all the tenets of FITS. A live instructor will lead the training.
3. Accepted FITS Self-Learning Program: This acceptance is between the FITS Accepted Syllabus and FITS Supporting Material. It may be either an interactive CD or on-line course on a specific application or subject. The purpose of this training is to learn a specific piece of equipment or enhance a specific higher order thinking skill. Scenario training and/or testing is required. Since a live instructor is not required, Learner Centered Grading may not be applicable.
   1. If the program is for a piece of equipment (i.e. GPS), the equipment should act like the actual piece of equipment during the interaction with the equipment (to a point). After basic training on the equipment, scenarios should be used to demonstrate PT proficiency and knowledge. The program should allow errors and demonstrate the consequences of those errors.
   2. For non equipment programs (i.e. ADM development) scenarios with multi-string testing should be used.
4. Accepted FITS Supporting Material: These products do not meet the training tenets of FITS (i.e. may not be scenario based), but the subject is integral to FITS. These products could be accepted on their own technical merit, but only as a part of an Accepted FITS Flight Syllabus or FITS Syllabus. For example, a CBI on risk management could be accepted as and used as a module in a FITS accepted transition syllabus. Original equipment manufacturers (Cessna, Cirrus, Eclipse, etc.) or developers of training materials (Sporty’s, Jeppesen, King Schools, etc.) normally develop Accepted FITS Supporting Material.