AABI
Industry/Educator Forum
Educator Response
MPL Around the World
(United States)
Dr. Guy M. Smith
Who is in the Right Seat?
MPL Class
CAE Oxford Aviation Academy in Hong Kong
with Dragonair
United States MPL
Multi-Crew Pilot License (MPL)
• Developed by ICAO (Annex 1) in 2006
• Objective of MPL – “Mission Purposed”
– provide airlines with pilots who will safely and efficiently operate a multicrew, multi-engine, turbine-powered transport aircraft in all expected
operational environments
• MPL pilots must be at least 18 years old, have a minimum
of 240 hours of flying training, and 750 hours of
theoretical knowledge
• MPL courses offered in collaboration with airlines
– Complete airline selection process
– Selected – Airline sponsor
• Differences in certification practices and standards limit full
international validity of the national qualifications
CAE MPL program with
AirAsia
• Performance-based Approved Training Organization
(ATO) certification requirements developed by Transport
Canada
• 56-week Program
– MPL license from Transport Canada
– Authority from the Department of Civil Aviation Malaysia (DCAM)
– Enter AirAsia's IOE program for A320 First Officers
• Course:
– Phases 1 & 2 (Core and Basic) – Moncton Flight College in Dieppe, NB
– Phase 3 (Intermediate) - CAE SimuFlite in Dallas, TX
– Phase 4 (Advanced) – CAE’s aviation training centre in Toronto, ON
MPL Control
• ICAO "Procedures for Air Navigation Services Training" (PANS TRG) Document
– Guidelines for structuring MPL programs
– Regulatory requirements for cadets, instructors
and authorized training organizations.
Certificating Pilots in the US
• "Required Hours" Or "License Stacking" Method
–
–
–
–
Sport/Recreational
Private
Commercial (Instrument, Multi-engine, Instructor)
ATP
• Knowledge Tests and Practical Tests
• Test of instrument flying, navigation and general
handling – PTS
– Pilot has achieved - in the examiner's opinion - the
intended results
– Aspiring pilot doing everything on his/her own
– No crew or leadership skills are tested
III. Takeoff and Departure Phase
Task A: Normal and Crosswind Takeoff
Task B: Glassy Water Takeoff and Climb
(AMES/ASES)
Task C: Rough Water Takeoff and Climb
Task D: Confined‐Area Takeoff and Climb
(AMES/ASES)
Task E: Instrument Takeoff
Task F: Powerplant Failure during Takeoff
Task G: Rejected Takeoff
Task H: Departure Procedures
Airline Transport Pilot and Aircraft Type Rating
Practical Test Standards for Airplane
Multi-Crew Pilot License (US)
• U.S. pilots are certificated, not licensed (license is
used informally)
– Pilot certificates can be revoked by administrative action
(FAA)
– Licensing (e.g., a driver's license) requires judiciary action
(court)
• United States MPC – “Multi-Crew Pilot
Certificate”
– Requires an Airline/Educator agreement
$$$
– Zero-time students learn core
competencies required to safely operate
a modern airliner
– Advanced simulator technologies
– Multi-crew operations
– Crew resource management
– Threat and error management
Supporters of MPL
• “Required Hours” method builds skills irrelevant
to flying a transport aircraft – Chandelles
• MPL provides four times more instruction time in
multi-crew environment, which has direct
relevance to airline operations
• ICAO's Performance Objectives – The knowledge
base is the same as for the ATP
• “Cadet Dragon was under the impression that his
colleagues without any flying experience adjusted
faster and better because they had no
preconceived notions about flying” (AirAsia MPL Cadet)
Opponents of MPL
• How can a novice gain the SKILLS, LEADERSHIP
and AIRMANSHIP SKILLS needed to fly a
commercial transport aircraft after gaining
flight experience in a SIMULATOR? (IFALPA)
• Contributing factors in a number of accidents
– Airplane – loss of control
– Airplane – lack of handling abilities
• MPL – “Designed as a quick, cheap cure for
the world pilot shortage”
MPL Issues – Perceptions
• What skill level is needed for Instructors?
• Who trains the trainer?
• Will MPL further reduce piloting skills,
airmanship and decision-making skills?
• Can you ONLY get experience by flight time?
• Degradation of manual flying skills is a worldwide concern
http://iaftp.org/2011/10/could-a-focus-on-best-practices-help-mpl-achieve-greater-adoption/
MPL Issue – Adoption
You need
• an Airline
• a Flight Training Organization
• a Regulator
All To Agree
ICAO provides guidance
MPL-Like Programs in the US
– Airline/Educator agreements
• Screening (Admissions)
• Scholarships (Funding)
• Gateway-like agreements: CFI – Regional - Majors
• Commitment of pilots to Airline
– Zero-time students
– Advanced simulators
– Multi-crew operations
– Crew resource management
– Threat and error management
MPL in the United States?
References
• Fiorno, F. (2011). Flying the MPL route.
Retrieved from http://www.flightglobal.com
• Visser, W. (2010). CAE to launch Multi-crew
Pilot License (MPL) beta program with AirAsia
using new performance-based requirements.
Retrieved from
http://waltervisser.blogspot.com