FAA reports low attrition following PSI fee changes
Test availability maintained, agency says
The FAA responded just over a month after AOPA joined other industry advocates asking the agency to intervene to stem the loss of testing centers now being reimbursed at lower rates by PSI, the sole contractor. The FAA advised that the actual reduction in test availability to date has been less than the typical attrition rate.
PSI updated its reimbursement structure in January to reduce rates paid to flight schools and other businesses that host FAA knowledge tests. The change provoked concern from industry that third-party providers would drop out, leaving applicants for FAA certificates (including student pilots, mechanics, and others) without nearby options.
"Our information does not indicate that changes imposed by PSI have created any obstructions to FAA airman certification. Since PSI's second phased fee reduction announcement in mid- November of 2022, only 17 out of 797 authorized (number changes daily) testing centers have given notice of their intention to leave the network," Fields wrote. "All those testing centers were delivering low volumes of tests. All but one of those locations already had an alternative PSI location within an average of 10 miles of the previous location."
Fields declined to provide information on PSI's performance citing regulations which preclude that, and invited AOPA and other signatories of the March 9 letter to which he responded to consider making a Freedom of Information Act request.
Regarding the recommendation from industry that the FAA work with industry to increase knowledge test administration capacity, and reduce the reliance on a single contractor, Fields noted: "Feedback from the aviation and testing industries is critical to developing requirements for knowledge testing. We welcome organizations that wish to offer their expertise to future contracts to respond to the FAA through the formalized market research procedures established in the FAA's procurement process. We are looking to start the formal Request for Information (RFI) process in three to four years, where your input will be needed."
AOPA will continue to watch for any decrease in FAA knowledge testing exam availability and welcomes any reports of difficulty in scheduling an exam within a reasonable time. AOPA also continues to work with the FAA and flight training providers to improve the knowledge test system.
Jim Moore
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