Virtual Part 135 checkrides remain an available option for flight crews operating under on-demand and commuter air carrier certificates, according to guidance highlighted by the National Business Aviation Association. The FAA first authorized remote oral examination components for airman certification and rating practical tests during the COVID-19 pandemic through emergency regulatory relief, and subsequent policy action has kept that pathway open for eligible applicants. Under the current framework, designated pilot examiners (DPEs) and FAA aviation safety inspectors may conduct the oral portion of a Part 135 competency check or initial qualification evaluation via approved video conferencing platforms, while the flight portion of the practical test continues to require in-person completion in the aircraft or an approved full-flight simulator.
For Part 135 operators — which include charter companies, air taxi services, and fractional management entities operating under that regulatory framework — the availability of virtual oral examinations carries meaningful operational and logistical value. Scheduling checkrides for crews operating across multiple bases or in regions with limited examiner availability has historically been a friction point. Virtual orals reduce the need to reposition pilots or examiners across long distances solely for the ground evaluation phase, compressing the time and cost associated with maintaining currency and qualification compliance. For smaller certificate holders with lean training departments, this flexibility can be material to keeping crews in qualification status without incurring ferry flights or hotel costs.
The NBAA's decision to publish a reminder that virtual checkrides remain an option suggests the association is tracking possible confusion or concern in the operator community — possibly in response to shifts in FAA administrative priorities, examiner availability changes, or questions following the expiration of pandemic-era emergency measures. The business aviation sector has been attentive to which COVID-era flexibilities have been preserved, extended, or allowed to sunset, and NBAA has consistently advocated for retaining those that demonstrated operational benefit without compromising safety outcomes. Virtual oral examinations represent one of the relatively low-risk accommodations from that period, and the FAA has appeared receptive to keeping the option available under appropriate oversight conditions.
More broadly, this development reflects an ongoing evolution in how the FAA and the aviation industry are approaching training and qualification in an era of examiner shortages and geographic distribution challenges. The demand for qualified DPEs has not kept pace with industry growth, particularly in the business aviation and regional airline sectors, and remote evaluation tools represent one mechanism for addressing bottlenecks in the certification pipeline. Part 135 operators navigating crew qualification schedules should confirm with their principal operations inspector and their designated examiner that the virtual oral pathway is available and properly documented for their specific certificate, as operational approval details can vary by certificate holder and examiner authorization.