Bill Overview
Title: Pacific Island Aviator Development Act
Description: This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to revise its flight time requirements for airplanes with a single-engine rating. Specifically, DOT must establish an exception to require a straight-line distance of at least 110 nautical miles for the longest segment cross-country flight requirement on a cross-country flight of 300 nautical miles or more if such requirement is being met in Guam, Hawaii, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Sponsors: Del. San Nicolas, Michael F. Q. [D-GU-At Large]
Target Audience
Population: Aspiring pilots and flight schools in Guam, Hawaii, and Northern Mariana Islands
Estimated Size: 15000
- The bill affects flight training requirements in specific US territories and Hawaii.
- Aspiring pilots need to meet certain cross-country flight conditions for licensing, which this bill addresses in these specified regions.
- Flight schools and instructors in Guam, Hawaii, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands will need to adjust their curricula to comply with the new distance requirements.
- Tourism and transportation sectors in these regions may see indirect impacts as pilot training and availability could influence air service operations.
- By increasing pilot training flexibility, the bill could potentially increase the number of certified pilots in these areas.
Reasoning
- This policy will primarily affect aspiring pilots and flight schools in Guam, Hawaii, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, where the flight training requirements will be adjusted.
- A subset of residents in these areas aspire to become pilots and thus are directly impacted by the policy change.
- The policy may indirectly affect tourism and local economies by potentially increasing the number of qualified pilots and, consequently, available flights.
- Budget constraints suggest a moderate impact concentrated within the communities directly involved in aviation.
- Considerations include the geographical isolation of these regions and the importance of aviation both as a means of transportation and an economic driver.
Simulated Interviews
Aspiring pilot (Hawaii)
Age: 24 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think the policy makes a lot of sense, considering our unique geographic challenges.
- This change will help me finish my flight training faster.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Flight school instructor (Guam)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Adjusting the curriculum will be a challenge at first, but it could attract more students.
- This policy might increase our enrollment numbers, which I am hopeful for.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Airline pilot (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands)
Age: 33 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I see this as a positive step. More local pilots mean better opportunities within our community.
- It might not affect me directly, but it could in the long run by increasing our workforce.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Tourism Manager (Hawaii)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could be great for local tourism if it results in more flights.
- More pilots might mean more flexibility and routes for visitors, which is good news for our sector.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Aviation Regulator (Guam)
Age: 39 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The changes will require additional oversight, but we are prepared for it.
- I expect this to enhance our local aviation capabilities.
- While the workload might increase temporarily, the long-term benefits are promising.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Flight School Owner (Hawaii)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It’s a bit of a financial stress initially, but it might pay off by attracting more students.
- Hopefully, there will be support for schools like ours to make these transitions smoother.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
Aspiring pilot (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands)
Age: 21 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy gives me more options and flexibility during training.
- Finishing my training faster means I can look for jobs sooner in the islands.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Retired Commercial Pilot (Hawaii)
Age: 58 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think any policy that supports more local pilots is beneficial.
- Mentoring more pilots with flexible training is a positive step forward.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Regional Airline Manager (Guam)
Age: 36 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- More trained pilots could mean our operations would be more flexible and potentially more efficient.
- An influx of pilots might mean we can explore more regional flights.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
High School Career Counselor (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could make aviation careers more attainable for my students.
- I'm hopeful that more kids will consider becoming pilots since training will be more accessible.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $10000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $12000000)
Year 2: $10000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $12000000)
Year 3: $10000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $12000000)
Year 5: $10000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $12000000)
Year 10: $10000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $12000000)
Year 100: $10000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $12000000)
Key Considerations
- The bill requires alterations to existing aviation training regulations, which include administrative costs and potential infrastructure investments.
- Expect variations in the cost due to fluctuating administrative requirements and local infrastructure needs.
- Tax revenue impacts might take time to materialize and are subject to regional economic performance.
- Distribution of costs might be localized, affecting regions differently based on existing infrastructure and training capabilities.