The Federal Aviation Administration has rejected a proposal to halve the number of hours required to become a co-pilot.
- The proposal was an attempt to combat a severe shortage of aviators, prompting carriers to cut routes.
- Republic Airways, which flies routes for Delta, American and United, proposed in April that pilots be allowed to join an airline after 750 hours of flight time once they've completed the carrier's training program.
- Normally, 1,500 hours of flight time are required before a new pilot can fly commercially, though there is an exception for certain military experience.