CAT Magazine - Issue 1/2009

www.halldale.com THE JOURNAL FOR CIVIL AVIATION TRAINING

REGULATORY

The New Sim Regulatory Matrix

AIRLINE TRAINING PROFILE

BA’s New Philosophy And Emphasis PILOT TRAINING

Waiting’s Over, ATQP Goes Live TRAINING TECHNOLOGY

What Role Now For Instructors In The Classroom?

ISSN 0960-9024

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US $17/£8.50

Issue 1/2009

I drive to work every day, proud to be part of a company committed to unmatched quality and value in aviation training. Alteon instructors, with vast industry and operational experience, deliver training at twenty centers in more than a dozen countries.

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EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL COMMENT

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CAT Magazine (ISSN 0960-9024, USPS # 022067), printed February 2009, is published 6 times per annum by Halldale Media Ltd, Pembroke House, 8 St. Christopher’s Place, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 ONH, UK at a U.S. subscription rate of $168 per year.

CAT Magazine is distributed in the USA by SPP 75 Aberdeen Road, Emigsville PA 17318-0437. Periodicals postage paid at Emigsville PA. POSTMASTER: send address changes to: Halldale Media Inc., 301 East Pine Street, Suite 150, Orlando, FL 32801, USA.

Chris Lehman Editor in Chief, CAT Magazine

Admiration... and Concern In my last Editorial Comment, I suggested that it may be time for the industry to offer a reminder to all aviation stakeholders that a professional pilot is “... no more a glorified bus driver than a flight attendant is an airborne waiter or waitress.”

Perhaps CAT readers will forgive me if I say my comment now seems somewhat prophetic. A few months later, an unprecedented love-in with the USAir crew responsible for the media-dubbed “Miracle on the Hudson” unfolded. We in the industry are often uncomfortable with the manner in which aviation incidents are reported by the mainstream media, because seldom does this industry benefit from mass media coverage. More often than not they get it wrong, creating an inaccurate picture of commercial aviation, further damaging an industry seemingly under assault from every corner.

But this time it was different, and the result quite dramatic. Suddenly we have flight crews as celebrities, adored by the media, feted by politicians and appearing on late night talk shows. Modest and professional in their demeanour, both flight and cabin crew elevated the stature of their profession with every appearance in the spotlight. Media outlets even started to acknowledge that this zero fatality ditching was not really a “miracle,” but rather the outcome of decades of experience on the part of the crews, rigorous and sophisticated training and education, and perhaps just a little “bit of luck.” Captain Chesley “Sulley” Sullenberger acknowledged the “bit of luck” every time he mentioned the many players that day, including the rescue first responders who were on the river and available almost immediately.

Captain Sullenberger and his First Officer, Jeffrey Skiles, are particularly senior and experienced, and Sullenberger himself is reflective of the classic background that used to be the norm in this industry: military academy educated, air force pilot, then commercial airlines.

Add to that a lifetime interest in all levels of aviation, two advanced degrees, a glider pilot certificate, and a background as an aviation training consultant. In short, “a pilot’s pilot.” In Sulley’s own words he “... made 42 years’ worth of deposits in the bank of education and experience... and there was enough there for a sudden very large withdrawal...”

The flight attendants that day were also very senior and experienced and they too made large withdrawals from their bank of education and experience. With due respect to the rescue crews on the river that day, the flight attendants were the true “first responders.” Flight Attendants Doreen Walsh, Donna Dent, and Sheila Dail successfully evacuated all of the 150 passengers. When Captain Sullenberger twice walked the aisle before he left the flooding aircraft, he confirmed for himself what the flight attendants already knew – everyone was out.

Captain Sullenberger leaned heavily on his remarkable experience and training, evidently making all the right decisions, and doing so quickly. Perhaps the most difficult decision was to actually decide upon the river ditching. Once that psychological leap and command decision was taken, it was executed flawlessly. Trying to return to your departure airport after engine failure without enough altitude and energy is a classic error in aviation, as is not abandoning a landing approach when it is unstable. But these are not errors one associates with this level of flight crew.

This event reminds the industry that the demographic on the flight deck is changing, and contributing to this change is the turmoil in the airline industry itself. With retirements, furloughs, and wage and working condition concessions, the profession is not what it used to be. With new training regimes pending, and a new generation of pilots with non-classical backgrounds, this industry needs to determine whether any concern is warranted, and if so, what can be done about it.

And just when the public again respects airline flight crews.

Safe travels, Chris Lehman CAT Editor in Chief • chris@halldale.com CAT MAGAZINE • ISSUE 1/2009

05

CEOs on Training A SERIES

“United Technologies is committed to providing its customers the highest level of service with the best people and technology.

FlightSafety shares this approach, making them an ideal training partner for UTC.”

LOUIS R. CHÊNEVERT President and CEO, United Technologies Corporation Louis Chênevert was elected President and Chief Executive Officer of United Technologies on April 9, 2008. He served as President, Chief Operating Officer and as a Director of United Technologies since March 8, 2006. Prior to that, he held the position of President of the Pratt & Whitney division of United Technologies. In May 2005, Chênevert was inducted as a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He also serves on a number of boards including the Board of Directors for the Friends of HEC Montreal and the Director’s Advisory Board for the Yale Cancer Center.

T

echnology is driven by ideas. Ideas are driven by

This commitment to opportunity makes UTC a natural

people. This truth guides the culture of continuous

partner for FlightSafety International, which provides

improvement at United Technologies, a global

ongoing aviation training for UTC’s diverse flight department

corporation with a legacy of pioneering innovation

and is a factory-authorized training provider for Sikorsky

in aerospace, aviation, climate control, elevator design

Aircraft Corporation. “We appreciate FlightSafety’s focus

and fuel cell technology.

on personalized, one-on-one training and its commitment

The company was founded by engineers who created

to research and development. The combination of the right

new industries and many of its businesses still bear their

people and the most advanced technology is a powerful one.

names today: Elisha Otis, Willis Carrier, Igor Sikorsky and

It’s a philosophy our companies clearly share.”

David Sundstrand, to name a few.

Today, UTC remains a company of ideas that is supported by a commitment to innovation. It encourages its employees to seek and share ideas openly, which creates limitless opportunities for technological innovation.

The Most Trusted Name in Training.

“We encourage our people to pursue lifelong learning and engage with the world outside of United Technologies,” us the confidence to take risks, to experiment, to cooperate

For more information, please contact any of our Learning Centers or call Scott Fera, Vice President Marketing: 718.565.4774. Our headquarters are at the Marine Air Terminal, LaGuardia Airport, New York 11371-1061. Email: sales@flightsafety.com

with each other and, always, to learn from our endeavors.”

flightsafety.com

explains Louis Chênevert, President and CEO. “This gives

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5 EDITORIAL COMMENT Admiration... and Concern. The demographic on the flight deck is changing, and contributing to this change is the turmoil in the airline industry itself.

8 AIRLINE TRAINING PROFILE

8 AIRLINE TRAINING PROFILE Not So “Soft” On Training - BA’s New Philosophy And Emphasis.

British Airways continues to analyse real flying events to identify lessons, which can be rapidly fed back into its training patterns.

12 REGULATORY 27 Into 7 Equals 9625 – The New Regulatory Matrix. The world of civil aviation training regulations is harmonizing to a simpler tune.

16 FLIGHT TRAINING Schools Focus On The Peaks To Get Through The Troughs. Hang in there - everything is cyclical and airlines will start hiring again once the economy improves.

12 REGULATORY

20 TRAINING TECHNOLOGY What Role Now For The Instructor In The Multimedia Classroom?

Today’s instructor is a facilitator of sophisticated technology that arguably produces better pilots through more efficient training programs.

29 CONFERENCE REPORT Think and Re-Think – The Airbus Mantra For Better Practice.

The 2008 Airbus Training Symposium stressed the need for the training industry to continually evolve.

16 FLIGHT TRAINING

32 PILOT TRAINING Waiting’s Over, The Alternative Training and Qualification Programme Goes Live. Commercial aviation has been slow to pick up on an idea that is generally recognised as no more than “best practice” in training design and management.

34 NEWS Analysis and Seen & Heard. Monthly roundup from the regions on developments in the training field, compiled and edited by Fiona Greenyer and the CAT editorial team.

20 TRAINING TECHNOLOGY

FEATURE ARTICLES

d

CONTENTS CAT 1/2009

CAT MAGAZINE • ISSUE 1/2009

07

AIRLINE TRAINING PROFILE

Not So “Soft” Not So “Soft” On Training

On Training

BA’s New Philosophy And Emphasis

08

CAT MAGAZINE • ISSUE 1/2009

g

British Airways will take delivery of the Boeing 777-300ER from 2010.

Image credit: Boeing.

British Airways continues to analyse real flying events to identify lessons, which can be rapidly fed back into its training patterns. Such considered and active change to training should be one of the few constants in the business. Chris Long reports.

W

hen CAT Magazine undertakes an airline training profile the accent tends to be on the numbers of crews and fleet sizes, closely followed by details of the training equipment and syllabuses used to train the team. The technical details (the “hard” science) are usually the main thrust of interest, complemented by a study of the “soft” skills used in the process.

The latest British Airways training patterns neatly illustrate the adoption of the new industry-wide philosophy of enhancing the critical soft skills, which in the aviation training business have too often been seen as bolt-on competencies.

For instance, a couple of decades ago when CRM was first introduced it was treated as a supplementary course, not as a core and integral necessity. The role and importance of human factors training and awareness has similarly come to the fore, again not as an add-on, but as a critical element, which runs through all training and operations. Consequently training organisations are now recognising this imperative and are adapting their training patterns accordingly. To better understand the scale and nature of the task that BA has been tackling, it is worth a quick run through of the basic numbers.

As a major legacy carrier the route network covers large swathes of the globe as well as a dense regional (European) operation. The aircraft fleet is diverse (see table) and, with 3,200 flight deck crew and 13,000 cabin crew, initial and recurrent training is no small challenge.

The need for a high level of technical skill is taken as a given and although the training system has evolved to embrace

Aircraft Type Number in Fleet B747-400 57 B777-200 42(4) (777-200ER for delivery in 2009) B777-300 (6) (For delivery from 2010) B757 11 B767-300 21 B737-300/400/500 25 A319/320/321 77 A318 2 (For delivery in 2009)

new technologies and methodologies, there has been no seismic upheaval in the process of teaching and verifying the purely technical competencies required to operate the aircraft.

ATQP This emphasis of human factors is clearly illustrated in the advanced training and qualification programme (ATQP), which is incorporated into EASA (OPS) regulation. There is now much more attention being given to teaching people how to think their way through problems and training them to better manage unexpected events. This programme has to be tailored to a specific operator to take into account the culture, route structure and aircraft types of an individual airline. BA has been quick to initiate such a process.

The start point for this requires that the skill sets essential for flight deck crew be examined holistically.

The airline has taken a step back from the immediate training task and, starting with data mining to identify critical skills in the operational world, has care-

fully established a comprehensive suite of relevant competencies.

Analysis of the behaviours observed in crews trained using the earlier philosophy of training crews to become proficient in a programmed response to a series of pre-set situations, has revealed that some crews had difficulty in adapting to an unexpected event. Consequently the present and future training has been designed to integrate appropriate behavioural and communications skills with the technical competencies right from the start.

The critical role of cognitive skills such as problem solving and situational awareness, the social skills of leadership / management and effective team working are all seen as essential for safe and commercial operation. Another cognitive skill, which can be taught, is prioritisation – learning how to load-shed effectively. Recorded data shows that crews who have this much broader range of capabilities can cope much better with unexpected situations.

Since this enhanced training has been introduced and the new mindset established the number and severity of incidents cited in routine air safety reports (ASR) have both been reduced an encouraging indication of the value of increased emphasis on these soft skills.

Patterns Training patterns must not only be effective, they also have to be efficient.

The rapid rate of introduction of the new A320 family of aircraft resulted in a high demand for the two A320 FFSs (an additional one will be delivered by CAT MAGAZINE • ISSUE 1/2009

09

AIRLINE TRAINING PROFILE

CAE in April 2009). It was decided to transfer the low-fidelity training material from the simulator to the classroom using electronic whiteboard technology, which can be used to show whole system operation in real time and thus prepare more thoroughly for the simulator details. The programmes were produced in-house integrating system failure and failure management capabilities. FFS sessions were then cut from four to three hours’ duration, but the combined training value of the classroom / FFS session was just as effective, enabling real-time practice of complex failure scenarios in the simulator without using the freeze facility. Learning from the trials has been incorporated into training programmes for all fleets, although there are no plans at present to reduce simulator time on long-haul types.

and head-up displays (HUD), because it is not entirely convinced of the maturity of these options. The first aircraft on which both these features will be standard equipment will be the B787; while there is an EFB integrated into the A380, the HUD option has not been chosen.

Sheterline acknowledges that there will be some interesting times ahead when these aircraft arrive. Training packages for the new types will follow the present trend of adopting the OEMs’ defined processes with as few changes as possible. A recent trial to validate the Airbus cross crew qualification course for transfer from the A320 family directly to the A380 was recently undertaken by a volunteer from BA, who was a standard average captain on the A320 fleet and who had some widebody experience some years ago as a first officer. It was a great success and the transfer of skills went very smoothly. The lucky individual now has to wait a while before he can operate the aircraft in BA colours.

Identify Steve Sheterline, head of flight technical and training at BA, mentions that the airline has already started on a process similar to the ICAO ITQI. This identifies key hazards through data analysis, works out mitigation strategies and then designs competency-based training to address the issues. Data sources are not only internal to the airline but are also derived from within the industry, embracing IATA, major safety agencies such as the Flight Safety Foundation, as well as through selective use of the internet.

