Fatigue education and awareness training program

Airlines and other certificate holders operating under Part 117 must create and maintain an FAA-approved fatigue education and awareness training program. This annual training is required for everyone involved in flight operations and scheduling—including pilots, dispatchers, schedulers, operational control personnel, and their direct managers.

The program must teach participants about fatigue itself, how it affects pilot performance, and practical strategies to combat it (fatigue countermeasures). This ensures everyone involved in flight operations understands the science behind the flight and duty time limits.

Certificate holders must update their training program every two years and submit it to the FAA for review. The FAA has up to 12 months to either accept the update or reject it with suggestions for improvement. This keeps the training current with evolving fatigue science and operational experience.

*This is a plain-English summary for study only. The official 14 CFR text on this page is controlling — always read the current regulation and consult a CFI.*