H.R. 6926 – Pilot Act of 2018

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 11:54 PM UTC

The Pilot Act of 2018 creates a special loan deferment for federal student loan borrowers who have earned a bachelor's degree in aviation and are working to gain the flight experience needed for an airline transport pilot certificate. The deferment lasts up to three years, during which borrowers do not have to make principal payments and interest does not accrue. The program ends when the borrower completes the required experience or stops actively working toward it.

Key Provisions

Defines a “qualified borrower” as someone with an aviation‑major bachelor’s degree from an FAA‑authorized school who is actively accruing the flight experience needed for an airline transport pilot certificate.
Allows a deferment of up to three years where loan principal payments are paused and interest does not accrue, in addition to any existing deferments.
The deferment ends once the borrower meets the aeronautical experience requirements under 49 U.S.C. §44703 or if they cease actively working toward those requirements.
Requires the Secretary of Education, in consultation with the FAA, to issue guidelines within one year on how to determine completion of experience, active work status, and reporting of borrower progress.

Legislative Activity

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Education and Workforce Committee

September 27, 2018

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

September 27, 2018

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Education and Workforce Committee

September 27, 2018

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued September 27, 2018

I

115th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 6926

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 27, 2018

Mr. Coffman introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

A BILL

To provide deferment to certain Federal student loan borrowers who are accruing aeronautical experience required for airline transport pilot certification.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Pilot Act of 2018.

2.

Deferral of loan repayment during accrual of aeronautical experience required for airline transport pilot certification

Part G of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1088 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

493E.

Deferral of loan repayment during accrual of aeronautical experience required for airline transport pilot certification

(a)

Deferral of loan repayment during accrual of aeronautical experience

In addition to any deferral of repayment of a loan made under this title pursuant to section 428(b)(1)(M), 455(f)(2) or 464(c)(2)(A), a qualified borrower shall be eligible for a deferment, during which periodic installments of principal need not be paid and interest shall not accrue, for a period not to exceed 3 years following the attainment of a bachelor’s degree described in subsection (b)(1), except that a deferment under this subsection shall expire upon the qualified borrower’s—

(1)

completion of the aeronautical experience requirements imposed under section 44703 of title 49, United States Code, for the airline transport pilot certificate sought; or

(2)

failure to actively work to accrue the aeronautical experience required to apply for such certificate.

(b)

Qualified borrower

The term qualified borrower means a borrower of a loan under this title who—

(1)

has attained a bachelor's degree with an aviation major from an institution of higher education that has been issued a letter of authorization by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration under section 61.169 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations; and

(2)

is actively working to accrue the aeronautical experience required to apply for an airline transport pilot certificate.

(c)

Regulations

Not later than one year after the date of enactment of the Pilot Act of 2018, the Secretary shall, in consultation with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, develop guidelines—

(1)

for determining for the purposes of this section when a borrower has completed the aeronautical experience requirements imposed under section 44703 of title 49, United States Code, for the airline transport pilot certificate sought;

(2)

for determining for the purposes of this section whether a borrower is actively working to accrue the aeronautical experience requirements required to apply for an airline transport pilot certificate; and

(3)

for reporting to the Secretary the progress a qualified borrower is making towards completion of such aeronautical experience requirements, including the frequency of such reporting.

(d)

Other definitions

In this section:

(1)

Aeronautical experience

The term aeronautical experience has the meaning given such term in section 61.1 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.

(2)

Airline transport pilot certificate

The term airline transport pilot certificate means an airman certificate described in section 44703(b)(2) of title 49, United States Code.

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