FAA Lets Pilots Charge for Experimental Aircraft Lessons
Published Date: 5/19/2026
Notice
Summary
The FAA is renewing its approval to collect info from pilots who want special permission to give paid flight lessons in experimental aircraft. This helps make sure these lessons are safe. If you’re involved, you can comment by June 18, 2026, and there’s no new cost—just the usual paperwork.
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
LODA paperwork for paid lessons
If you are a certificated flight instructor who wants to give paid flight instruction in experimental-category aircraft, you must apply for a Letter of Deviation Authority (LODA). The FAA says applications must be submitted at least 60 days before the intended operations, a LODA lasts four years, the agency estimates 19 hours per response (15 hours reporting + 14 hours recordkeeping listed as a total of 19 hours), and it expects 20 applications per year for a total annual burden of 380 hours; comments on the collection are due by June 18, 2026.
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