Part 61 and Part 141 Flight Schools

There are several steps individuals can take to achieve a private pilot license in Arizona, including earning a flight education. Many of the requirements and standards at Arizona flight schools have been developed in accordance with a set of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines describing Part 61 and Part 141 flight schools.

Part 61 flight schools are smaller than their Part 141 counterparts. As a result, they provide students with more flexibility than Part 141 schools, with smaller classes and a more relaxed approach to education. In these settings, instructors are typically more willing to work around a student’s schedule, allowing aspiring pilots to pursue licensure at their own pace. Students or individuals who can only train part-time should look into the merits of Part 61 flight schools, though it should be noted that students at Part 61 schools usually take longer to achieve their license.

Part 141 flight schools, on the other hand, have been approved by the FAA to teach specific courses in a highly structured environment. While Part 61 flight schools are held to standards of quality, Part 141 schools are developed to provide the highest level of training possible. As one might expect, this entails a much more structured approach and consistent class schedule. This may be a challenge for aspiring pilots with full-time jobs, but Part 141 schools can provide pilots with the necessary education at an accelerated rate.

Part 141 flight schools are often recommended to individuals interested in a professional aviation career. This may leave Part 61 students questioning the gap in standards between the two types of institutions. However, all flight schools operate to prepare students to pass standardized FAA tests. The style of teaching and scheduling is the most significant difference between the two.

Individuals who excel in areas of personal organization and self-motivation can prepare for flight school by taking an online FAA knowledge test, the perfect first step in a person’s journey towards their private pilot license. FAA knowledge tests can be found in various places, with service providers such as the Gleim Online Ground School providing tests that have been specifically designed to prepare students for training at Part 141 flight schools.

Known as the Gleim Part 141 Approved Online Ground School, the FAA has carefully managed the course to ensure optimal standards of instruction. The course is ideal for individuals who cannot leave their homes but excel in a “classroom-style” learning environment. However, some aspiring pilots may be better suited to research aviation-related college degree programs. In some cases, approved Part 141 courses may be used for an aeronautical knowledge credit.

Of course, preparing for and passing an FAA flight test are just two of the many steps that must be taken by aspiring private pilots in the state of Arizona. Basic requirements include pilots being a minimum of 17 years old at the start of training and a medical certificate that declares the individual to be healthy enough for aviation training.

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The Arizona Association for Economic Development

In 1974, a group of leaders and experts in business and financial development gathered to deliberate on how to improve Arizona’s economic situation. The group was initially known as the Arizona Association for Industrial Development(AAID). They supported members by providing educational resources and opportunities to aid their professional advancement and worked with other associations with similar aims to impact the state’s economic development laws.

In 1991, the AAID became the AEDD, the Arizona Association for Economic Development, a non-profit that strives to develop and improve economic growth in Arizona. The association’s values include innovation, a diverse membership, ethical conduct, and continued learning. The headquarters is in Phoenix, Arizona.

In the association’s bid to facilitate growth, the AEDD relies on three main pillars or avenues to achieve its goal, education, advocacy, and collaboration. Education involves building capacity in its members, the professionals in the economic and business sectors. This pillar equips them with up-to-date knowledge and engages young professionals in AAED activities. Programs like the AAED Spring Conference, the AEDD Academy, and the partnership with the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) ensure that members constantly improve. The pillar also covers educating state leaders and the general public about economic issues.

Advocacy involves supporting laws that facilitate an environment conducive and hospitable to businesses, fighting against those that aren’t, and encouraging elected leaders to develop responsible economic policies. The Arizona Association for Economic Development has supported policies like SB1403, the Renewable Energy Tax Incentive Program, and HB2001.

Collaboration allows members to network and share ideas. There are many meetings and events where members can connect with each other and other professionals from similar organizations in the state. Through these collaborations, they can develop innovative ideas and identify the best methods and practices to foster the state’s economic growth.

