The FAA has opened comments until Aug.10 for changes to GA flight training rules that would affect a broad spectrum of pilots, including those pursuing private and commercial certificates. Its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking includes a long-anticipated proposal to use glass-cockpit, fixed-gear aircraft for commercial flight training instead of traditional complex aircraft with retractable gear. The FAA states in the NPRM it plans to update the definition of a technically advanced airplane to include those with primary and multi-function flight displays and integrated two-axis autopilots, which would encompass the features that are now standard in most new single-engine piston airplanes. The agency cited comments from the flight training industry that legacy complex airplanes have become outdated and difficult to maintain. It also pointed to reports from the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, noting that "Cessna has not produced a piston engine retractable gear airplane since 1985 and Piper has produced only 28 piston engine airplanes with retractable gear since 2008 (16 being the Piper Arrow model)."
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/news/faa-proposes-changes-to-ga-flight-training