Page 21 - AAA NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2012 Online Magazine

FEATURE PILOT TRAINING

“The superior piloT is one who by meet Asia’s growing demand will require notes. “For example, many trainees used
superior airmanship avoids situations ab-initio training, since the traditional to obtain training bonds from airlines.
where he needs the use of his superior supply of pilots with flying experience in This practice provided job security and
skills,” says Captain Jacques Drappier, general aviation or the military will simply ready money to the pilot trainees, but
senior Advisor Training at Airbus. Drappier not be sufficient. in north America and more importantly it allowed the airline to
is in no doubt about the role of the pilot. europe, there is a supply of qualified pilots plan its pilot recruitment and training on
They are the person who, just as much from general aviation who have flying a longer-term basis.”
as the equipment and the instruments, experience and have the potential to be Today, training bonds are less common
keeps the plane out of danger as it defies trained to become commercial pilots. in as lCCs and other players focus on leaner
the natural laws of gravity. without a pilot Asia the supply of general aviation pilots operations. so without the guarantee of
and good interpretive and reasoning skills, is limited and, as a result, candidates ongoing employment, fewer are willing to
conditions can arise that put an aircraft have to be recruited from colleges and take up pilot training, which results in a
in a potentially catastrophic situation. As universities and put through ab-initio smaller pool for ab-initio pilot training. As
Drappier says, automation has brought schools. in addition, the introduction of yap notes, it is essential for the Asian airline
great improvements in safety, comfort and modern aircraft into airline fleets will drive community to review its organisational
economy, “but at certain moments the the demand and growth in training. practices to attract more trainee pilots. “it
basic stick and rudder is still needed to “Airlines will have to expand their is important for the airline industry to act
fulfil the mission or save the aircraft.” existing training centres or increase early and decisively,” he warns.
so the big question facing the the use of independent training centres
Asian industry more so than any other to provide the training capacity,” adds Preparing to land
region is: where do we get these smart Genna. The use of independent training one area which has gained increasing
people, and how do we make sure we centres provides airlines with a flexible scrutiny of late is controlled flight into
train them properly? option, where the amount of capacity terrain (CFiT) accidents. This occurs when
required can be adjusted based on the an airworthy aircraft under the complete
Pilot pipeline airlines’ operational needs – but it takes control of the pilot is inadvertently
According to lenny Genna, president of the responsibility for training away from flown into terrain, water, or an obstacle.
l-3 link simulation & Training, there is the seat of safety implementation – incidents like the sukhoi superjet in May
already a shortfall of pilots in many Asian the airlines. As peter wolfe, executive this year, Air France 447, lion Air 737 and
countries. “several airlines are having Director at the professional Aviation board many others have been well outside the
to rely on pilots from europe and north of Certification (pAbC) notes, many regard envelope of standard equipment-failure
America to meet the current demand,” these shortages, and resultant poor accidents. They all raise the issue of
he asserts. “This gap between supply and training as major air safety threats. “iCAo suitable – and specific – pilot training for
demand will get wider as the demand admits that most tests used to qualify not just everyday conditions, but those
for pilots in europe and north America pilots as airline captains fail to validate that when the usual airborne situations are
increases.” so something will have to fill candidates have the knowledge needed to well and truly exceeded.
that gap, obviously. Traditional sources start or complete such training,” he says.
such as ex-military pilots can in no way “And iCAo and many state regulators lack
cope with what Genna estimates could be the resources to improve these exams –
up to 80,000 new flyers in China alone in so the problem remains without any plan
coming decades – a staggering figure. for improvement.”
but the fly in the ointment is that the wolfe says that pAbC plans to develop
us will likely face its own shortages soon. an iso-accredited global standard for ATp
one reason is the forced retirement at (Air Transport pilot)-level testing, and
the end of this year of pilots who were that serious interest in this idea has been
extended for five years when the FAA expressed by many interested parties.
raised the age limit from 60 to 65. Another even assuming that the right candidates
reason, which will impact the regional can be assessed and selected for the
airlines especially, is the FAA’s proposed front seat, there are specific problems
new 1,500-hour flight time rule to become that relate to the way training is carried
a first officer. All making the shortage out in Asia, says yap ong heng, Director LEFT: Today’s perception
more acute in Asia. General of the Civil Aviation Authority of of piloting as a job has
l-3 link, which manufactures advanced singapore (CAAs). changed – which means
trainer and simulator facilities, says that “Attracting the young to become pilots that training methods
the large proportion of pilots required to may not be as easy as in the past,” he need to change too
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