One main driver is to try and find out what crews were actually thinking at the time of any occurrence: Had previous training helped them? Was it suited, or not, to the situation in which they found themselves? Was the situation entirely unfamiliar, in which case how did they work out a solution? These are early days in this project but Sheterline expects it to bear fruit within about 12 months. However, benefits are already being realised in addressing pilot/cabin crew communications and mindsets and such topics as potential runway excursions.

Instructors The role of instructors and examiners remains critical, so that selection and training of individuals is particularly important. All of those who become trainers are volunteers and one of the desired characteristics is that, through their attitude towards the company and the job, they can serve as role models 10

CAT MAGAZINE • ISSUE 1/2009

Top: Steve Sheterline, head of flight technical and training at BA. Below: Captain Minesh Patel leading an ATQP course.

Image credit: British Airways.

to other pilots. Obviously they need to be technically competent (at the upper end of the competency scale), but they must also have plenty of spare capacity and strong cognitive skills. Finally they must be self-motivated. Uniquely within UK CAA regulatory responsibility, all BA training captains become qualified not only as type rating instructors (TRI) but also as type rating examiners (TRE). Once selected for this responsibility candidates move sequentially through the SFI/TRI core course, the TRI practical course and shortly after that the TRE course.

For the individual this leads to an all-embracing remit in the training and checking environment, thus engendering considerable job satisfaction. This range of responsibility, which goes from line training through to LPCs, results in better standardisation and a boosted commitment to the role. The company also directly benefits through greater flexibility in the rostering and planning of its instructional and examining team.

BA is taking a considered view on the introduction of electronic flight bags (EFB)

Unique A more immediate task is to prepare for entry into service of the A318, which will be used on the London City airport to New York JFK route. The range of skills to operate this flight is unique within BA. A single aisle aircraft will be flying intercontinental routes under ETOPS, operating on a 5.5 degree steep approach into London City and managing the challenging Carnasie arrival procedures at JFK. The plan is to develop RNP.3 for the A318 initially and then to seek approval for this on the Carnasie to JFK 13L. In the initial stages it will be flown as LNAV, visual transition autopilot engaged (to min disconnect height).

The training issues are fascinating, including as they do base training in the steep approach into selected airfields away from high traffic density. One of the options being considered is painting the demanding dimensions of the London City runway directly on to the training airfield runway, to better reinforce the visual cues. Although normally the crews on the Airbus fleet are rostered freely across the route structure for those aircraft and also include low–time pilots, the extra demands of this particular operation will initially require that crews will be drawn from the pool of experienced pilots who will then specialise in this innovative operation. cat

REGULATORY

27 Into 7 Equals 9625 – The New Regulatory Matrix Get ready to delete Level D and FTD Level 4-plus and FNPT II from your customer proposal vocabulary.

The world of civil aviation training regulations is harmonizing to a simpler tune, writes Rick Adams.

The upshot will be better business.

C

ould a full flight simulator (FFS) someday win FAA authorization with flat panel cockpit displays depicting 3D images of aircraft instruments, instead of actual or replica instrument hardware? The FAA’s Dr. Edward Cook thinks that is a possibility as technology continues to evolve and regulators race to keep pace.

But that would be racing ahead of the story. So let us reset the scenario.

The civil aviation training community is approaching the first anniversary of a milestone change in how flight simulation devices are governed, at least in the United States. Commonly referred to as Part 60, the Flight Simulation Training Device Initial and Continuing Qualification and Use “final rule” became effective last May 30, after about a decade-long process to update guidelines originally adopted in the 1980s.

But even as the ink was drying on Part 60 and its companion Change 1, far more 12

CAT MAGAZINE • ISSUE 1/2009

sweeping changes were being discussed, which are expected to have a profound long-term impact on aircrew training around the planet... and the terminology.

Some of those changes are reflected in another FAA document currently open for public comment, usually known as “N&O”.

At some time by mid 2009, an omnibus document will be published, which it is hoped most national aviation authorities worldwide will implement fairly quickly – the update of ICAO 9625.

$10m for Harmony If there is a key phrase associated with ICAO 9625 Edition 3, it is “international harmonization”, suggests Dr. Stéphane Clément of CAE. Clément is co-chairman of the technical subgroup, which engineered the first phase of the document, addressing FSTD requirements for fixedwing aircraft, and is about 30% complete writing the rotary-wing specifications.

Rheinmetall‘s Avior laser projection system has met the rigorous Level D requirements.

Image credit: Rheinmetall.

The new iteration of 9625, which has been an ICAO standards manual since the early 1990s, emerged from an international working group (IWG) sponsored by the UK Royal Aeronautical Society RAeS. About 80 delegates from 16 countries – representing aircraft and training device manufacturers, airlines, training centers, pilot associations, and regulatory communities – have been meeting periodically for three years. The cost of salaries and travel for all this brainpower, donated by delegates’ organizations, is estimated at US$10m.

Two key drivers for the effort are ICAO’s Multi-crew Pilot License (MPL), adopted in 2006 to help alleviate the global pilot shortage, and industry frustration over varying device specifications.

“For Level D, there are very few differences,” explains Donald Irving, chairman of the IWG. “Below that, there is no harmonization. There is no easy mapping between FAA and European standards.”

The working group identified some 27 different categories of what used to be referred to as full flight simulators (FFS) and flight training devices (FTD) – henceforth lumped together in the FAA’s Part 60 as flight simulation training devices (FSTD).

They have reduced the proposed list to seven with the blatantly simple designation of Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, etc.

The genius of the IWG collaboration, though, is not the mere simplification of technical categories. It is the bottomup approach they took of first evaluating training tasks, matching those tasks to the various pilot license types (MPL, commercial pilot license, instrument rating, type rating, and so forth), then determined what level of simulation technology was appropriate to address those license-driven tasks.

“Training operators don’t buy a product,” emphasizes Irving, “they buy a capability.”

The IWG identified 12 training device features (such as cockpit layout and structure, aero and engine flight model, sound/visual/motion cues, weather) plus generic-representative-specific levels of fidelity, and matrixed those against license types and nearly 200 tasks – “almost 50,000 different combinations,” according to Cook - to shake out the specifications of the seven harmonized FSTD levels.

Level 7 (or VII, if you prefer Super Bowl nomenclature) is essentially a Level D simulator plus a new requirement for air traffic control simulation.

It would apply to such licenses as MPL4, type rating plus air transport pilot license (TR+ATPL), and recurrent license (training and checking).

Level 5 is today’s Level D sim without motion.

Level 4, applied to MPL2, is akin to current Level 6 FTDs but with additional specifications such as a visual system.

“All seven levels of devices will require a visual,” Cook notes. Levels 2 and 4 call for a 45x30 flat screen, Levels 1, 3, and 5 will require a 200x40 direct-view display, and Levels 6 and 7 specify a 200degree horizontal by 40-degree vertical field of view collimated display.

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13

REGULATORY

The visual display for lower-level devices “is not necessarily elaborate,” cautions Clément. “It is required for a few key tasks and transitioning from looking at the instruments to looking outside. So there needs to be some representation of the runway.”

The 200-degree FoV for Levels 6 and 7, already fairly common on newer simulator procurements, is based on the view needed by a pilot looking to the side as he prepares to make a U-turn to line up on the runway.

“If the display is only 180 degrees, he might not be able to see the threshold of the runway to start the turn,” Clément explains.

Effort Despite the exhaustive effort, the proposed ICAO 9625 update is not quite complete. “We had pretty good agreement on phases 1, 2, and 4 of MPL” (1=core flying skills, 2=basic, 4=advanced), the CAE industry regulations leader says, “but we really struggled around phase 3” (MPL intermediate).

The MPL3 license calls for crew training in a twin turbine airplane, but not necessarily aircraft specific. “It could be

a hybrid trainer, between an Airbus and a Boeing... some were calling it a ‘BoBus’.”

“We’re not quite sure what ICAO meant” in the MPL3 license, Cook adds.

And there is little practical experience yet accumulated on MPL graduates to help refine the tasks.

The main snag for Level 6 FSTDs (for which MPL3 is the only identified type of license) is what type of motion system will be required.

“It may have a shorter stroke length or different velocities. We just don’t know enough yet to make a call,” Cook shrugs.

The MPL license “is not an American concept yet. It is not nearly as well understood in the States,” Irving adds.

And Cook is concerned that indifference could become a problem for US training operators in the future. “A bunch of the European operators come into the US for training.” Embracing the MPL approach offers “a much better chance of serving the business people in this country.”

Levels 6 and 7 will also require a “dynamic automated” air traffic control environment, for which Clément thinks the simulation industry “is not there yet” in meeting all the requirements. A key component is voice recognition soft-

ware that can handle not only “aviation English” but also the myriad accents of pilots from around the world whose native dialect is not the Queen’s tongue.

Indeed, Clément says, “One Italian pilot may say an English phrase one way and another Italian pilot a different way.

How much tolerance do you accept in the system?”

Irving says the ICAO staff is editing and formatting the ICAO 9625 Edition 3 fixed-wing document, and is expected to publish it “the first half of this year.”

As there is no public comment period, national aviation authorities are then at liberty to adopt it as part of their own pilot training requirements. Irving doesn’t believe EASA will act quickly, as it is “overwhelmed at the moment” with absorbing the Joint Aviation Authority (JAA) and other issues. FAA will likely incorporate 9625 into Part 60 Change 2 with the process beginning “at the end of the summer or later,” Cook says.

Irving estimates the ICAO 9625 helicopter document may be finished sometime next year – the first time there has been an international rotary-wing training device manual.

With the whole world aligned on a set

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Register and is open for comment through May 12. You can access the proposed new rule for qualification, service, and use of crewmembers and aircraft dispatchers for Part 121 operators (air carriers) via the FAA’s website (www.faa.gov). Start on the right-hand side under “Regulations & Guidelines” – click “Recent Rulemaking Documents”, and look under the section “Proposed Rules (NPRMs)”.

The final rule would not take effect until 2016, allowing 16 months after the close of comments for publishing, 120 days to become “effective”, then a fiveyear grace period during which the old and new rules coexist.

Proficiency of device standards, in theory, simulator costs should come down. Vendors will be able to produce greater volumes of fewer FSTD types rather than adapting to different regulations for each country or region.

Delta Air Lines was the first operator to meet the new threshold with a CAE-built B777-200LR Level D simulator.

Image credit: Delta/CAE.

Positive

But the visual scenarios are raising the most questions. “We interpret the requirement to be adding more evaluation objectivity to lower class databases,” comments FlightSafety International visual simulation marketing director Dan Myers.

“For example, a database may not have a third runway, recently constructed. We believe the new requirement will call for the runway to be modeled for all FSTDs, regardless of classification levels.”

In some cases, adds American Airlines’ flight training managing director Chris Broom, an instructor will load an airport database for a particular type of training – Salt Lake City for high terrain features, for instance. “We’re not training the airport. So why do we need to have every taxiway sign be accurate for that type of training?”

AA simulator manager Asok Ghoshal says it has placed a lot of in-house emphasis on visual modeling, “trying to catch up” with the Part 60 requirements, which will take full effect end of May. He would like to see the industry come up with a central repository for airport database changes, upon which training operators could draw for updates to their respective systems. The alternative is to reduce the number of database models available in their simulators.

The third document in the current regulatory trifecta, the rewrite of N&O, was posted January 12 in the US Federal

There have been 34 initial simulator evaluations under the Part 60 rule since it became effective eight months ago, according to Harlan Sparrow III, manager of the FAA’s National Simulator Program.

“The industry operators have been very positive with the new rule.”

The first operator to meet the new threshold was Delta Air Lines with a B777-200LR Level D simulator produced

by CAE, qualified on June 26 in Atlanta.

Clément praises Delta training operators as “modern and pro-active... they behave as industry leaders.” He notes they were not obliged to go with the new regulation “because our contract with them was already signed when Part 60 was published.

Nevertheless, they jumped on the new rule and embraced their responsibilities.”

The three elements of Part 60, which garner the most industry attention are that: (1) as a “rule”, it carries significantly more clout than the former FAA advisory circular “guidance”, (2) simulator deficiencies not fixed within 30 days must be reported, and (3) visual databases must be kept current with real-world airports to be used in training.

The device deficiencies reporting were inserted to preclude the type of check airman to check airman wordof-mouth information, which rarely was logged: “Don’t use Atlanta runway 8 Left.

The ILS glide slope isn’t working right.”

Major changes include emphasis on crew resource management (CRM) and use of FSTDs for job performance and evaluation. “We defined proficiency,” states Atlas Air’s Scott Schleiffer. “There’s no longer a question about what proficiency means.” A former Coast Guard C-130 pilot and current B747 line check airman “who has flown everywhere except Antarctica,” Schleiffer served on both the Part 60 and N&O Aviation Rulemaking Committees (ARC).

Similar to the ICAO 9625 working group, the pilot subcommittee took a task approach to the N&O rewrite, looking at the entire suite of tasks in a “phases of flight” order. Schleiffer says they created two task lists: “action criteria and awareness criteria.” The action criteria are fairly self-explanatory, “doing” items such as applying brakes or thrust. The awareness criteria are “sensory” things, like hearing call-outs from other pilots, or recognizing when you are near V1 on the take-off roll.

“We tried to make it a complete package.

The group wanted to make sure pilots have the best opportunity to be successful.”

So what was that about graphic cockpit displays? Not far fetched when you consider some military cockpits like the Joint Strike Fighter are pretty much one big touch screen. What Ed Cook means, possibly, is crafting this “mosaic” of international training and device regulations in such a way as to enable technology advances when and where they make sense for training value, reliability, and cost.

And, oh, we did not even get into Part 61 practical test and training standards, or rewrites of Part 135 and Part 142. You can catch up with Ed on those at the upcoming WATS conference. cat CAT MAGAZINE • ISSUE 1/2009

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FLIGHT TRAINING

Schools Focus On The Peaks To Get Through The Troughs Hang in there - everything is cyclical and airlines will start hiring again once the economy improves.

It has happened before and will do again. Some major airlines are even expecting to make a profit in Q4 2009, writes Chuck Weirauch.

