To become a pilot, it generally takes around 18 months learning to fly on light aircraft, writing a swathe of theory exams, before undergoing MCC (multi-crew cooperation) and JOC (jet orientation) courses which set you up with the basics for operating modern, multi-crew jet aircraft.
On joining an airline, pilots then undergo several initial training courses – the type rating to learn to fly that specific aircraft, following by an LST (licence skills test) which signs you off as being competent on that aircraft and gets it into your licence. An OCC (operators conversion course) followed by an OPC (operator proficiency check) gets you up to speed on the SOPs (standard operating procedures) for that airline. The OCC course also covers ground school sessions to cover technical theory, CRM (crew resource management), security and additional things like Dangerous Goods, if required for the operator.
If you aren’t put off by all the studying and exams (and acronyms) yet, then here are some more for you. The initial training also requires pilots to be qualified in LVOs (low visibility operations), PBN (precision based navigation) and UPRT (upset prevention recovery training) amongst other things. The training and checks for these are generally included in the the initial type rating and OCC, which will consist of multiple simulator training sessions.
Once all of that is completed, the pilot finally gets their hands on an airplane and starts their line training. This is training in the aircraft on normal line flights and is completed with a line check. At that point, a new line pilot is good to go. Signed off, safe and ready! All in all, the training within the airline can take anywhere from 2-6 months, which means, in potentially as little as another few months they will be heading right back in for some more training…
This is known as recurrent training and checking. It is mandatory, and normally takes place every 6 or 12 months.
Why train more?
Pilots must be proficient in handling certain emergencies, for example engine failures on take-off, TCAS events, rejected take-offs etc. They are not events you can practice on the line, but they are events which have a higher likelihood of potentially occurring, and which are time critical and require accurate handling should they happen. So pilots practice them and are checked to ensure they can fly them to a set level of competency just in case they actually occur on the line.
A recurrent sim check will generally have two parts to it – the maneuver part, which requires the pilot to demonstrate an engine failure at takeoff, several approaches with the engine out and with different levels of guidance and autopilot function, an engine out missed approach and landing, a rejected takeoff and the evacuation actions. This isn’t an exhaustive list, and can vary between licensing states, but in general will definitely contain those, and potentially other maneuvers as well.
Additionally, things like the LVO qualification must also be revalidated once a year, so pilots will fly several approaches in simulated LVP (low visibility procedures) conditions with various failures to refresh them in the procedures and potential threats that these conditions pose. During low visibility approaches the autopilot is left on to enable the crew to monitor more, and often auto lands as well. In CAT III conditions where the runway visual range (how much the pilots will be able to see on landing) is below 200m, the pilots may only be making a decision at 50’ as to whether they are able to land.
Having the automation land for the pilot may sound as if there is less work, but the monitoring procedures and checks are actually more complicated for the crew. There are multiple systems required to be functioning, and because the crew cannot see the runway (to ensure it is safe and where it should be), the functionality and precision of the systems must be within very strict limits. So, this has to be trained and practiced, and an understanding of the failures and impact of them must be trained and practiced. While low vis conditions are common in some areas, few pilots will fly these regularly which is why training and practice is needed.
Back in our sim session, and the simulator tends to be “set” at a different airport for each recurrent round. It is usually one from the operators own route network which poses additional challenges for the crew. This enables crew to build some familiarity with the potential operational challenges at that airport. The conditions will be varied as well, with a focus at least once a year on winter conditions to refresh pilots in the varying procedures and challenges they will encounter during ground and airborne operations in these conditions (de-icing, taxi techniques, performance calculations, contaminated runways, adverse weather, etc).
Now for the Line Operational Evaluation (LOE)
The LOE (line operational evaluation) is the other element of the sim check. Pilots do not just train for specific events because this has been shown to be insufficient (and very impractical). You cannot learn a set method to handle any and all situations – it would take an inordinate amount of time, and then something would ultimately happen that you hadn’t practiced for anyway. Instead, training has moved onto CBT/EBT (competency and evidence) based training which looks to give the pilots a “tool box” of skills and resilience which they can apply in any situation.
These “tools” are known as competencies and are broken down into tech and non-tech, covering 9 areas in total. The four tech are flight path management – automated and manual, knowledge and application of procedures. The five non-tech competencies are communication, workload management, situational awareness, problem solving & decision making, and leadership & teamwork. Within these are OBs (observable behaviors), which are effectively ‘how the pilot actions’ the competencies. Communication, for example, contains multiple OBs which relate to communication skills such as the ability to convey messages clearly, accurately or concisely, asking relevant and effective questions, adhering to standard RT phraseology, or ability to use datalink.
