The National Business Aviation Association has published a dedicated guide addressing Part 135 checkride requirements, offering structured guidance for pilots and operators navigating the certification and recurrency evaluation process under on-demand and commuter air carrier rules. Part 135 checkrides are administered by FAA Aviation Safety Inspectors or Designated Pilot Examiners and encompass a broad range of practical and oral examination elements that differ meaningfully from Part 61 or Part 121 evaluation standards. The publication of an authoritative reference from NBAA signals the organization's recognition that knowledge gaps and procedural inconsistencies in the checkride process represent a tangible challenge for the business aviation community, particularly for smaller operators without large training departments or dedicated standardization infrastructure.
For working pilots, a formalized guide of this type carries immediate practical value. Part 135 operations span a wide spectrum — from single-pilot turboprop charter work to large-cabin business jet operations under fractional or on-demand certificates — and the regulatory requirements governing each vary considerably in scope. Pilots transitioning from Part 91 corporate environments into Part 135 operations frequently encounter the checkride process without the benefit of standardized preparation materials, since the regulatory text in 14 CFR Part 135 is dense and the Airmen Certification Standards or Practical Test Standards applicable to specific aircraft and operation types can be difficult to synthesize without experienced mentorship. A consolidated NBAA guide addresses this preparation gap directly and provides a common reference framework that both applicants and check airmen can use to align expectations.
For Part 135 certificate holders and their chief pilots or directors of operations, the guide also serves a compliance and standardization function. Operators bear responsibility under their Operations Specifications for ensuring that pilots meet all applicable training and checking requirements, and inconsistencies in how checkrides are structured or documented can expose operators to certificate action during FAA surveillance or ATOS audits. NBAA's guide likely clarifies what examiners are expected to evaluate, how practical test standards map to specific aircraft categories and operation types, and how operators should structure their training programs to ensure candidates arrive at checkrides adequately prepared — reducing failure rates and the operational disruption that comes with deferred certifications.
This publication fits into a broader trend of industry associations stepping in to provide interpretive and practical guidance in areas where FAA regulatory language alone leaves operators and pilots underserved. Similar efforts have been seen with NBAA's SMS implementation guidance, its runway safety resources, and its advocacy work around ARC participation for rulemaking. The Part 135 sector in particular has seen increased regulatory scrutiny in recent years, with the FAA's MOSAIC rulemaking and ongoing attention to pilot training standards in on-demand operations following several high-profile accidents attributed to inadequate proficiency or training program oversight. In that environment, a well-constructed checkride guide from a credible industry body becomes not just a convenience but a meaningful contribution to safety culture and regulatory alignment across the diverse landscape of U.S. business and charter aviation.