T

hat is the “good news” some US flight schools and regional airlines are passing along to prospective students and new hires in the face of the increasingly dire world economy. But with student enrollments down and hiring at regionals reduced to a trickle, it is hard to remember those heady days of less than a year ago when new pilots seemed to graduate one day and get themselves hired the next. That was great for pilots, but was yet another major headache for airlines.

And that is what bothers Dan Robertson, hiring manager for Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA), the most. He is deeply concerned that when things do pick up, airlines will once again experience a pilot shortage.

“My bottom-line concern is that we were out of pilots last year,” he said.

“This [economic climate] runs in a cycle, and airlines are going to be hiring again.

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CAT MAGAZINE • ISSUE 1/2009

Once this economy gets settled, with the aircraft orders that are out there, in two years we are going to run out of pilots again.”

That may seem like an unusual view, given that ASA does not anticipate hiring until 2010, depending on the economy, and will furlough some pilots for the first time in the company’s history in the next few months. However, the airline did run out of pilots in 2008, and there are not many pilots in training right now. All of this could lead to deep trouble once again, Robertson feels.

One way to counter any future shortage problem is to take the “good news” message to flight schools and universities, and that is exactly what Robertson and some other regionals personnel have been passing along.

“We have actually been seeing some pilot recalls in the majors this year, and airlines have never been in better shape to handle the downturn than they are

Depending on the economy, ASA does not anticipate hiring until 2010.

Image credit: Bombardier

right now,” Robertson said. “Costs are under control, capacity has been cut, fuel prices are down and majors are talking about profits.”

But whether students will pay attention to the good news, considering the constant barrage of negative reports about the economy in the media, is open to question. CAT Magazine made a small survey of a variety of flight schools to obtain some notion of how they have been impacted by the economy and to attempt an answer to this question.

Enrollments down According to John O’Brien, vice president of maintenance and operations at

Delta Connection Academy, domestic enrollment at the Academy is down by approximately two-thirds on last year.

Like many flight schools, Delta Connection is trying to supplement this reduction in domestic students with those from abroad, primarily from China.

Another trend there, and one that is becoming more common throughout the industry given the current economy, is that the school’s certified flight instructors (CFI) are staying in their positions longer.

“I have not spoken to anybody that feels there is much hiring and training going on this year,” O’Brien said. “To be honest, it looks a little bleak from that standpoint. However, what I am hearing is that in 2010 hiring will return and be as strong as it’s ever been from the regionals.”

In the meantime Delta Connection will continue to improve its training curricula and training aircraft fleet. Within the past two years the flight school has added 34 glass cockpit Cirrus SR20 aircraft to its fleet, new Aerosim advanced aviation training devices (AATD), and level six FTDs. O’Brien reported that the school has seen an improvement Ins_AXIS_124x178_0808 11.08.2008

in training effectiveness with the new equipment.

The Academy is also working to expand the number of job placement opportunities beyond the usual suspects. O’Brien recently created a manager of pilot placement position, so that the school could find some non-traditional career paths for students. While some areas include overseas employment, others include smaller carriers, including those operating under FAA Part 135 and cargo carriers. But in spite of the few placements currently, he remains optimistic.

“I have been in this business for 42 years and I think I have seen more ups and downs than in any other industry,” O’Brien summed up. “But I am confident that it will come back, because it always does.”

Trickle At the University of North Dakota’s College of Aviation, undergraduate enrollments have been flat and hiring of graduates has fallen to a trickle, according to UND flight operations director Al Palmer. He also feels that the industry is in a cycle, which needs to be waited out.

However, 15:23 Uhr when Seitethe 1 economy does

get better regionals could be in a better position to hire because they are smaller, more flexible and more able to adapt to change than majors, he said.

The reduction in enrollments has encouraged UND to look at new ways to recruit students in a more high-tech manner, such as via the Internet, Palmer said. The university is also hoping to draw in more students through new training equipment. The College of Aviation recently added 25 new glass cockpit Cessna 172 aircraft to its fleet.

“We are telling potential students that now would be a good time to enroll, because they will have completed their education and be in place when airlines start hiring again,” Palmer said.

As with Delta Connection Academy and other schools, the trend at UND is for CFIs to stay longer than in the past. The university has about 220 CFIs on staff.

These instructors are an especially valued asset right now, since UND has seen some growth in the number of international students. The university’s primary international customers are Air China and Air China Cargo, with some students from Saudi Arabia and Southwest and Southeast Asia.

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FLIGHT Training

“We have been fairly fortunate in international training, which has grown by 25% in the past year,” Palmer said.

“This provides more opportunities for our instructor pilots, and because of this business our instructors will build their flight time and get more experience, so they will be in a better position to get those regionals jobs when the economy improves.”

Softened Not every flight school, however, is having the same problems. According to Ghassan Reslan, CEO of Phoenix East Aviation in Daytona Beach, student enrollment remains good, even with the softened economy and reduced hiring by some majors.

“I have heard about some flight schools training fewer students and even having financial trouble,” Reslan said. “I’m happy to say that Phoenix East is fortunate. Because we focus on high quality and value pricing, we have continued to grow, as well as remain financially strong. Regarding airline hiring, since we do train both international and US students, naturally there is some variability in how quickly they obtain jobs, based on differing needs.

However, our student graduates seem to be doing well and getting hired, especially by regional and discount airlines worldwide.”

Phoenix East also offers another option, flight dispatcher training, for students with a commercial instrument or CFI rating in the event they are not able to quickly get a position as first officer, Reslan said. With three weeks of study through an accelerated airline dispatcher course and passing the FAA test, students can then be prepared for an airline flight dispatcher job, he said.

In Miami, Pan Am International Flight Academy’s ab initio training is geared to foreign pilots, and the flight school primarily provides pilot training for aircraft flown by major airlines.

According to PAIFA senior director of sales Greg Darrow, the economic downturn has definitely had an impact on the ab initio training market. At the same time the Academy is seeing an increase in business as more and more of those newly graduated foreign pilots, as well as experienced domestic pilots, stay with or return to PAIFA to earn advanced ratings in order to get jobs.

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CAT MAGAZINE • ISSUE 1/2009

“A lot of these ab initio students, whereas before they might have gone back to their home countries immediately upon graduation with just a commercial pilot’s license, are now opting to get their B737 or A320 type rating instead of returning to their countries for them,” Darrow explained.

“Domestically the big push that we are seeing is that pilots are making moves to bolster their resumes. There is a lot of interest from both younger and older pilots in a number of training programs, such as a regional jet introduction course or a full type rating. We are also seeing very experienced people being laid off at airlines come back to get another type rating paid for by Workforce Investment Act funds.”

But it is not all gloom and doom on the job front, Darrow said. The flight school has seen quite a few people broaden their job searches and pilots are getting hired with their advanced ratings. The main thing for them is to keep a positive attitude and have a plan that makes them more attractive to airlines, he said.

“I’m very optimistic because I have seen domestic airline forecasting training for the year,” Darrow said. “This shows me that we are showing some strengthening in training orders for the rest of the year and that there will be significant hiring at those airlines.”

Another trend reported at flight schools is the retention of CFIs, who are staying longer at their schools than ever before. This has prompted the schools to either offer their CFIs permanent career path positions or seriously

The economic downturn has had an impact on the ab initio training market.

Image credit: PAIFA.

consider doing so. TransPac Aviation Academy in Phoenix, already offers several levels of professional management and leadership career positions for its CFIs, according to CEO Stephan Goddard. The flight school primarily provides ab initio training for international students, but also does so for domestic students.

“We believe that our CFI pool is the critical, key piece to provide the best possible training, and we feel that the best CFIs are the ones that are homegrown,” Goddard said. “My CFIs are the best-paid in the industry. I think that we, as an industry, need to create strong and attractive career paths for those CFIs who want long-term employment. Given the current hiring environment, I think that it’s starting to happen.” cat

Learn more at RATS 2009 A special track at the upcoming WATS conference April 28-30 will specifically focus on the regional airline training environment. RATS – Regional Airline Training Symposium – has been addressing the training needs of regional airlines for over a decade.

Check out the latest conference details at www.halldale.com/wrats.

TRAINING TECHNOLOGY

What Role Now For The Instructor In The Multimedia Classroom?

Ground school for pilots was for years a blackboard jungle led by instructors with few tools at their disposal. Today, the instructor is a facilitator of sophisticated technology that arguably produces better pilots through more efficient training programs, writes Robert, W. Moorman.

W

ith the introduction of technologically advanced aircraft has come a corresponding evolution in software technology as well as teaching capability and priorities.

“It’s not the traditional ‘chalk and talk’ format of before,” said Jeff Roberts, CAE group president, innovation and civil training and services. “Resistance to the technology has all but evaporated.

Today it’s all about taking the technology and making it more practical.”

Students also see a change in educational design. Instructors take more time learning the background and experience of each student; troubleshooting and diagnosing each student, then altering the curriculum to help the individual is becoming the norm, according to several experts.

Makers of training devices and related software have in recent years been able to extract the software from the Level D full flight simulators (FFS) and transfer it 20

CAT MAGAZINE • ISSUE 1/2009

to various levels of classroom training, including laptop computers.

Much of the new technology for classroom instruction is being developed in conjunction with the arrival of new aircraft. For Thales, the aircraft is Boeing’s next generation airliner, the B787 Dreamliner.

“Everything we are doing now (in terms of training) comes from our work on the 787,” said David White, chief scientist for Thales Training and Simulation.

He said there are core technologies from the B787 program that will be “reused” on new aircraft, such as the A400 military transport and the A350XWB (Xtra widebody).

Thales is developing nine suites of training aids for Alteon, for both maintenance and flight crew on the B787, as well as for transition and recurrent training. The nine suites cover everything from computer-based training (CBT) to Level D FFSs. The desktop trainer has two 21-inch

FSI’s Matrix system brings Level D simulation into the classroom.

Image credit: FlightSafety International.

LCD monitors that can display the virtual cockpit from the B787 and run around 96% of the software that will be in the Level D FFS, according to White.

The instructor has a similar station with three screens. With the aid of two overhead projectors the instructor can display what the student sees at the front of the classroom.

The CBT uses the FFS software in real time, but the instructor selects parts of the displays and panels to show students a particular element of the training.

Classroom trainers are more advanced, because “you’re dealing with software-driven aircraft that are highly automated and integrated,” White said.

Thales’s B787 training suites have been deployed to Seattle, Crawley, Minneapolis, Tokyo, Singapore and Shanghai

in support of training, system familiarization (courseware development) and ready for use (RFU) phases.

Iteration Simfinity was CAE’s first iteration of transferring simulator software technology to a laptop. It can be displayed in two-dimensional format for laptops and three-dimensional mode for its integrated procedures trainer, as well as for the maintenance flight training device (MFTD).

In addition, CAE now incorporates satellite navigation in the visual systems and mission rehearsals into the classroom training regime. The company has also developed CAE True Airport and CAE True Environment technology, which offers an air traffic control environment.

FlightSafety International’s classroom instruction ranges from traditional chalk and blackboard scenario for older, legacy aircraft, to a multimedia classroom that is fast becoming the norm, according to Greg McGowan, vice president of operations.

On the higher end is FSI’s Matrix training system, which allows students in the classroom to see the same technology that is in the FFS. Matrix comprises several components, including desktop simulation of aircraft systems and characteristics. The graphical flight simulator is, in effect, a lower-end flight training device (FTD) used for systems integration training and to enhance the ground school experience. It uses LCD displays to graphically represent a cockpit.

FSI recently developed a threedimensional training product, whereby a pilot or maintenance technician can locate components on aircraft. A lot of the technology of the virtual trainer came out of the gaming industry, McGowan said. FSI is considering how best to use the still unnamed training aid.

Blizzard Some training experts worry that computer-based technologies for classroom training and distance learning programs have marginalized the instructor. They are also concerned that the concept of instructor as mentor and expert is getting lost in a blizzard of technology.

But if this is a growing problem, no one CAT queried seemed overly concerned. Neither the Air Transport Association nor Flight Safety Foundation. The

same goes for pilot unions, regulatory authorities and universities. However, there appear to be no studies on the subject and much of the information gathered is anecdotal.

In other areas there have been studies on instructor-based versus computerbased training. In one study in the health care industry, researchers concluded that technical and non-technical training were key to successful implementation of computer-based training.

In pilot training and the role of the instructor, there are varying opinions on the use of software for classroom training. On one point everyone agrees: the ground school or classroom training for pilots, even mechanics, is today fully simulation-based. There will be no turning back the clock, according to several training experts.

“Technology for technology’s sake is not the answer,” said CAE’s Roberts.

“We need to use the technology to make training more practical and operational.”

Does that mitigate the value the instructor brings to the equation? “Absolutely not,” Roberts said.

Thales’s White does not believe the instructor has become marginalized. What is different, he said, is that “the instructor now has to understand a lot more because aircraft are more complex.”

“The instructor remains at the core of training,” said FSI’s McGowan. “There is no way a machine can interact with a student.”

Migrated But there is an irony here. Many airlines and Part 135 carriers have migrated to CBT because it is more efficient and saves money. Yet, they have to invest in instructors if they are to remain the focal point of classroom and flight training.

“With all these technological improvements, you have to spend more money and effort on training instructors, particularly on software changes,” McGowan said. “It gets a bit frustrating.”

There are also concerns about distance learning programs and their real value. Some believe distance learning has its purpose as a pre-training tool for ab initio programs and newly hired professional pilots. Others say the technology can be used for both initial and recurrent training.

Kent Lovelace, professor and chairman of the aviation department at the

JetBlue Airways JetBlue Airways takes a balanced approach to instructor and computer-based classroom instruction. The airline, an AQP approved carrier, uses computerbased learning as an important tool for the classroom, but the instructor remains the principle agent of training for both initial and recurrent training.

