When the bill passed in 2010 , the minimum required hours for a pilot to serve as a first officer ( co-pilot ) in an airline transport capacity was 250 hours . In July 2013 , HR 5900 increased this requirement to 1500 hours and possession of an Airline Transport Certificate ( ATP ) . Prior to this , a first officer only needed a Commercial Certificate , while the captain was required to have their ATP . Then Senior Vice President of the RAA , Scott Foose has commented before the Federal Aviation Association that he did n't think the rule had relevance since , as he commented , both of the pilots involved in the crash of Continental Express 3407 , which the legislation was inspired by , had over 1500 hours . Foose argued that HR 5900 's clause allowing for academic substitution of flight experience should be invoked . Foose said , The FAA has , through the rule-making process , the opportunity to amend the ATP standards to allow for academic credit in lieu of some flight time . Unless the FAA 's new rule recognizes the value of some of the new academic flight training programs , we 'll see a decrease in the pilot supply . It 's not just a safety issue . It is also about diminishing service to communities that are receiving scheduled air service today . Earlier in 2010 however , Cohen , the former RAA president , did n't seem to have those concerns , shortage or not . When addressing the concern of growing disinterest in the occupation of airline pilot , due to both the new 1500 hour rule and plummeting pilot pay , the RAA president stated " We 're confident our members will be able to navigate any perceived or real pilot shortage , just like we have done historically . "
Continental Express 3407
Colgan Air Flight 3407
Regional Airline Association