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To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish an apprenticeship program for students at flight training providers, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish an apprenticeship program at FAA-certified flight training providers to create a pipeline of students becoming commercial pilots. Participating flight training providers may select up to 8 apprentices per academic year (or more at the Secretary's discretion), who must meet standard FAA requirements under part 141 regulations. The bill also directs the Secretary to develop methods to incentivize retired military pilots, retiring airline pilots, and program graduates to become flight instructors or mentors at participating providers. The Secretary must issue implementing regulations within one year and submit annual reports to Congress on apprentice progress, retention rates, employment outcomes, and the program's effectiveness in addressing pilot shortages.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
3 cosponsors
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Byron Donalds’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- NULL $212,903
- ENTREPRENEUR $17,899
- ANDREESSEN HOROWITZ $13,200
- ROBINHOOD MARKETS INC $12,750
- SAULSBURY INDUSTRIES $9,900
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Byron Donalds → · Outside spending →
Actions (3)
- Mar 18, 2025 Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation. · house
- Mar 18, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. · house
- Mar 18, 2025 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 18, 2025
Mr. Donalds (for himself, Mr. Davis of North Carolina, and Mr. Nehls) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish an apprenticeship program for students at flight training providers, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Pre-Pilot Pathway Act”.
SEC. 2. APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM FOR PILOTS.
(a) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) Apprentice.—The term “apprentice” means a student enrolled at a flight training provider.
(2) Flight training provider.—The term “flight training provider” means a flight academy certified under part 141 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
(3) Secretary.—The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Transportation.
(b) Establishment.—The Secretary, in consultation with appropriate industry stakeholders and flight training providers who conduct flight training under part 141 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, shall establish an apprenticeship program to establish a pipeline of qualified and interested individuals to become commercial pilots.
(c) Selection.—Under the apprenticeship program established under subsection (b), each flight training provider participating in the apprenticeship program established under subsection (b) may select up to 8 applicants, or more if considered appropriate by the Secretary based upon the size and type of each participating flight training provider, to serve as apprentices each academic year.
(d) Curriculum and Requirements.—
(1) In general.—To graduate from an apprenticeship program established under subsection (b), an apprentice shall satisfy any relevant requirements and minimum curriculum under part 141 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations), including all curriculum under subpart C of such part.
(2) Minimum requirements.—Nothing in this Act prevents a flight training provider from imposing additional requirements, such as modifying the terms of service of the apprenticeship program, on an apprentice taking part in an apprenticeship program established pursuant to this section.
(e) Optional Program.—A flight training provider may choose not to participate in an apprenticeship program established under this section.
(f) Regulations.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue such regulations as are necessary to implement this Act.
(g) Incentivizing Retired Pilots.—The Secretary shall take such actions as may be appropriate to develop methods to incentivize pilots, including retired military pilots, retiring airline pilots, and graduates of the apprenticeship programs established under this section, to become instructors, mentors, or program advisors at participating flight training providers, including through the development of pathway programs for such pilots to gain initial qualifications or concurrent qualifications as certified flight instructors under part 61 or part 141 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
(h) Reporting and Evaluation.—
(1) Reporting.—The Secretary shall submit to Congress an annual report detailing apprentice progress, retention rates, and post-graduation employment outcomes under the program under this section.
(2) Evaluation.—The Secretary shall conduct an annual review of the apprenticeship program’s effectiveness, including the impact on addressing pilot shortages. <all>
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