For example, JetBlue does not use virtual trainers in the classroom. It does use FTDs with the same switches as in the cockpit to achieve the tactile feel, as opposed to the touch screens for virtual trainers.

Yet software is part of the equation. On date of hire JetBlue pilots are issued a laptop computer containing all flight manuals and systems tutorials. New hires are required to watch the systems manual videos, which take between 16 and 20 hours. This selfpaced learning is supplemented with classroom reinforcement where elements of the systems are reviewed.

For new hires there are five days of indoctrination training followed by another five days on ancillary subjects. The next phase is systems training, in which the CBT is used.

The tutorial on the E190 is through Embraer, which contracted vendors Swiss Aviation Training and Infowork. Airbus vendor, CPAT, provides the A320 tutorial.

On the role of the instructor, “we have not marginalized the instructor,” said Warren Christie, director of technical training for JetBlue Airways. “There are areas where we could remove the instructor to be more efficient, but we don’t.”

JetBlue allows distance learning on some training. “But we have opted not to allow the validations to occur externally,” Christie said.

“We can’t go to this complete CBT solution because the computer can’t tell if the pilot understands the material.”

CAT MAGAZINE • ISSUE 1/2009

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TRAINING TECHNOLOGY

University of North Dakota’s John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, said self-study applications should have assessment tools that hold “any learner accountable.”

Some trainers are concerned about lack of accountability and “face-time” with the instructor, which are characteristics of distance learning. Even if the distance learning software has a built-in feature for Q&A, “there are some students that won’t make the effort to ask,” said Randy Hamilton, director of training for Washington, DC-based Compass Airlines.

Memphis-based Pinnacle Airlines uses the Plateau distance learning system, where students ask questions online at certain times of the day. For recurrent training, distance learning accounts for 25% of classroom / ground school. For new hires distance learning represents less than 10%, said Mike Garvin, vice president flight operations.

Bill Wagner, vice president of flight operations for Des Moines-based Townsend Engineering, which operates a Cessna Citation X, said distance learning is a valuable tool for initial training, but not as effective for recurrent training.

“If you don’t have it, some students will fall behind once [instructor-aided] training begins,” he said.

Distance learning is a money and time saver. Simulator time in FSI Citation X is around $1,700 per flight hour, said

Wagner, and distance learning can help ensure the student does not waste time.

“The distance learning technologies apply more to legacy type aircraft,” said White. “But you can’t really apply the software technology to the newer, technologically sophisticated aircraft.” The Thales scientist said there are other concerns. Bandwidth availability and intellectual property and export controls are also major issues.

Although opinions vary, distance learning will become more of an integral part of classroom and flight training, and flight related academia training experts agree.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will likely launch PhD programs in aviation and engineering physics in the near future and it will have “significant online content,” said Frank Ayers, chair-

A virtual cockpit screenshot from Thales’ B787 desktop trainer.

Image credit: Thales.

ware, used by the ERAU flight department in Daytona Beach.

Blackboard allows students and instructors to communicate. Students may submit homework through the system and instructors can post class changes or syllabuses as well as notices.

ETA can be used to maintain aircraft records and flight schedules, aircraft maintenance and budgetary controls.

Students are also billed and pay bills through ETA for their flight training.

Technology is a must for many ERAU students who receive their course work online as part of the universities worldwide campus.

The only hindrance, said Ayers, is that the university must control the content and insist on direct interaction with students.

ERAU program manager for the Advanced Flight Simulation Center, Tom Peterson, laid out what teaching aids are available at the Daytona Campus Simulator Center.

Each student has a personal computer and headsets are provided so crews can study together. On the computers students have access to the following: a Bombardier CRJ 200 systems program; a Rockwell Collins flight management systems program; an exterior pre-flight training program; a flash presentation that teaches cockpit flows; as well as videos used for ground training.

In the classroom students can use the following: full-scale CRJ 200 cockpit procedures trainer, and a podium with computer and overhead projector for display of training materials.

man of the flight-training department for ERAU. “Flight Safety is developing more of it [distance learning programs] because clients, particularly airlines and Part 135 operators, want it,” McGowan said. Fourteen hours of FSI’s professional instructor course is through distance learning, after which the instructors come to FSI for a five-day intensive course.

McGowan is not particularly concerned about the lack of oversight and ability to gauge students’ retention of material in distance learning programs.

“At the end of the program, pilots still have to pass a check ride,” he said. cat

E B A E

Connected University Computer-based instruction has found a home at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU). The 170 instructor pilots and 30 professors use technology to teach a wide range of subjects, including aeronautical science, engineering and becoming a fully degreed professional pilot. The technology also allows instructors to concentrate on what they do best — teach.

“I don’t think these tools marginalize the instructor,” said Frank Ayers, chairman of the flight training department.

“If instructors embrace the technology, it frees them up to do more with students.”

Two software standouts, said Ayers, are Blackboard learning management software, used by many universities and colleges, and Talon Systems’s Education and Training Administration (ETA) soft22

CAT MAGAZINE • ISSUE 1/2009

Gold S

28-30 April, 2009 Rosen Shingle Creek Resort Orlando, Florida

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If you are in aviation training and can only attend one show this year, choose the one that: • Is the biggest gathering of training professionals in the world • Offers exceptional networking opportunities to colleagues, customers and suppliers • Presents practical and informative discussions on best practice aviation training • Reveals the latest training solutions and techniques to improve safety and performance • Displays state-of-the-art training systems and technologies If you’re a training provider, training user, simulation device supplier, regulator, or industry player, this is your best choice for the one event that will give you all the knowledge on the latest training tools and techniques that will lead to a safer, more efficient operation.

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WATS 2009, the world’s largest airline training event, will be host to an impressive international cast of training and simulation experts. It is the only show this year where you’ll hear representatives from professional organizations, regulatory groups and industry leaders discuss International Best Practice in Aviation Training and Education.

Four dedicated conference streams– WATS Pilot, RATS Pilot, Cabin Crew and Maintenance – will delve into the newest information on today’s hot training topics.

For the first time, recognized professional associations are leading their own breakout sessions: • The Regional Airline Association Training Subcommittee will host a training forum.

• The Air Transport Association will host a Maintenance breakout.

• The FAA NSP office will give its popular presentation on Pilot training device qualifications and the latest FAA view.

contact

“If you’ve never been to WATS before, this is the year to start attending!”

Tel. US: +1 (407) 322 5605 • RoW: +44 (0)1252 532000 • Email:wats@halldale.com

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The Exhibition The WATS Exhibition is the only show this year where you will be able to learn about and see, operate, and compare the widest range of airline training equipment head-to-head and discuss its use with both operators and manufacturers in a relaxed business setting. At WATS, you’ll hear industry leaders and your airline peers present innovative new ways to improve safety and performance with state of the art training solutions – and then you’ll see these new solutions on display in the 40,000 square-foot exhibition hall.

maintenance personnel, and cabin crews – from training captains to procurement managers and from line-operations executives to simulation specialists. All types of airline operators benefit from coming to WATS: world, regional, freight and charter airlines; and corporate, business jet and very light jet operators.

"Every major aircraft manufacturer, simulator manufacturer and training provider will be onsite – and some will conduct workshops for new aircraft and emerging technologies."

WATS 2009 is pleased and proud to host an exhibition with such a huge collection of training equipment and services covering the full spectrum of state-of-the-art training solutions – and 20% growth of new exhibitors. The exhibition floor is geared to everyone involved in training for pilots,

Together, the WATS conference and exhibits help training professionals make the right decisions, select right training equipment, and develop the latest and best training practice for the future.

WATS 2009 Exhibitors WATS is pleased to welcome a growing number of new exhibitors to the WATS Exhibition floor. Our new exhibitors for 2009 are highlighted.

Abaris Training Resources Inc. • ACS Hydraulics, Inc. • Adacel Systems, Inc. • Advanced Simulation Technology Inc. (ASTi) • Aero Simulation, Inc. • Aeronautical Systems Engineering (ASE) • Aeroservice Aviation Center • Aerosim Technologies, Inc. • Airbus • Alteon • American Systems Corporation • AQT Solutions • Automated Systems in Aircraft Performance Inc • AVEOS Technical Training • AVT Simulation • Axis Flight Training Systems GmbH • Barco • Binghamton Simulator Company • CAE • Carley Corporation • CAT Magazine • Christie Digital • Computerised Training Systems Ltd. • Delta Air Lines • DynEd International • ECA Faros • EDM Ltd • Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Worldwide • Equipe Simulation • Famic Technologies • Fidelity Flight Simulation • Flightline Training Services • FlightSafety International Inc. • Frasca International Inc. • GenAv Systems Ltd. • Halldale Media Inc. • Honeywell • Jetpubs Inc • Lufthansa Technical Training GmbH • Mechtronix Systems Inc. • MedAire • Mint Media Interactive Software Systems GmbH • OPINICUS Corporation • Oxford Aviation Academy • Pacific Simulators • Peak Pacific Limited • Pelesys Learning Systems, Inc. • Pratt & Whitney Customer Training Center • Quadrant Simulation Systems Inc. • Rockwell Collins • RSI Visual Systems • Safety Training Systems, Inc. • Seeing Machines • Simflightronics Corporation • Sim-Industries • SimPhonics, Inc. • Simulation Standards, LLC • Southern California Safety Institute (SCSI) • STG Aerospace Ltd • TFC - Technic and Flight Consulting • Tricom Technologies • United Electronic Industries • US Federal Aviation Administration • Virtual Reality Media (VRM-USA)

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0900-1000 Session 1: Opening Remarks and Keynote Addresses (all conference tracks) • TBD • Jeff Roberts Group President, Innovation and Civil Training & Services, CAE Inc.

TUESDAY 28 APRIL

1000 - 1100 Coffee 1100-1230 Session 2: Operational Insights – Staying Safe and Green (all conference tracks) • Martin Otzik Berlin Institute of Technology • Captain John Bent • TBD USAir 1230 - 1400 Lunch 1400-1530 Session 3: Changing Rules – A Regulatory Update • Dr. Edward Cook Senior Advisor for Flight Training and Simulation, FAA, AFS-200 • Mark Dransfield Thales • Nicole Barrette-Sabourin Training Officer, International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) 1530 - 1615 Coffee 1615-1745 Session 4: Flight Crew New Hire Issues and Training • Captain Kit Darby Air Inc. • Captain Anthony Petteford Oxford Aviation Academy • Jeffrey Oboy m2p Consulting 0900-1030 Session 5: Air Carrier Training Insights • Captain John Cox President & CEO, Safety Operations Systems & Paul B. J. Ransbury President & Chief Flight Instructor, APS • Dr. Nihad Daidzic Associate Professor of Aviation, Minnesota State Uni. • Dr. Todd Macuda Chief Technology Officer, Gladstone Consulting

0900-1030 Session 5: Regional Airline New Hire Dynamics • Captain Larry Neal Senior Manager, Flight Training, COMAIR Inc. • Dan Robertson Manager of Pilot Hiring, Atlantic Southeast Airlines • Captain John O'Brien Vice President, Maintenance and Operations, Delta Connection Academy

WEDNESDAY 29 APRIL

1030 - 1115 Coffee 1115-1245 Session 6: Air Carrier Training Insights • Nick Sabatini Nick Sabatini & Associates LLC, Expert Aviation Safety Solutions & Marsha Bell VP Commercial Pilot Training Systems, Adacel Systems, Inc. • Dean Bush PanAm International Flight Academy & Jean Ordonez Aviation English Training • Sudeep Singh Ghai SH&E London

1115-1245 Session 6: Regional Airline Training Challenges • Captain Randy Hamilton Compass Airlines • Captain Paul Kolisch Supervisor Flight Operations Training, Mesaba Airlines • Stephen Koch Aviation Systems Standards, FAA

1245 - 1415 Lunch

1415 - 1545 Breakout Sessions I FAA National Simulator Program (NSP) Briefing Session led by Harlan Sparrow, NSP Manager.

Regional Airline Association (RAA) Training Subcommittee Meeting.

1545 - 1615 Coffee

1615 - 1745 Breakout Sessions II

THURSDAY 30 APRIL

WATS co-moderator Peter Moxham will lead a Business Aviation Training breakout panel.

Aerosim's Mark Sawyer will lead a breakout panel on Future Aviation Training Curriculums.

Dr. Nidal Sammur of FlightSafety International will lead a panel on motion simulation technology.

0900-1030 Session 7: Simulation Technology Update (all conference tracks) • Dr. Sunjoo Advani International Development of Technology, b.v.

• Ron Jantzen Director of Engineering, FlightSafety International & Dr. Nidal Sammur Staff Scientist, FlightSafety International • TBD 1030 -1115 Coffee

1115-1245 Session 8: Simulation Technology Update (all conference tracks) • Sven Lepschy OEM Manager - CAE & Head of Training - Embraer Training Services • Andrew Jamison Scalable Displays • Jamie Smith AirTran Airways

1615-1745 Session 4: The Personnel Certification Challenges • Brian Finnegan SAE Institute-Professional Aviation Maintenance Association • Ms. Faten Al-Zoubi JorAMCo • TBD Mint Media Interactive

1615-1745 Session 4: Challenges, What to do About Them • Judy Ravin Accident Reduction Institute • Lori Brown Western Michigan University • Brian Hayraz Air Care Solutions Group

0900-1030 Session 5: Addressing Maintenance Incidents with Innovative Training • Gordon Dupont President/CEO, System Safety • Laurent Dussillols Logistics and Training Development Manager, SNECMA • JJ Milano Trainer, Horizon Air

0900-1030 Session 5: Human Factors, Continuing Issues • Ivan Noel Inflight Innovations • Captain Ron Nielson, • Captain Bill Crooks Deputy Chairman, National Security Committee, Allied Pilots Association & Captain Mark Weiss Retired Deputy Chairman, National Security Committee, APA & F/O Mike Karn Chairman, National Security Committee, APA

1115-1245 Session 6: Simulation and Performance Technology • Michele Asmar Director, Delivery Services, CAE Inc • Jacqui Chapman Pennant Training Systems • Laurence Esterhuizen Casebank Technologies

1115-1245 Session 6: Health, Safety and Security • Heidi Giles MacFarlane & Richard Gomez MedAire • Matt Kliff JetBlue • TBD

Mark Lopez, Air Transport Association, Leader of a Panel Discussion on the Rewrite of ATA Spec 104 - Maintenance Training Specifications and The Maintenance Training Network. Participants from USA and Europe Union.

