Building the Largest Pilot Training
Program in the World
Scott Nutter
General Manager – Research, AQP & Development
Video
2
WATS 2010
April 27, 2010
DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
The Mission
Closed merger transaction on October 30, 2008
Corporate Goal
• Achieve Single Operating Certificate by December 31, 2009
• 14 months to integrate two FAR 121 air carriers
• 14 months to integrate……
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WATS 2010
April 27, 2010
DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
The Mission
• 12,434 pilots
• 11 Fleet Types (21 variants)
• 2 Advanced Qualification Programs (AQPs)
• 13 Initial Qualification Curricula
• 11 Continuing Qualification (Recurrent) Curricula
• 2 Data Collection Systems
• 687 Pre-SOC, cockpit procedural changes
Keep Safety #1
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WATS 2010
April 27, 2010
DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
Merger Philosophies
1. Never compromise safety
2. Keep it simple
3. Adopt & Go
4. Speed wins
5. Over communicate
6. Solicit and act upon feedback
7. Plan well, then execute
8. Address cultural as well as operational differences
9. Include everyone in the process (FAA, ALPA, IT, etc)
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WATS 2010
April 27, 2010
DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
Training Integration Philosophies
1. Build training to support Safety goal
2. Keep it simple
3. Adopt & Go
4. Speed wins
5. Over communicate
6. Solicit and act upon feedback
7. Plan early, execute and adapt to change
8. Address training culture differences
9. Include everyone in the process (FAA, ALPA, IT, etc)
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WATS 2010
April 27, 2010
DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
Divide & Conquer
Break integration of pilot training into two distinct tasks:
Achieve SOC
Develop “end-state” programs
designed for combined carrier
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WATS 2010
April 27, 2010
DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
Achieve SOC
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WATS 2010
April 27, 2010
DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
Achieve SOC
AQP Integration
• Adopted existing Delta AQP as end-state program
• Appended premerger NWA AQP to existing Delta AQP
• Developed plan to integrate NWA programs into Delta AQP
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WATS 2010
April 27, 2010
DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
Develop “End-state” Programs
Curricula
•Initial Qualification (IQ)
•Continuing Qualification (CQ)
•Indoctrination
•Specialty Curricula
•Instructor
•Evaluator
•Testing Strategy
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WATS 2010
Data Collection/Analysis
Courseware
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•
•
•
•
April 27, 2010
e-Learning
Instructor Guidance
Student Guidance
LMS
Electronic vs. Paper
DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
Develop “End-state” Programs
Premerger NWA IQ
ST 1 ST 2 ST 3 ST 4 ST 5 ST 6
SV
PT 1 PT 2 PT 3 PT 4 PT 5 PT 6
PV
Ground Training Curriculum
MT 1 MT 2 MT 3 MT 4
MV
LT 1
LT 2
LT 3
LT 4 LOE
Flight Training Curriculum
GT (14 days) + FT (10 days) = 24 day IQ curriculum
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WATS 2010
April 27, 2010
DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
Develop “End-state” Programs
Premerger Delta IQ
Distance
Learning
ST 1 ST 2 ST 3 ST 4
SV
PT 1 PT 2 PT 3
PV
Ground Training Curriculum
MT 1 MT 2 MT 3 MT 4
MV
LT 1
LT 2
LT 3
LT 4 LOE
Flight Training Curriculum
GT (9 days) + FT (10 days) = 19 day IQ curriculum
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WATS 2010
April 27, 2010
DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
Develop “End-state” Programs
End-state IQ
Distance
Learning
ST 1 ST 2
SV
PT 1 PT 2 PT 3 PT 4 PT 5
PV
Ground Training Curriculum
MT 1 MT 2 MT 3 MT 4
MV
LT 1
LT 2
LT 3
LT 4 LOE
Flight Training Curriculum
GT (9 days) + FT (10 days) = 19 day IQ curriculum
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WATS 2010
April 27, 2010
DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
Develop “End-state” Programs
Premerger NWA CQ
All Fleets
GT 1
GT 2
Jan
FT 1
Feb
320
IPCQ
Apr
May
Jun
GT 1
Jul
Sept
FT 1
Oct
FT 2
Nov
Dec
CQ
CQ
CQ
IPCQ
CQ
IPCQ
CQ
757
14
Aug
GT 2
IPCQ
744
DC9
Mar
IPCQ
330
742
12 Months
FT 2
CQ
WATS 2010
April 27, 2010
DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
Develop “End-state” Programs
Premerger Delta CQ
FT 1
6 Months
FT 2
6 Months
FT 1
FT 1
FT 2
“International” Fleets
FT 1
12 Months
FT 2
FT 1
FT 2
Oct
Nov
FT 3
“Domestic” Fleets
Jan
Feb
ALL
15
Mar
Apr
IECQ
WATS 2010
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sept
Dec
CQ
April 27, 2010
DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
Develop “End-state” Programs
End-state CQ
FT 1 FT 2
9 Months
FT 1 FT 2
9 Months
FT 1 FT 2
9 Months
FT 1 FT 2
All Fleets
Quarterly Distance Learning
Jan
ALL
16
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
CQ
WATS 2010
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
IECQ
April 27, 2010
DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
Develop “End-state” Programs
Premerger Data Collection & Analysis
• Web-based data collection tool
• Data fed to custom database
• Summary Statistics used to analyze data
• Large number of custom reports
• Data collected through mainframe interface
• Data fed to warehouse within mainframe
• Six Sigma used as primary analysis tool
• Small number of standardized reports
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WATS 2010
April 27, 2010
DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
Develop “End-state” Programs
End-state Data Collection & Analysis
• Web-based data collection tool
• Data fed to custom database
• Six Sigma used to analyze data
• Standard reports
• Daily – supports data collection
• Monthly – labor-intensive analysis
• Quarterly – tied to SMS
• Annual – system validation
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WATS 2010
April 27, 2010
DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
Develop “End-state” Programs
Timeline
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WATS 2010
April 27, 2010
DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
Training Integration Conclusions
1. Constant reinforcement of the Safety culture works
2. KISS works
3. Adopt & Go saves time and simplifies tasks
4. “Speed wins” drives # 2 and # 3
5. There’s no such thing as over communication
6. Acting upon feedback built support and fostered culture
change
7. Plan early, execute and adapt
8. Embrace the best of both cultures
9. Everyone shares in the process and success
10. Visible, accessible leadership benefits every process
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WATS 2010
April 27, 2010
DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
Lessons Learned
Flight Operations Integration
1. Old habits die hard……but they will die
2. Nothing replaces working with your peer
3. Words on a page can be interpreted many ways
4. Little things mean a lot
5. Change management takes time
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WATS 2010
April 27, 2010
DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
Lessons Learned
Pilot Training Programs
1. AQP works
2. E-learning works
3. Distance Learning works
4. Analysis = Accuracy
5. Instructional method driven by Performance Gap
6. If it’s worth training, it’s worth measuring
7. Build flexible training systems (adapt to network)
8. Integrate training with SMS (watch the operation)
9. Listen to your audience (feedback)
10. Mergers are not for the faint of heart
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WATS 2010
April 27, 2010
DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
Building the Largest Pilot Training
Program in the World
Scott Nutter
General Manager – Research, AQP & Development
scott.nutter@delta.com