something is not right. I think these are very much precursor events that could be signaling that there's something more serious in the system. . (7) Although the National Transportation Safety Board investigation of these 2023 incidents is active and ongoing, certain aviation professionals and experts have hypothesized that the combination of mass buyouts of experienced commercial aviation pilots and the post-pandemic surge in demand for commercial air travel have resulted in a perfect storm of higher flight volume necessitating widespread hiring that has lowered the overall experience level among pilots, first officers, air traffic controllers, and mechanics. (8) Other organizations, such as the Regional Airline Association, have expressed concern over the quality of flight hours that aspiring pilots accrue, alleging that too many hours are gained through flying aircraft in optimal weather conditions at flight schools in Arizona and Florida, depriving pilots of gaining real-world flight experience that reflects the typical part 121 operating environment, which features cross-country flights, flights with clouds, flights in inclement weather, and flights at night, among other conditions. (9) Congress recognized the importance of quality in addition to quantity when establishing minimum flight hours requirements to obtain an airline transport pilot certificate, specifically including in subsection (c)(2) of section 217 of the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010 ( Public Law 111–216 ) the following requirement: The total flight hours required by the Administrator under subsection (b)(1) shall include sufficient flight hours, as determined by the Administrator, in difficult operational conditions that may be encountered by an air carrier to enable a pilot to operate safely in such conditions. . (10) The alarming rise of near-miss incidents involving part 121 carriers in 2023 warrants the Federal Aviation Administration to strengthen current regulations governing the specific