Captain Dieter Langhof, of Condor Air will lead a session titled "Ditching Training with the German Navy, Lessons Learned, Changes Made."

Organised by:

Conference programme subject to change.

Please refer to www.halldale.com/wats for the latest conference information.

1400-1530 Session 3: Advance Qualification and Compliance Programs • Dr. Douglas Farrow FAA • Michelle Farkas General Manager - Advanced Qualification Program (AQP) InFlight Service, Delta Air Lines • Nancy Claussen FAA

Register online at www.halldale.com/wats

s

1400-1530 Session 3: Training Views from an Operator, a Regulator and a Manufacturer • Holger Beck Chief Operating Officer, Lufthansa Technical Training • Ed L. Hall Aviation Safety Inspector and FAR 147 Lead, FAA • Philippe Beaulieu Head of Maintenance Training, Airbus

The Venue Stay at the official WATS hotel to make getting to WATS functions easier and your stay more enjoyable. A grand facility for work and play, Rosen Shingle Creek features its own conference center, four restaurants, four pools, a spa, fitness center, nature trails and much more. The 230-acre site is just minutes away from the Orlando International Airport and the area’s famous theme parks.

Orlando is the perfect site for WATS. Central Florida is the center of world simulation and it’s home to more than 150 local simulation companies, a major

airline training hub and two universities important to the industry. And since Orlando is also the vacation capital of the world, this is an ideal opportunity to combine a valuable business trip with a personal getaway.

Book your room for WATS exhibitors and delegates now and get the preferred WATS rate of $183 per night. Reservations can be made on-line via the WATS web site at www.halldale.com/wats, or by calling Rosen Shingle Creek reservations at 866-966-6338 and use booking code 8525.

Discoun te Room R d ate CUT-OF April 10 F 2009

WATS Golf Day Start your networking early at this year’s WATS on Monday, April 27, with a spectacular round of golf at Shingle Creek’s lush, award-winning golf course.

Play great golf at a great course in the WATS 2009 Golf Tournament!

Join in this exceptional networking event sponsored by Thales – no matter what your handicap is – with other WATS delegates, exhibitors and sponsors for a day of springtime sport in a four-player Texas Scramble. Finish off the event with a relaxing BBQ lunch and prizes for the winning teams. Sign up for the Golf Day when you register for WATS. It’s a great opportunity to meet new colleagues, clients and suppliers.

Delegate Fees* Airline Delegate ›› US$ 550 Government/University ›› US$ 550 Industry Delegate ›› US$ 800 For pro forma invoices, alternative offline registration options, or any other queries please email register@halldale.com. * Subject to current exchange rate and credit card charges

www.halldale.com/wats

For Early-Bird and Expo-Only discounted rate s, visit www.halldale.c om/wats and register o nline.

CONFERENCE REPORT

Think and Re-Think

The Airbus Mantra For Better Practice The theme of the 2008 Airbus Training Symposium, “Think… and Re-Think”, stressed the need for the training industry to continually evolve. There should be a constant search for improvement in training effectiveness and value, and all subject to safe operation. Chris Long reports.

J

acques Drappier, Airbus VP Training and Flight Operations, spurred some thinking in his opening remarks when he cited Charles Lindberg: “Isn’t it strange that we talk least about the things we think about most”. While everyone acknowledges the importance of training, there is not always the opportunity to discuss it in depth with fellow experts. The aim of this conference was to provide just such an occasion, in formal presentations and during the breaks.

A continuing theme was encouraging frequent dialogue with customers through Airbus World. This is a website which serves as a two-way conduit of information, delivering both training to a widely-dispersed family of operators and encouraging feedback to trigger continuous improvement in the skills, knowledge and attitudes needed.

On the one hand the industry can get deserved satisfaction from statisti-

cal improvements in accident/incident rates over recent decades; on the other hand the fact remains that there is some rethinking required to address such issues as runway excursion and high altitude upsets.

Typical of the flexible thinking now required has been the adaptation of the “Brake to Vacate” technology, which is shortly to be introduced into the A380 and planned for the A350. It was initially designed to increase efficiency in energy management during landing runs by optimising braking (and minimising brake wear) so that aircraft could adopt the optimum taxiway routing. This has now been adapted to use the inherent predictive qualities of the system to calculate landing ground roll in ambient conditions, and to show the dry and wet runway limiting conditions as an overlay on the visual display of runway layout.

Associated warnings come up if either of these conditions exceeds the

The theme of the 2008 Airbus Training Symposium was “Think… and Re-Think.

Image credit: Airbus.

landing run available. Training to use this effectively and, in the case of high altitude upsets, to better understand the aircraft handling and energy management considerations at high altitude, can now be built in to initial and recurrent programmes. This process nicely illustrates the principle of training requirements being modified and applied as a result of analysis of data derived from real operations. Eventually it is planned to roll these programmes out across the entire Airbus family.

Regulators Paul Lamy, deputy director, Air Navigation Bureau ICAO, gave a pragmatic view of the challenges facing civil aviation. While defining that the exact scale CAT MAGAZINE • ISSUE 1/2009

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CONFERENCE REPORT

of future requirements for skilled people for the industry is difficult, there is little doubt that there will be continuing demand. Present economic conditions may slow the rate slightly, but we should regard this only as a breathing space – “we need to continue to attract, motivate, train and retain the next generation of aviation professionals,” he said.

Therefore there will continue to be a large and critical training task for the stakeholders in the industry. Regulators, manufacturers, training organisations and operators must all work together to develop appropriate and effective training processes and to continue to revisit these to match ever-changing needs and technologies.

In the light of Lamy’s comments it is evident that progress in developing realistic training methods to match present and future needs must also engage regulatory bodies. This conference would have been an excellent opportunity to continue that dialogue, given that delegates came from around the globe. However, very few regulators were present and, notwithstanding tight travel budgets, the lack of involvement signals difficulties ahead if ICAO’s dream to create a truly global level of standardisation is to be realised.

One regulator in attendance was EASA and its presentations continued the proactive philosophy of explaining the “why” and “how” of the EASA system of flight crew licensing. To an observer (CAT) it is useful to bear in mind just how much EASA is “merely” the instrument of the European Commission. It is the politicians who impose the directives and it is a matter of record that very few of them have any background or understanding of aviation. Consequently the changes on the horizon puzzle and worry many aviation professionals – the negative impact on the European training organisations of impending regulation is causing concern. What helps is that at least EASA is explaining the process in a non-judgemental way, and is able to illustrate the process of commenting on the NPAs.

Flight The flight sessions served to bring operators up to date with existing Airbus training methods. Feedback from Airbus Pilot Transition 2 continues to be favourable, 30

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Above & left This year’s conference drew an audience of over 400 – including Airbus aircraft operators and delegates from authorities and aeronautical agencies.

Image credit: Airbus.

and the process is being adopted by a growing number of operators. Since the last symposium in San Francisco two years ago, the Airbus ab initio pilot training programme has been launched and at two French state-owned training facilities the first courses are underway. The Ecole Nationale d’Aviation Civile (ENAC) started the theoretical part of the course with the first students in February 2008.

The practical part of the course started in November 2008 at Service d’Exploitation de la Formation Aéronautique (SEFA).

Airbus is also a keen supporter of MPL as a way of producing a safe and effective first officer. It is cooperating with the primary flight training school in China, the Civil Aviation Flight University of China (CAFUC); the first two of three trial courses started in July and August of 2008.

The impetus behind the MPL process is increasing and IATA is still actively involved. Indeed it believes that “in 2014 the majority of ab initio airline pilots will be trained according to this new compe-

tency based training concept, provided that the international airline training and regulating community is able to facilitate a globally harmonized and standardized implementation.”

Another initiative, which has been implemented since 2006, is the Commander Upgrade. Other than the possession of an ATPL, there are no licensing requirements required for upgrade to commander. The decision to upgrade a pilot is solely the responsibility of the operator. However, in response to demand, particularly from start-ups and smaller operators, Airbus has used its extensive experience in flight crew training to develop guidelines to support the process. These cover everything from the selection of suitable candidates, through to the content and pattern of an appropriate course.

Because it has to be adapted to a specific airline, such a course is tailored

by Airbus Consultancy Services to fit exactly with what is required; training delivery can be either through the airlines’ TRIs or by using Airbus TRIs trained in that airline’s procedures.

The other new entry to the Airbus training capability since the last symposium is the Airbus Pilot Instructor course.

This has been running for over a year and

with its focus on adopting appropriate attitudes it, too, is proving popular and effective.

this. EASA needs active response from the industry to frame the legislation for it to be both realistic and effective.

Maintenance

Global Perspective

The same philosophy is carried across all training disciplines at Airbus, so that naturally there are equivalent terms and approaches in maintenance training. Two new tools are increasingly being adopted: the Airbus Crew Training device (ACT), an evolution of the Maintenance and Flight Crew Training Device (MFTD); and web-based training (WBT). Both are key to the new maintenance training packages and facilitate more efficient and effective training. For instance, the A380 General Familiarisation course is delivered by WBT, saving time and travel costs. Once at a training centre ACT can deliver not only systems training, but actual maintenance tasks carried out using the virtual aircraft, thus reducing the amount of practical training on the aircraft.

The commercial advantage of being able to transition pilots between Airbus fly-by-wire aircraft using a cross crew qualification (CCQ) has been well covered before, but a full range of cross maintenance qualification (CMQ) courses, which yield similar efficiencies, has so far not received the same degree of awareness. These CMQ courses are being introduced and continually updated, as feedback and operational experience increase – hence the “thinking and re-thinking” philosophy.

Not only has the equipment changed, but also as the principle of competency based training is a common denominator for all of these courses, there is a requirement to familiarise instructors with both the tools and procedures. A common concern of experienced instructors is how to judge competency – before it was simple to see whether, on a time-based course, a student had completed the statutory number of hours training. However, Alan Glen from Cathay Pacific said that the issue becomes easily manageable when it is explained to instructors that they should approach sign-off for competency in the same way that they would sign-off an aircraft. ACT and the Airbus training package have been, in his view, “amazingly effective”. So much so that it is being adapted into the training patterns for the Cathay Pacific Boeing fleet.

The new technologies and materials now used in aircraft require specific knowledge and skills, so a range of courses has to be put into place. Instructor training is required to deliver these effectively, so the Airbus Maintenance Instructor course (AMIC) is now in place.

The ever-expanding number of Airbus aircraft and the diversity of operators will entail a significant and continuous training task. Some years ago Airbus went back to basics to identify fundamental educational principles, and started to build a comprehensive range of teaching philosophies. It has over the years applied and modified these to the new technologies, materials and regulations. Not content with having produced such a robust system, already a huge improvement, it has embraced a spirit of continuing change – think and re-think - so that present ideas are systematically challenged to see whether they should be modified. Inevitably for some long-term customers there were familiar presentations. But what was interesting was the reaction of new members of the Airbus family (some 72 since San Francisco) to this wealth of information. They were astonished at how much help is available. No doubt there will be economic pressure on just how much they can afford to select, but as so often in Paris, the menu is both comprehensive and interesting.

The broad global reach of Airbus was well illustrated by the attendance list for its symposium, which was staged in Paris recently. This biennial conference drew an audience of over 400, including those from some 120 operators of Airbus aircraft, together with delegates from authorities and aeronautical agencies. There were also over 30 representatives from training equipment and training organisations worldwide. cat

Cabin Crew This part of the team also needs robust IT skills to manage new on-board systems such as the digital cabin logbook, the new flight attendant panel and increasingly complex in-flight entertainment systems. Consequently the seamless approach to Airbus training runs through cabin crew training as well. The Airbus Cabin Crew Instructor course (ACIC) has been introduced to lead instructors through these new processes.

The rate of change of cabin crew tasks and responsibilities seems to accelerate; a key role in flight safety and security has been added to the historic cabin and passenger safety and for some time there has been discussion about licensing of cabin crew. EASA is proposing that operators be required to provide an attestation that cabin crew are competent to carry out their duties, and to establish a recurrent training system to facilitate

Corporate, Air Taxi and Personal Jets Wednesday 18 – Thursday 19 March 2009 No.4 Hamilton Place, London W1J 7BQ, UK This conference will address the significant challenges in realising the potential of VLJs and resolving the operational and training imperatives in the private, corporate and air taxi sectors.

The impact of the recession on this sector is already profound, with certain manufacturers and operators in the USA and Europe filing for insolvency. This timely event will also tackle the sector’s current challenges and future prospects.

www.aerosociety.com/conference

CAT MAGAZINE • ISSUE 1/2009

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PILOT TRAINING

SAS received approval to implement ATQP for its F50 fleet in July 2008.

Image credit: SAS Group.

Waiting is Over The Alternative Training and Qualification Programme Goes Live ATQP is here to stay. Commercial aviation has undoubtedly been slow to pick up on an idea that is generally recognised as no more than “best practice” in training design and management. But the momentum is building, writes Norman MacLeod.

N

ATO military pilots from the early 1970s, especially from the US and the UK, may well remember the application of systematic models of training to aviation.

In the UK it went under the name of the Systems Approach to Flying Training (SAFT) and heralded the era of training objectives, performance standards and programmed learning booklets.

Fast-forward to 1990 and we see the same approach being adopted by the FAA under the banner of the Advanced Qualification Program (AQP).

