The 40 Hour Private Pilot

So I have been thinking about getting a new rating and doing some additional training of my own on the side. Normally I don't delve into other areas but I recently heard an Aero-cast (podcast) by Bob Miller of Bob Miller Flight Training. He was discussing how the idea of a 40 hour Private Pilot is not a valid concept in this day and age, and I agree. Every flight training school I have ever worked for has shown that a perspective pilot can obtain their Private Pilot certificate in 35 hours, the minimum under FAR part 141. Everytime I thought I was lying to the perspective pilot. Is it wrong of me to feel that way? I don't think so, if you are a CFI how many times have you seen a new pilot actually develop into a good Private Pilot within 35 hours? Not many that I can count, and I have trained individuals whose job it was to learn how to fly. No, I did not train any foreign pilots in the US. I trained military individuals who were selected for flight training. So I got motivated students and it still took them longer than 35 hours.

Now normally I would go into how we should fix this problem but there isn't a good way. We need regulatory change to that regard. I think the minimum for FAR part 141 should be no less than 55 hours and the minimum for FAR part 61 should be no less than 65 hours. Why do I say that many hours? Because a part 141 school should keep their students flying no less than two days per week. This is not always possible and I understand that, but it doesn't matter. A part 141 school has a much more structured environment than part 61.

This is not always going to be the best fit for all, because some students, who are usually natural flyers, will be ready at less than those totals. But we definitely need change, and this would be one change I could live with because then we would not be lying to those who are starting out in flight training.

PS - I know it's been a long time since the last post. I just didn't feel I could express myself clearly enough to post anything prior to this. Hope fully I won't feel that way for the same amount of time.