The tech competencies are much more easily quantified, and a pilot can ‘fail’ on an item within the maneuvers part of the assessment, which would likely relate to a specific tech skill. I.e., they fail to fly the engine failure at takeoff within the allowable limits – this would be a failure of that item, but would also result in a lower performance assessment grade for a competency such as flightpath management – manual.
The non-tech skills are more difficult to assess, so during the LOE, the examiner will consider how many, how often and how well the competencies are displayed throughout the evaluation, with a focus on the outcome rather than individual ‘moments’. Because of the interaction and multi-crew environment, if the outcome falls below an acceptable level, it is likely both crew will fail that portion of their check. A thorough debrief and self-assessment is required to turn this from a checking only to a learning and development opportunity as well.
So what does an LOE look like?
LOE is designed to simulate an actual flight, or segment of a flight, just as the crew might experience on a normal day. Well, a particularly “bad day” normal day anyway It will include failures, or events, which will challenge the crews’ competencies. The crew won’t (or shouldn’t) know what failures and situations they will experience, just as they wouldn’t in real life if something was to happen.
A range of things will be thrown at them, from minor distraction type faults which test their workload management, situational awareness, application of procedures, to more complex events which require troubleshooting, problem solving, communication and teamwork, and ultimately decision making. Overall, all their competencies will be employed throughout, and while all crew undergoing their recurrent training will be placed in a similar situation which challenges to a similar degree, the exact failures may differ as might the decisions made and outcomes reached. There is often no right or wrong, just varying degrees of optimal, safe or unsafe.
Anything else?
Finally, a training day normally takes place in which the crew will be trained and refreshed on certain areas of operation. The training day usually incorporates numerous training items which are required to be covered, but operators that include EBT in their program will likely ensure some events are ones which have been highlighted within their operation over the past year as having occurred, or which are potential threats.
For example, an airline that regularly flies over the Himalayas may include training in rapid decompression and diversions to the airports there. An airline which flies regularly over the NAT HLA may train the contingencies procedures for North Atlantic weather. An operator that hires a lot of low hour second officers may encourage them through intervention training where the captain makes mistakes and they must correct them.
The pilot competencies and human factors topics are also covered in a yearly recurrent ground school. CRM recurrent is required once a year, and there is a set syllabus which covers a 3 year period. It includes everything from fatigue, stress, and decision making to a multitude of other human factors related topics. It is often done through the use of case studies of historic accidents and incidents where human factors played a major part. Importantly, it is a chance for pilots to sit in a room together and share insights and experiences from over the past year.
Pilot training never ends
Pilots undergo yearly and sometimes twice yearly simulator checks and training days, yearly ground school training, and have to write recurrent exams in numerous subjects to maintain their qualifications. They are also required to undergo a yearly medical exam and a yearly line check.
And… they are monitored throughout every operation. Most modern aircraft continually download data during flights and flight data monitoring and safety systems will flag anything that is outside of limits. For example a hard landing, an approach where the aircraft is not configured by the stabilization altitude, if electronic checklists are not completed, if flaps are selected at too high a speed. It might sound a bit too “Big Brother” but the data is not (should not) used punitively, but instead is fed back to pilots so they can learn, and is also used to help plan the next round of recurrent sim sessions.
So you think you could be a pilot?
To finish off, here is a mini “armchair” LOE scenario for you:
You have taken off from JFK airport, routing to LGW. It is winter and the conditions in JFK are below zero, with snow and ice on the runways. Just after reaching top of climb, you have a warning ‘Hydraulic System Low Pressure’. One of your hydraulic systems has had a leak and is not functional. This means you have lost some of your flights controls which means an increase in fuel burn, and an increase in your landing performance. The checklist directs you to land at the nearest suitable airport.
- What are your options?
- What considerations go into deciding where to land?
- What additional challenges will you need to think about?
- What pilot competencies will you be using?
3 Responses
Thanks Rebecca!
I use your articles and share them with friends, so that I don’t have to be the one doing the explaining.😉
I think, that this way people won‘t think that I‘m exaggerating…🙂
Kim
Cpt 747
Thanks Rebecca for the interesting article. Out of curiosity, what would your answers be to the questions posed at the end?
This blog highlights the continuous and intensive training pilots undergo to ensure safety and proficiency. The detailed breakdown of each phase and the challenges faced underscores the dedication required to excel in the aviation industry.