Airlines enrolling in the program, and that included all of the majors, were allowed to extend the interval between recurrent training events to 12 months, thus representing a considerable saving on existing requirements. Although AQP was mentioned in the early drafts of JAR-OPS, it was not until Amendment 7, issued September 20, 2004 that EU-OPS carriers had a regulatory framework that 32

CAT MAGAZINE • ISSUE 1/2009

permitted the same flexible approach to proficiency checking, through the implementation of ATQP (EU-OPS 1.978).

Despite this long track record, one post holder flight operations observed: “Operators (even the ones who are familiar with FCL/OP) usually do not have any idea about ATQP. One reason might be that people believe they will have to do training and checking anyway and it does not matter in which kind of system this will be performed.” What, then, is ATQP and why has it been slow to get going with EU operators?

Back in the early 1960s the US military was looking for ways to, in effect, industrialise its training system. The size of its armed forces generated a huge training bill, especially given that a largely conscript army created a significant turnover of personnel. The origins of systematic training analysis and design, known as SAT or ISD, lie in the need to develop efficient and effective

instruction; proficiency at least cost.

The migration to civil aviation though, was prompted by a view that existing training and checking methods were not offering sufficient protection; aircraft were being lost because of inadequate proficiency, a view echoed by the UK CAA in a recent review of commercial aviation accidents. The idea behind AQP/ATQP is that by conducting a thorough analysis of the skill set needed within a particular operation, training can be targeted better. Training inputs can be tailored in terms of content and delivery and checking can be set at intervals that best capture the level of proficiency.

Although the first drafts of ATQP attempted to differentiate between the EU version and the earlier AQP framework, the similarities outweigh the differences, which is hardly surprising given their common derivation. The ATQP drafters were able to build on 10 years’ AQP experience. For example, the use of flight data was incorporated from the outset. When AQP was developed, flight data analysis was far from routine. The use of flight operations quality assurance (FOQA) data became a bolton in later AQP implementations.

The main difference between the two codes is also its main weakness. Whereas AQP applies across all airline training and checking, ATQP was written into JAR-OPS and so only applies to recurrent programmes. Operators still have to meet their obligations under EU-FCL. Furthermore the benefits are not available to the rotary world. However, there is some suggestion that, under the EASA Integrated Regulations, ATQP will be incorporated into the appendix material and so will be more broadly applicable.

Controlled Another major difference is that AQP is centrally controlled from a single office, AFS-230 at Washington-Dulles airport.

Approval of an ATQP application is the responsibility of individual national authorities.

The UK CAA published its criteria for approving an application in July 2008 but as yet, no common

framework has emerged and none is provided in the regulation. Ironically ATQP has some elements that make it an incremental improvement on AQP but, because of poor drafting, these have been undermined. The first of these refinements is that ATQP calls for training organizations to develop a safety case (SC) (see CAT 03/2006) but then fails to develop a process for airlines to follow. The SC approach is rather like building an SMS for the training department and, given the rise in training-related accidents, this is no bad thing. The lack of clear guidelines, however, could result in flawed – or even negligent - SC execution.

The second area of innovation is a requirement for line operations quality evaluation (LOQE). Similar in concept to LOSA, LOQE is a technique for sampling areas of operational proficiency that might not be captured through other methods of data collection. Unfortunately the regulation is framed in such a way that LOQE is a discretionary component and thus can be avoided with no adverse effect on the approval process - an opportunity lost. ATQP, then, suffers from a lack of clarity in framing the requirement and a failure to enforce some elements whose intent is sound.

Both Aer Lingus (in the mid-‘90s) and Swissair (now Swiss) made attempts to adopt AQP but paid the price for being “first movers”. Their efforts were frustrated by a lack of applicable regulations and aviation authorities unable to offer guidance.

Even though ATQP has been available for four years, uptake has been slow.

SAS Norway received approval to implement for its F50 fleet in July ‘08 and was due to roll out across its B737 fleet on January 1, ‘09. BA went live on November 1, ‘08 for its B777 fleet, closely followed by easyJet. In Germany both Hapag-Lloyd and Lufthansa have ATQP under development, although Lufthansa’s will be a partial implementation.

Benefits Despite the anticipated benefits of reduced checking costs – OPCs can be conducted every 12 months and line checks every two years under ATQP, increased flexibility and greater safety, airlines are not rushing to adopt the new framework. The cost of implementation and ownership of ATQP are, as yet, not

clear. At the moment ATQP is remarkably free of bureaucracy, unlike the FAA’s AQP. The route taken in the US was influenced by a desire to minimise risk of training failure through centralised control. The sheer cost of moving to AQP has forced some carriers to drop out of the scheme.

Ballpark metrics from the US experience point to project times of two to four years and costs of $3-5m. However, ATQP only covers recurrent training and qualification and much of the cost of AQP can be put down to the approval administration, which is not required under EU-OPS rules, and project management, an area of huge inefficiency in some US implementations. Part of the problem also seems to be a poor sales job done by JAA, but perhaps the position is best summed up in this view from a pilot: “As I frequently take prof-checks in the simulator I do believe that the gap between sim-rides of six months when performed the usual way is already rather long and I do not think that any reduction or stretching would be desired - at least from my point of view. Our airline is not a bad example, as we do have to travel to our sims anyway, either to CDG or AMS, thus our simulators are not just across the street. Despite this I would rather tend to shorten the intervals between training / checking than prolonging them.”

View Interestingly, those airlines that have implemented ATQP seem to take the same view. Rather than shift to an annual training event encompassing an LPC, OPC and the ATQP requirements, BA has retained a six-monthly training cycle with the intermediate OPC being replaced by the ATQP-driven line-oriented evaluation (LOE). The LOE shares some of the characteristics of a LOFT scenario in that it is representative of normal operations and is conducted in a simulator. Where it differs is that it is carefully constructed to provide a standardized sample of data across the pilot cadre. It is primarily a measure of fleet proficiency, a benchmark.

SAS, equally, expressed no interest in reducing visits to the simulator. Instead, and like BA, it is looking to make better use of an existing training budget to deliver and sustain skills. The empha-

sis is on meeting company operational needs rather than rehearsing imposed manoeuvres simply to be compliant with regulatory demands that are not always operationally relevant. ATQP was always intended to give airlines flexibility in how they configure training and checking. Its main goal is to improve safety through better training, and this seems to be the main benefit recognised by the first wave of implementers.

But what of the future? Clearly, now that the regulation has been adopted by a small group of airlines, others will follow. However, we are already seeing differences emerge as regulators get to grips with the approval process. Whereas some countries seem willing to allow the LOQE element to be omitted, others have insisted on its application. One authority has imposed even more stringent requirements before granting an approval. In one case an authority has dictated a process to allow one single easement – moving line checks to 24 months – to be accomplished without following the full ATQP process.

The lack of a single point of control seems to be leaving the field open to multiple interpretations. And the requirement for flight data monitoring is denying access to a large sector of aviation that probably would benefit most from the discipline imposed by ATQP – corporate jets.

That said, one corporate operator is looking to apply ATQP to its fleet of two aircraft on the grounds that, given that its prestige customer base includes European heads of state, it sees the process as offering a quality benchmark that will differentiate it from its competitors.

ATQP, then, is here to stay. Commercial aviation has undoubtedly been slow to pick up on an idea that is generally recognised as no more than ‘best practice’ in training design and management, but the momentum is building. The recently-issued EASA NPA on flight operations has spooned the content of EU-OPS 1.978 into the broader regulatory framework and, needless to say, there are some teething problems which will be addressed during the consultation period. A Users Conference is planned for later in the year. By then at least 2 airlines will have a year’s worth of experience and so it will be useful to take stock. cat CAT MAGAZINE • ISSUE 1/2009

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WORLD NEWS & ANALySIS

Seen&Heard Edited by Fiona Greenyer.

For daily breaking S&T news - go to www.halldale.com.

FFS CONTRACTS FOR THALES Thales has signed a new A320 FFS contract in Tunisia. The Aviation Training Centre of Tunisia (ATCT) provides A320 pilot training for airlines in Tunisia and other countries in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. ATCT has operated an A320 FFS since 2005 and has reaffirmed its confidence in Thales with a new contract for a second A320 FFS combined with a Thales Formation System Trainer (TFST).

The TFST will enable ATCT to develop initial training courses in accordance with the requirements of the Airbus APT2 syllabus (Airbus Pilot Transitioning Training 2).

Thales has also been selected by Air France to supply a FFS for B777-300ER aircraft, the fourth B777 FFS that Thales has provided to the airline. This FFS will be the first Air France simulator to feature the new Thales motion system, eM2K, a six-degree of freedom electric motion system using hydraulic mass compensation and transmission. The FFS will be fully qualified to FAA Level D and be housed in the Air France training facility at RoissyCharles de Gaulle International airport.

ADVANCED FTDs Elite Simulation Solutions has announced that Palm Beach Community College has ordered two of its RC-1 advanced FTDs with options for four additional trainers for its professional pilot technology program. The two trainers, to be installed at its Lake Worth, Florida campus, will add a new training dimension to its current aviation program. Both trainers will be equipped with the latest Elite version 34

CAT MAGAZINE • ISSUE 1/2009

CPaT will be providing World Airways with its B747-400 flight training CBT/WBT for inclusion in World Airways recurrent 2009 training program. Along with the B747-400, CPaT also provided its DC10, MD11 and general subjects courses, including Hazmat, CRM and Security.

Sun Country Airlines has bought CPaT’s ETOPS (extended-range twinengine operation performance standards) CBT/WBT program, and Pan Am International Flight Academy (PAIFA) will be provided with three additional flight training programs.

CPaT will design and develop a brand new flight training program for the Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) and will also provide PAIFA with its latest B747-400 and Embraer 190 flight training programs.

All these interactive courses are available on USB (Flash Drive), or via the Web.

OAA TRAINING AGREEMENT Thales Formation System Trainer (TFST).

Image Credit: Thales.

8.1 software, eight aircraft personalities, external visual system, Garmin GNS 430 GPS systems and an interactive instructor station.

CBT SALES CPaT has announced four new sales of its CBT programs. PremAir, the Seattlebased airline crew training and leasing organization, has bought CPaT’s A320, B737 Classic and B737NG flight training CBT/WBT programs.

Oxford Aviation Academy (OAA) and low fare airline Jet2.com have signed a fiveyear training agreement for full flight simulator provision and ab initio training. As part of the agreement, OAA will relocate a B737 Classic FFS to its Manchester training centre, which is expected to become fully operational from August 2009.

In addition to the simulator training contract, Jet2.com has agreed to source all future cadet pilots from Oxford’s ab initio pilot training programme. The APP first officer training programme, carried out at Oxford airport in UK and Goodyear airport in USA, is a full-time course dedicated to training professional airline pilots for major airlines.

PAMA/SAE FAVOURS VOLUNTARY CERTIFICATION With no mandated FAA requirement for all US aircraft repair facility and MRO employees to be certified in basic aviation knowledge and repair skills, it can be a challenge to have such a certification adopted. However, officials at the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA) and the SAE organization feel that such a certification can pay off for companies in terms of competitive advantages, such as improved quality, reduced pricing and faster turn times, writes Chuck Weirauch.

The new PAMA/SAE Institute Professional Aviation Maintenance and Production Certifications are focused on noncertified technicians working with some degree of experience and training but without an airframe and powerplant (A&P) license, said the organization’s Brian Finnegan, director of professional certification. The organization worked with industry stakeholders to establish both the need for such a certification and to create a knowledge platform for the growing number of non-certified people working in maintenance shops, Finnegan said.

A goal would be for everyone in a maintenance facility including managers and administrators, each to have this basic knowledge, he added. The result is that everyone in the company would have a legitimate maintenance credential without having to go to school for two years to become an A&P. According to a PAMA/SAE handbook, such certification demonstrates that employees have an understanding of knowledge and practices necessary to work safely, efficiently and productively.

For aerospace maintenance service providers and manufacturers, technical certification of their workforce is synonymous with quality workmanship, reliability, customer care, reduced rework, and increased employee loyalty and career stability.

INTERCHANGEABLE FlightSafety International’s first Gulfstream G450/550 interchangeable simulator equipped with Synthetic Vision – Primary Flight Display has been qualified to Level D by the US FAA. The G450/550 simulators were developed following an FAA ruling in May 2004 that the G450 and G350 share the same pilot type rating with the G550 and G500. Additionally, since the G550 and GV already share the same type rating,

“We follow a philosophy of, ‘if they come, we will build it’, because there is really no future to build a certification and then convince people they need to have it,” Finnegan said. “We need industry to tell what they want in a credential for a specific skill set and then tell us that if we produce it, they will support it.”

With a company-wide base of more knowledgeable employees, it would be possible to have a more efficient workforce that could provide better quality and lower turn times. The certification process could also be used as a baseline refresher course to keep technicians up to speed with regard to fundamentals, and also serve as a core for the company’s ongoing initial and recurrent training, Finnegan added.

Another use for the certification could be as a screening tool for job applicants.

So far the certification has not been implemented by any company or organization. However, Finnegan feels that some large organizations could do so in the next couple of months. FAA has also supported the effort, he reported.

“The challenge is, even though this is a regulated industry, everybody in it is regulation averse, so if it’s not a regulation they won’t do it. So we are offering this as a new concept in competitive advantage and improvements in efficiency and productivity. My challenge is to show the industry the return on investment and what the new certification can do to help them improve quality, reduce pricing and reduce or keep flat their turnaround time.”

Finnegan will provide more information on the certification program during his presentation, “An alternative to government training and certification regulations”, during the day-one maintenance track at the 2009 World Aviation Training (WATS) Conference and Trade Show, to be held April 28-30 in Orlando.

SIM

QUALIFICATION

GV pilot rating applies to four in-production Gulfstream large-cabin aircraft as well. GV pilots will be authorized to fly the G500 and G350 aircraft upon completion of a differences course that highlights the PlaneView flight deck.

