Have you been affected by FAA Notice N 8900.647?

The Alaska Airmen's Association and the Alaskan flight training community are here to support you!

What is the Issue?

On 12/12/22, the FAA issued notice N 8900.647 requiring the reexamination of up to 137 pilots that took Instrument or Instrument Flight Instructor check-rides from an examiner in the Talkeetna area over a four-year period.   

-More information on the issue can be found here: Click Here!

-The official notice from the FAA can be found here: https://www.faasafety.gov/files/notices/2022/Dec/N8900.647_Donald_R._Lee.pdf

If you have questions about how you may be affected by this notice, contact Adam White in our Government and Legislative Affairs office at adam.white@alaskaairmen.org or 907-322-1098

Are you required to retest? We can help!

While the FAA does not charge a fee for practical examinations, the cost of the aircraft and any training needed to prepare for a check-ride can be substantial.  If you have received a reexamination letter and are concerned about the financial burden, we would like to offer some support.  The Association has collaborated with the University of Alaska Anchorage to fund 50 hours of simulator time with an instructor at their Merrill Field Campus that will be available to affected pilots at no charge. 

How to Schedule Training

  1. Contact Flight Operations at 907-786-7240 or uaa_flightoperations@alaska.edu to schedule 
  2. Request that your training be billed to the Alaska Airmen's Association 
  3. Get training!   

**Pilots should be prepared to show a letter of reexamination as proof of eligibility for this program**

Online Support is Available

FLY8ma-Top-GUn-stickertilt

The FAA has confirmed that the reexamination will consist of a single precision approach.  Online ground school Fly8MA has generously created some instructional videos on the precision approaches in the Anchorage area and made them available here to support the affected pilots. 

The RNAV 4 in Wasilla

The ILS in Anchorage (coming soon) 

Get refreshed on how to read an approach plate here: 

RNAV

ILS

For more IFR videos and check-ride prep visit: https://learn.fly8ma.com/all-courses/ifr/

We would love to do more!  If we are able to raise additional funds, we will be able to expand the program and offer more support to pilots burdened by the cost of renting an aircraft to retest, obtaining flight instruction to prepare, or traveling to an available examiner.

The Alaska Airmen's Association is asking the aviation community to help us in this effort to offset the costs incurred by the affected pilots. If you wish to make a tax-deductible donation to support the affected pilots, click the button below and note “retest” in the donation memo.  100% of funds donated will be used to help pay for retraining and aircraft operating costs for those affected in our Alaskan community.