MPL Aims To Put First Officers On Airliners Faster
Alteon Training, a subsidiary of The Boeing Company told ANN
Monday of the launch of its Multi-Crew Pilot License (MPL) beta
test in Brisbane, Australia.
As Aero-News reported last
month, MPL is a new pilot license developed by the
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as an alternative
to the traditional approach of training and licensing pilots.
Alteon calls MPL a 'competency-based' training program, that
prepares pilots more effectively and efficiently through increased
use of modern simulation and crew-based training.
Alteon has been working closely with ICAO, airlines and industry
partners to be the first to test this solution that aims to address
the industry’s need for more pilots.
"The world’s airlines will need more than 17,000 pilots
each year for the next 20 years to fill the seats of the airplanes
on order,” said Marsha Bell, Alteon vice president of First
Officer Programs. "The world needs a better training solution for
those pilots. Our beta test will explore efficient and effective
improvements in pilot training.”
According to Boeing's Current Market Outlook, the market will
require more than 27,000 new airplanes to be delivered to the
world’s airlines over the next 20 years. The Asia-Pacific
region will receive 28 percent of these aircraft deliveries through
2025.
The Alteon MPL training program is conducted in a multi-crew
environment. Working as a crew of three, the cadets learn airline
discipline and procedures, including Threat and Error Management
(TEM) and Line Oriented Safety Audit (LOSA), in every flight lesson
as they rotate through traditional captain, first officer and
safety officer roles.
The beta test is being conducted in Brisbane, Australia. Alteon
selected Airline Academy Australia to deliver the core and basic
phase of training using Diamond DA40 airplanes and a DA40 Level 5
Flight Training Device equipped with a Rockwell Collins EP-10
daylight visual system.
Participants China Eastern Airlines and Xiamen Airlines helped
select the six cadet pilots that began their MPL foundation
training in January. Alteon is finalizing arrangements with other
airlines from the region to submit six additional cadets to start
in March.
"Alteon, along with airlines, regulators and other industry
observers, will review the results of this beta test and revise the
program as necessary,” said Bell. "By sharing and
collaborating on data analysis, we hope to further enhance safe and
efficient airline operations.”
Alteon currently offers training services at nine locations in
the Asia-Pacific region, including Brisbane and Melbourne,
Australia, Seoul and Gimpo, South Korea; Kunming and Tianjin,
China, Tokyo, Japan, Singapore and Mumbai, India.
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