The simulator is located at FlightSafety’s learning center in Savannah, Georgia and is equipped with the company’s electric motion and control loading technology and new Vital X visual system.

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world news & analysis

NEW SIMULATORS FOR CTC CTC Aviation has completed procurement of four new DA42 FNPT II training devices from Diamond Simulation for its ab initio crew training centres in Bournemouth (UK) and Hamilton (NZ).

The first two devices have been installed in Bournemouth and have achieved full certification from the UK CAA. The final two devices were installed in Hamilton during December 2008 and received full UK CAA certification in January 2009.

These trainers, which encompass the latest CAE Tropos visual system, have significantly enhanced training fidelity.

“Our CTC Wings trainees have benefited from the quality of training provided by the new devices, which have also been well received by our instructor team,” said Brian Haigh, CFI and deputy head of training for CTC Aviation Training. CTC’s Hamilton Crew Training Centre now houses the most advanced simulator visuals system in the southern hemisphere flight training arena.

CAPT WELCOMES AIR ASTANA STUDENTS The Commercial Airline Pilot Training (CAPT) Program has welcomed a new class of student sponsored by Air Astana of Almaty, Kazakhstan. Students began their studies at the Palm Coast, Florida, campus in December 2008.

Peter Foster, Air Astana JSC president, said: “By 2012, Air Astana needs to

Diamond Simulation-built DA42 FNPT II training device.

Image credit: CTC Aviation Group.

recruit 300 pilots, and further, the number of pilots will continue to grow in geometric progression. In order to remedy this situation, Air Astana airlines decided to train its own pilots in the framework of an ab initio program.”

In addition to flight training, Air Astana is working with CAPT and sister company, Jackson Group Consultants, to determine the feasibility of constructing a new CAPT campus in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

MINT MIDDLE EAST Located in the United Arab Emirates, Mint Middle East will be the company’s new hub to Eastern Europe, Asia and Oceania. Former development director Wolfgang Becker has been appointed CEO of the operation.

Becker joined Mint in 2000 and has taken the step to open Mint Middle East in the Sharjah International airport free zone, operating since January 26, 2009. “This is an important milestone in Mint’s history. We have always been determined to live up to the fast changing aviation world and to stay ahead of times,” Becker said.

Russian Resolve At a recent meeting of the RAeS international working group at the Thales facility at Crawley, UK, CAT caught up with Dr Vladimir Shibaev, head of the Certification Centre for Flight Simulation and Training Devices (CCFSTD) in Moscow, Russia. CCFSTD was set up to focus on the design, certification and operation of training devices. However, the organisation has a wider brief to ensure that Russian civil aviation legislation conforms to the overall terms of ICAO documentation. The introduction of western aircraft, modern technologies and methods has highlighted the gap between established training systems in Russia and the current and future equipment. Of the 112 existing flight simulators in Russia only one, a CAE A320 FFS in service with Aeroflot, is of Level D standard. The others represent not only old aircraft types, but are themselves of an earlier and far less sophisticated generation, suitable initially, but now outmoded.

The time has come to change all that and the government directive of July 2008 has declared that, from now on, all FSTDs entering service in Russia must conform to the ICAO 9625 which, it is expected, will be based on the results of the 36

CAT MAGAZINE • ISSUE 1/2009

RAeS international working group. The same rulemaking order stipulated that all pilots going through training will be required to carry out training on FSTDs. Dr Shibaev is very clear that it is the MPL pattern of training which will in future be used as the standard Russian approach to ab initio pilot training, and that the FSTDs used in this process will all conform to ICAO guidelines.

CCFSTD has the task of producing a complete set of procedures and manuals for all levels of supervision of training, including guidance material for the authority, its safety oversight systems and inspectors. Airlines and training organisations will also be provided with a full suite of procedural guidelines. This is but one element of a comprehensive revision of the Russian civil aviation regulatory infrastructure, which will be wholly compliant with ICAO norms, and will closely match the EASA pattern, modified to Russian requirements. All this represents a major project, but the will and resources to make the changes are in place. This is definitely an initiative that will be worth following in future issues of CAT Magazine.

MERLIN TO MARKET AATDS “No simulators” - one sees this wording on occasion when viewing flight school ads, usually those of smaller ab initio instruction facilities. However, it begs the question whether this supposed advantage is by choice or simply because of lack of resources.

If the latter, Merlin Simulation just might have the means to solve this problem when it introduces its new series of FAA-certified advanced aviation training devices (AATD) in February 2009, writes Chuck Weirauch.

The new Pro Series of AATDs includes a reconfigurable airplane model and Schweizer 300C and Robinson R22/R44 helicopter models designed for smaller flight schools. Their main advantage is that they offer the latest in visual technologies, along with full flight training capabilities at a significantly lower price than other devices now on the market, said Merlin Simulation CEO Ken Zimmerman. Initial price for the reconfigurable airplane model is $140,000; helicopter models are $10,000 less. In addition to lower initial cost, the training devices feature low operating and maintenance costs similar to office equipment, he added.

“This is one of the first times that such a high-quality simulator can be affordable to flight schools. They are designed to hit the four key points of simulator-based training, including procedures, teaching VFR and instrument flying, and training for malfunctions and emergencies,” Zimmerman said.

All three models feature a 180-degree out-the-window field of view of world visual and navigational databases, projected onto an eight-foot screen by LCoS projectors. Zimmerman feels that the realism provided by the enhanced visual databases, which include such details as 3D particulate clouds, fog and ambient lighting, are what really help the Proline AATDs stand out in the market.

The airplane AATD is also tailored to flight schools having one or just a few different types of training aircraft. The basic configuration is that of a Cessna 172 with a Garmin 1000 avionics package. Merely changing upper and lower instrument panels, along with the throttle quadrant section, can simulate other aircraft and avionics. Traditional analog “steam” gauges and Garmin 530 avionics can also be simulated.

Panels have artificial intelligence built in to automatically reconfigure the simulator when the new panels are installed, Zimmerman said. Panels and throttle sections feature the same switches and control devices that would be found in the actual aircraft.

While initially the Cessna configuration will be offered, other aircraft configurations such as Pipers and Bonanzas and other avionics will be offered. The company plans to target worldwide sales, with an initial goal of 10 units a year for each model.

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LFT JOINT VENTURE Lufthansa Flight Training (LFT) and the joint stock company Vnukovo International Airport are to form a joint venture to set up and operate a simulator centre for pilot training.

“Russian airlines already have a growing number of western aircraft in their fleets.

The Russian market is developing rapidly and Vnukovo Airport will play a pivotal role in its future growth,” Vitaly Vantsev, CEO of Vnukovo International Airport, said, explaining the decision to base the joint venture in Moscow.

All the simulators at the new training centre will comply with the highest quality standards. The centre has been designed so that new courses can be added, as required, to the existing programme on offer. Vnukovo has already funded preparatory work for the construction of the training centre, which is due for completion at the end of 2009, with the first pilots able to start training in January 2010. While most of the potential customers of the new training centre will be Russian carriers, the aim is also to attract airlines from neighbouring countries.

AIRCRAFT AVAILABLE: A320

A330

B737 NG

B787

B747-200

B747-400

B757/767

B777

DOOR TRAINER CONTRACT

DC 9

Others

RP Aero Systems has been awarded a contract by Airbus to make an A330 door trainer and slide for installation at the Air Asia Training Academy in Kuala Lumpur. The trainer will consist of a 1L main door complete with training slide and RP’s advanced electronic door hinge and handle control system. The short delivery schedule will ensure that the equipment is ready for training early 2009 to allow Air Asia to provide crew training as quickly as possible.

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AIRLINE DISPATCHER TRAINING

pilot training courses at two Australian campuses.

The ISEA course is a mix of theory and practical teaching, with students being in command of a cockpit just 10 weeks after their first flight. ISEA is a unique operation, with the University of Wollongong being the only university in Australia to offer the JAR FCL ATPL qualification. The course will initially be offered at Bacchus Marsh in Victoria from February 2009, with a second facility in Port Macquarie, New South Wales, starting later this year All ISEA’s flight instructors are accredited both by the Swedish Civil Aviation Authority and Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia.

Phoenix East Aviation (PEA) has announced a training agreement with Middle East Airlines AirLiban (MEA).

Starting in February 2009, PEA will train MEA students to be professional airline dispatchers. The intense six-week course will take place in Beirut, Lebanon at the MEA facility and be conducted in accordance with a curriculum provided by PEA, developed to meet ICAO and Lebanese aviation authority requirements.

FRASCA FTDs Central Washington University, Ellensburg, has ordered two Frasca flight training devices (FTD), a G58 Beechcraft Baron TruFlite FTD with G1000, and a CRJ-200 Level 5 regional jet FTD. Both FTDs will include Frasca’s TruVision visual system.

The CRJ will also include Frasca’s offline debrief station. Both devices will be shipped in summer 2009. Central Washington University is a long-time customer with several Frasca devices already in use in its aviation program.

Obituary Michael Clark Kilgore of Cave Creek, Arizona passed away suddenly on February 2, 2009. Mike joined the US Army after graduating at the University of Washington in 1978 leaving active service in 1986 and retiring from the US Army Reserve in December 2004 as a LTC. In 1986 he was privileged to join the Honeywell family.

During his 22 years of service with Honeywell Aerospace, Mike established and nurtured long lasting relationships in the industry around the world. Mike was passionate about growing the aerospace business as well as enhancing customer support. This passion was expressed in his concern for those who lived the business day in and day out and his drive for continual excellence. After 9-11 Mike was called to the Pentagon and spent 18 months in G4 supporting operations in Iraq while continuing his commitments to Honeywell.

Mike was a truly genuine man, a great professional and friend to the aviation training community. He is survived by his 3 children: Hadley (Natalie), Patrick (Heidi), and Lara.

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CAT MAGAZINE • ISSUE 1/2009

CAE CONTRACTS

Award winner Andrew Ramsden.

Image credit: Rockwell Collins.

EDWIN A. LINK AWARD Andrew Ramsden, products manager for Simulation and Training Solutions at Rockwell Collins, has received the 2008 Edwin A. Link Award for excellence in the visual simulation industry. The award was presented at the Flight Simulator Engineering Maintenance Conference (FSEMC) held in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Ramsden, who works in Rockwell Collins’ Horsham, West Sussex location, began his career with Redifon Simulation Visual Group providing rigid model visual systems. He continued in the field by joining Evans & Sutherland in 1994, which is now Rockwell Collins.

He has played an integral part in the rapidly changing world of computer generated image visual systems. His most notable accomplishments include playing a pivotal role in obtaining the first FAA Level D approvals for simulators equipped with wide-type display systems, liquid crystal on silicon projector technology, and most recently Part 60 approval for a US-based airline customer.

NEW AUSTRALIAN FLIGHT SCHOOL The International School of European Aviation (ISEA), a collaboration between Lund University School of Aviation in Sweden and the University of Wollongong, is preparing to deliver European

CAE has won contracts for eight FFSs and training devices valued at more than C$100m. The contracts are with Continental Airlines, Air China, Shandong Airlines, Saudi Arabian Airlines and the Hua Ou Aviation Training Centre in Beijing.

CAE has announced so far a total of 31 FFS sales in fiscal 2009.

Continental Airlines has ordered a suite of B737 Next-Generation (NG) simulation equipment, including two FFSs and an FTD. The devices will be delivered to Continental’s training centre in Houston in 2009. Air China and Shandong Airlines have jointly ordered three CAE 7000 series FFSs: two B737-800 and one A320. One B737-800 FFS and the A320 FFS will be delivered to Air China’s training centre in Beijing in the first half of 2010, and the other B737-800 FFS will be delivered to Shandong Airlines training centre in Qingdao in 2010.

Saudi Arabian Airlines has ordered two CAE 7000 series A320 FFSs, a CAE Simfinity A320 Level 5 FTD, a suite of CAE Simfinity Airbus Pilot Transition (APT) trainers and Airbus Competence Training (ACT) classrooms for the A320, A330 and A340 aircraft. The training solutions will be delivered in 2009 to the Prince Sultan Aviation Training Academy in Jeddah.

The Hua Ou Aviation Training Centre, a joint venture of Airbus and the China Aviation Supplies Holding Company (CAS), has ordered a CAE 7000 series A330/A340 convertible FFS. The simulator will be convertible to five types of A330 and A340 aircraft and will be delivered in 2009.

MORE FIRE FIGHTING SIMS FROM ETC There is nothing like an airliner accident to underline the need for advanced training for airport fire and rescue crews. The December 20, 2008 crash of Continental Airlines flight 1404 at Denver International airport achieved exactly that, writes Chuck Weirauch.

A recent adoption of simulation-based training technology to help meet this challenge occurred in January. Specialty vehicle manufacturer Rosenbauer International A.G. contracted Environmental Tectonics Corporation (ETC) to have that company create training simulators for its high-reach extendable turrets (HRET) mounted on the roof of its airport firefighting vehicles. An HRET operator inside the vehicle remotely directs the turret to spread fire suppression fluids and dry chemicals around and inside burning aircraft. Rosenbauer will provide the ETC-developed desktop simulators (HRET-SIMs) for customers of its HRET-equipped vehicles for operator training.

The HRET-SIM, which consists of the desktop computer and turret console with an actual Rosenbauer HRET joystick, is the latest application of ETC’s Advanced Disaster Management Simulator (ADMS). In 2007, ETC launched its Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ADMS-ARFF) vehicle simulator. This simulator was developed to provide realistic training for ARFF crews operating crash trucks for any aircraft incident or disaster. The ARFF variant features a turret operator’s console, along with a crash truck driver simulator and out-the-window display. ETC had earlier produced and marketed the driver simulator as ADMS-DRIVE. This variant employs the actual cab of an Oshkosh T-3000 ARFF vehicle.