Several committees exist to facilitate the smooth running of the association and work towards achieving its mission. Under the pillar of education, the Professional Education Committee makes recommendations to other committees on content and works with the IEDD to provide professional education programs. The Fall Forum and Spring Conference committees plan the respective programs where there will be opportunities to network and accomplished speakers.

Under the advocacy pillar, there is the Government Affairs committee. This committee delivers updates on economic development issues and communicates with state legislators, and writes policy statements, among other responsibilities. The Awards Banquet, Awards, and Event committees are under the collaboration pillar.

The Awards Banquet Committee plans the yearly banquet held at the Spring Conference. The Awards Committee handles all aspects of the awards for the annual Economic Development Distinguished by Excellence (EDDE) held at the Spring Conference and Golden Prospector Awards held at the Fall Forum each year. The Events Committee creates programs that provide value to members.

The public relations/communication committee is in charge of marketing. The committee ensures that the Arizona Association for Economic Development’s image and communication aligns with the brand of economic development and works to improve its external relevance.

The Membership Committee works with other committees to devise initiatives to improve the value of the association’s membership, ensure the AEDD has a diverse membership, attract new members and increase membership retention.

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Redistricting Finalized, AZ Republicans

In January 2022, the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission certified new redistricting maps with a three to two vote. After the vote, the new legislative maps were then sent to Secretary of State Katie Hobbs' office to be distributed among the counties. From here, voter registration rolls can be updated to include new legislative districts.

Redistricting occurs after every major census, as stipulated in the Constitution, to account for population shifts, to ensure that fairness is a part of the election process, and to make sure everybody’s voice is heard. Redistricting is not to be confused with gerrymandering, which involves unfairly redrawing districts to deliberately favor one party over another.

While necessary, redistricting can also be very controversial simply because the shape of each district can potentially determine who wins seats in the state. More importantly, redistricting may play a role in determining who controls Congress in Washington.

Further, redistricting is usually decided through the state legislature which holds power over district boundaries. Alternatively, some states, as is the case with Arizona, rely on a commission to determine new boundaries. This can be a complex task, and in Arizona, the commission must figure out how to reapportion seats to represent 7.1 million residents.

Redistricting can become a very contentious process. In Arizona, the commissioner’s independent chairwoman Erika Neuberg and Republican commissioner David Mehl leveled accusations at Democratic commissioner Shereen Lerner, accusing her of taking cues from outside Democratic groups. Lerner leveled similar charges at Mehl related to taking direction from outside Republican groups, and leveled other charges related to making false claims about the constitutionality of congressional maps, in essence making accusations of gerrymandering.

This time around the Princeton Gerrymandering Project initially awarded the submitted congressional and legislative maps a C and B, respectively, because the maps favored Republicans. However, when resubmitted in October 2021, both maps earned an A grade. Either way, political watchers predict that with the districts drawn as they are Republicans are favored to win more seats than Democrats. This could impact the political landscape for at least the next decade in the state..

So, what’s at stake? As of the November 2020 election, 4.2 million people were registered to vote in Arizona. Of this number, 1.3 million were Democrats, 1.5 million were Republicans, 38,385 were Libertarians, and 1.3 million voted independently. Using these numbers as a guide, Arizona is a purple or swing state, with contests possibly going either way.

With the redrawn districts, the change is bound to impact who gets sent to Congress. In 2011, each congressional district across the state comprised 710,244 people, but in 2020, this number has grown to 794,611 people. Moreover, voters from populous cities such as Tucson and Phoenix were blended with rural and suburban areas, among other changes.

Political watchers will not have to wait a decade to see if redistricting will impact future voting. Some experts are forecasting a Republican future for Arizona residents under the new redistricting guidelines. For example, in looking at House of Representative seats, right now Democrats have a slim lead of five seats to the Republicans’ four. The next election, however, might leave Democrats with three seats and Republicans with six because of highly competitive districts that have a vote spread of three percent.

Long-term, this redistricting can impact many of the current issues Arizonans face. With a more conservative legislature, laws related to immigration, abortion, school choice, and public school curriculum could change the political landscape dramatically.