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.

FMI: www.alteontraining.com, www.icao.int