With the ARFF simulator, crews can train in vehicle operation, tactical deployment, airport orientation, driving and radio procedures and command and control. Crews can also train to extinguish fires with the simulated onboard turret console. The ADMS software platform contains the database for the entire airport environment, as well as the scenario generation that provides the simulated accident environment. Decisions and actions made by command and control and firefighting personnel affect the outcomes of scenarios. The ADMS has been employed by cities and government agencies for first responder disaster training since 1995.

According to Karen Santos, ETC Simulation & Training applications manager, the ADMS-ARFF is being used by the National Fire Academy in the Netherlands for training Royal Netherlands Air Force and Schiphol airport fire crews responding to aircraft incidents.

In 2008 the company installed an ADMS-Command system at the International Fire Training Centre in UK, which trains airport fire officers worldwide.

In the US, both Nashville International and Minneapolis/St Paul International airports have the most complete ETC training installations and employ the ADMS-Drive variant.

Currently the company is developing two airport scenarios for the New York City Office of Emergency Management, one at John F. Kennedy International airport and the other at LaGuardia. These scenarios will be delivered this summer, Santos reported.

“ADMS is an all-hazards trainer that helps to prepare our first responders and emergency managers for a wide array of emergency events, from standard incidents up to the exceptional such as the Hudson Bay incident,” said Marco van Wijngaarden, president of ETC Simulation. “All of us here are proud to offer a training platform that provides robust and critical training to help save the lives of first responders and of those they are sworn to protect.”

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MECHTRONIX SALES ESMA Aviation Academy has bought two Ascent Flight Trainers from Mechtronix Systems. These will be configured as Diamond DA42 for ESMA’s flight training facility in Montpelier, France. The academy will use the FNPTs to provide instrument rating (IR) training as the school renews its fleet with modern DA42s. These will help it meet the growing needs of its current training programs for its French, Vietnamese, and Chinese airline cadets.

Both flight trainers will feature a 150x35 degree visual system. The units will be equipped with the latest autopilot technology Garmin GFC 700 providing more precision to the students’ navigation. Additionally, the devices will feature a wider shell giving an ergonomic environment for easier interaction between instructor and student. The training academy plans to deploy the units by the end of 2008 while seeking qualification with the JAA under JAR-FSTD A FNPT II.

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JEPPESEN AND CAUC PARTNERSHIP Jeppesen has formed an agreement with the Civil Aviation University of China (CAUC) to develop and deliver standardized ab initio pilot training courses that are approved by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). China continues to experience high demand for qualified airline pilots, with about 2,000 Chinese students a year being trained in ab initio programs outside of China.

Officials at CAUC and CAAC are working with Jeppesen to shift civil aviation pilot training to in-country providers, under a standardized, approved curriculum.

“Jeppesen has been working with CAUC for several years and now we are very proud to have finalized this landmark initiative to jointly develop standardized ab initio pilot training curriculum and training centers in China,” said Captain Brad Thomann, Jeppesen chief operating officer.

The courses that Jeppesen will provide to CAUC are based on Jeppesen’s standard course materials and syllabi

Arrivals & Departures Eric P. Hinson has joined FlightSafety International as executive vice president. Hinson has an extensive background in aviation. He was president and CEO of Piaggio America, the US subsidiary of the Italian business aircraft manufacturer, and he served on the board of directors of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. Prior to Piaggio, Hinson worked for Honeywell Aerospace in Paris, France, as vice president Europe, Middle East and Africa, where he led all of Honeywell’s aerospace activity in the region; and later as vice president sales and customer marketing for the Air Transport and Regional Group. Before joining Honeywell, he spent five years with Gulfstream Aerospace as senior vice president, strategy and business development.

Alteon has named Suzanna DarcyHennemann as the company’s new chief pilot. She will be responsible for all pilots providing flight, maintenance and cabin crew training programs for Alteon.

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CAT MAGAZINE • ISSUE 1/2009

and will be jointly modified as necessary to receive CAAC approval. Jeppesen will also work with CAUC to provide ground instructors, instructor support material, train the trainer courses and help source flight instructors.

NEW GENAV CUSTOMERS GenAv Systems has announced the addition of Mesaba Airlines and Compass Airlines as its newest customer partners.

TriMSched, an intuitive training scheduling software system, will allow each airline to reduce employee time to manage training coordination by more than 50%.

The addition of Mesaba and Compass brings GenAv’s total airline customer partners to nine, scheduling a total of 9,850 pilots in the US and Canada.

DA42 FLEET FOR EMBRY-RIDDLE Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, based in Daytona Beach, Florida, has ordered ten Diamond DA42 L360 twinengine aircraft. Deliveries from Diamond Aircraft will begin early 2009 and the full fleet of ten DA42s will be in service at Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach campus before the 2009-2010 academic year begins.

“Embry-Riddle selected the DA42 L360 because it represents the combination of a thoroughly modern airframe and the Garmin G1000 glass cockpit, with a tried and true power plant that is common across our fleet. It also provides us the option to upgrade to more advanced power plants in the future. We believe this aircraft represents the leading edge of technology, safety, and performance for our students and instructors,” said Frank Ayers, chairman of the flight department in Daytona Beach.

Diamond DA42.

Image Credit: ERAU.

FACTS TRAINING EXPANSION FACTS Training, an operating company within AirCare Solutions Group, has expanded into the northeastern region of the United States in response to the growing demand for emergency procedures and safety instruction.

With the intention of offering increased convenience of its training classes, FACTS will strategically position one of its corporate aircraft training simulators at Bradley International airport, in Windsor Locks, CT. The FACTS simulator provides pilots, flight attendants and executive frequent flyers with the benefit of practicing emergency procedures learned in the classroom within the confines of a corporate aircraft.

The FACTS emergency simulator scheduled to operate at Bradley is fully mobile and capable of being transported to local flight departments’ training facilities for convenient and cost-effective training.

UK PILATUS APPROVED TRAINING The Bournemouth based Pilatus aircraft distributor has achieved accreditation by the CAA to be the first Pilatus PC-12 type rating training organisation in the country. Examiner Andrew Dixon has been appointed head of training at the UK Pilatus Centre. He will oversee a team of three instructors as demand for pilots qualified to fly the award winning PC-12 aircraft continues, with deliveries now scheduled into 2010.

“We have six pilots enrolled to gain their PC-12 type rating and more enquiries filtering through,” said Bob Berry, managing director of the UK Pilatus Cen-

tre, who has introduced 13 new $4m, nine-seat executive aircraft to the UK since 2005. “We are now seeing earlier models being replaced by customers who want the latest NG version, so the demand for type rated pilots is increasing rapidly.”

Prior to CAA approval, pilots had to train with the Swiss factory’s team at Stans. The team at Bournemouth also supports training on the smaller American produced turbine powered Piper PA-46 Malibu Meridian.

12 A380s DELIVERED Airbus reached its target of delivering 12 A380 aircraft in 2008, bringing the total number of A380s delivered to date to 13.

The first A380 was delivered to Singapore Airlines on October 15, 2007, with five more delivered to the airline in 2008. Qantas received three A380s in 2008, and Emirates four – the most recent of which was delivered on December 30 from the Airbus delivery centre in Hamburg, Germany.

“We have met our 2008 delivery schedule,” said Tom Enders, Airbus president and chief executive officer. “That was only possible thanks to a tremendous team effort. This gives us a good basis to further ramp up our production in 2009. With the in-service fleet steadily growing, our airline customers are benefiting from lower operating costs while their passengers are benefiting from unequalled cabin comfort and quietness.”

Commercial Aircraft Sales November 27 to February 17, 2009 Aircraft type

Number

Operator/Buyer

A380 A380

2 2

Korean Air Air Austral

E170 E190SR E195

6 5 6

British Airways British Airways Air Europe

Q400 Q400

30 (15 options) 1

Colgan Air LAM Mozambique

FIRST ALX IN QATAR Qatar Aeronautical College is ready to operate the first Alsim ALX it has ordered. The new buildings dedicated to the trainers have also been fitted with two ACT Garmin 1000, which will support the Diamond twin star training.

The college has bought a combination of three different flight trainers to perform a full pilot training program: ACT G1000 for Garmin training, AL50 for ab-initio single engine training, and an ALX for IR, MCC and jet transition.

EUROPEAN AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TRAINING COMMITTEE Developed during the early ‘80’s out of the need to harmonise training between airlines (initially of the KSSU group) and across frontiers, today’s European Aircraft Maintenance Training Committee (EAMTC) is still a vehicle for cooperation. In the days when each country had its own set of regulations, European countries had their own perspective on maintenance and, as a result, a slightly different view on licensing and maintenance training. When the airworthiness authorities began work towards harmonisation to meet the needs of European industry, there was a move to include the industry in forming the necessary legislation. Thus the way was opened for an enlarged EAMTC to interact with the authorities and contribute to such things, as the training required for the B1 and B2 licenses.

President Ian Williams believes that cooperation makes sense.

“Wherever you have a gathering of industry professionals you have hundreds of years of combined experience – an incredible resource. Cooperation can use these resources to the benefit of all and is highly relevant as we all work under the same EASA requirements.”

The group’s membership reads as a “who’s who” of Europe’s leading manufacturers, airlines, MROs and others. “Our member organisations’ representatives have an amazing range of skills and literally are from all areas of the aviation training spectrum,” Williams said. A number of Part 145 organisations number among the members as some training is done in these organisations.

When it was first established the letter “A” in its abbreviated moniker meant “Airline”. In the early days the world of maintenance training was dominated by airlines but over the years an increasing number of independent training centres and basic training schools have stepped into the field, making it necessary to broaden the scope of EAMTC to reflect the entire community.

EAMTC is organised with an executive committee, nominated for four years, and a general assembly, formed by the membership.

Meetings are held twice a year and are hosted by the member organisations on a rotating alphabetical basis. This gives members the opportunity to showcase their organisation. Working in the same sphere and under the same legislation means that members identify with the same issues. Cooperation enables the pooling of ideas in order to address the common issues.

This does not diminish any competitive areas between members, many of whom provide third party training services. Cooperation has great value in terms of preventing duplication of effort and waste – a job done once can be shared and used by all, important points in an increasingly competitive and cost conscious environment.

Once identified, issues are tackled by small working groups comprising members with the requisite skill sets. Working groups hold their sessions as many times as are necessary and practical between the main EAMTC meetings. This is done by all means available: face-to-face meetings and remote or distance working.

The combination of people involved and the different domains from which they come lead to an outcome that is well suited to the needs of everyone. The outcome of a working group is presented at the next meeting of the general assembly for approval and acceptance by the group.

Cooperation also extends into the regulatory area. Regulatory matters are high on the group’s agenda. EASA regularly attends and presents at the meetings. The group takes the keenest of interest in this area and presentations and discussion on the legislation are highly appreciated.

An aim of the EAMTC is to influence or affect regulatory matters before they become law. The Comment Response Tool on the EASA web site may be used by anyone to comment on proposed legislation. However, speaking with “one industry voice” can be an effective way to have your voice heard. EAMTC is a great venue for airing and fixing the issues surrounding the maintenance training world in a spirit of cooperation.

CAT MAGAZINE • ISSUE 1/2009

41

world news & analysis

MULTIMEDIA TRAINING Austrian online training developer, infoWERK, has released two new multimedia software training courses. The first, Bombardier DHC-8 Q400 webbased maintenance training, is a learning programme using modern instructional design principles for maximum effectiveness, student retention and advancement of skills, knowledge and job performance. The software is produced for Augsburg Airways, while the German Aviation Training Centre AERO-Bildung will deliver the seminars.

The second programme comes from the company’s new partnership with Jeppesen. The Boeing subsidiary provides web-based modules for ATPL training, varying from air law, flight planning or operational procedures, up to general navigation. Each of these first 11 courses, designed according to a blended learning approach, allows training organisations to improve efficiencies in a variety of areas, from student engagement and staff prioritisation, to financials and differentiation.

Release of ATPL courses is scheduled

by Q2 2009.

BRAND TRANSITION OF MOOG FCS Dutch test and simulation solution designer Moog has announced that it is to discontinue the use of the name and brand Moog FCS, effective January 1, 2009. Moog had acquired FCS Control Systems B.V., a spin-off of the famous Fokker Aircraft Company of the Netherlands, in August 2005. The transition is based on the company’s long-term plan to fully integrate the test, simulation and haptics products and services into all of the organisation’s global operations.

Current customer contacts will remain unchanged.

360-DEGREE TOWER SIMULATOR The Department of Civil Aviation Engineering Projects (DCAEP) has selected a BEST 360-degree tower simulator from Micro Nav Ltd., to support training for the new Al Maktoum International airport, currently under construction in Dubai. The airport is planned to have six parallel runways and will be part of the Dubai World Central development.

The simulator includes tower and ground controller positions, four pseudo42

CAT MAGAZINE • ISSUE 1/2009

pilot positions, and BEST supervisor and system manager workstations.

DCAEP has also bought the Fast Airport Builder 3D modelling tool so that it can anticipate, test and train for changes to Al Maktoum airport as it evolves. In a fast-track schedule to support the conversion training of controllers, Micro Nav installed the simulator in only 12 weeks from order.

Further phases are planned, including expansion of the tower simulator and integration with the BEST radar simulators and their interfaces to real equipment for on-console training. cat

Correction: CAT 6/2008: p29 – Cabin Crew Training Feature. The sidebar in this feature entitled ‘Towards Better Safety for All’ should have been credited to Jeanne M. Elliott, Chair – Air Safety, Health & Security Northwest Airlines Master Executive Council. Apologies to the author.

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IFC

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17 OBC 14

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IBC 6 13

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3

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4

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11

Alteon Training www.alteontraining.com

CAE www.cae.com

Calendar

23-28

18-21 May 2009 RAA 2009 Annual Convention Salt Lake City, Utah, USA www.raa.org/convention 3-4 June 2009 RAeS Spring 2009 Flight Simulation Conference London, UK www.raes.org.uk/conference 15-21 June 2009 Paris Air Show Le Bourget, France www.paris-air-show.com

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