Upgrade your Commercial Pilot License to Frozen ATPL in 4 Easy Steps

May 10, 2018

Upgrade your Commercial Pilot License to Frozen ATPL in 4 Easy Steps

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Air Transport Pilots License (ATPL)

To operate as a First or Second officer on a commercial airliner the minimum qualification (license) you must hold is a “Frozen Air Transport Pilots License” with a Type Rating specific to the aircraft you are employed to operate and a class one medical.

Here we guide you how to get your Frozen ATPL in no time:

Step 1: Get enrolled with Asian Academy of Aeronautics:

Fill out this application and get your offer letter

Asian Academy of Aeronautics has helped 100s of CPL holders to obtain their Frozen ATPL by allowing them to self-study. This prevents any job / flight schedule interruption for working pilots.

Step 2: Once you are enrolled with AAA, you will be provided with the ATPL distance, digital study pack.

Step 3: Set your EASA – CAAi ATPL examination through below link:

Maldives CAAi (EASA) e-Examination Portal

*Exam fee can be paid to AAA and they will process your payment through their system.

Examination fee $2,140 + Enrollment fee $275 (No hidden charges)

Step 4: Arrive and complete your exams at the AAA exam centre in Addu, Gan International Airport.

No mock exams
No sign off fee
No hidden charges

You must have also of passed the following twelve ATPL theoretical examinations with a pass mark of 75% or greater:

Aircraft General Knowledge
- Airframe/Systems/Powerplant
- Instrumentation
Flight Performance and Planning
- Mass and Balance
- Performance,
- Flight Planning and Monitoring,
Human Performance and Limitations
Meteorology
Navigation
- General Navigation
- Radio Navigation
Principles of Flight
Communications
- VFR Communication
- IFR Communication

Unless otherwise determined in this Part, an applicant has successfully completed the required theoretical knowledge examination for the appropriate pilot license or rating when he/she has passed all the required examination papers within a period of 18 months counted from the end of the calendar month when the applicant first attempted an examination.
If an applicant has failed to pass one of the theoretical knowledge examination papers within 4 attempts or has failed to pass all papers within either 6 sittings or the period mentioned in the above paragraph, he/she shall retake the complete set of examination papers. One sitting is considered as 10 days.

The license will be issued by Maldivian Civil Aviation Authority (EASA Based) on behalf of the European Aviation Safety Agency. And license is also accepted in other regions (all the ICAO States) subject to license conversion.

The frozen ATPL becomes “unfrozen” i.e. a full ATPL, when you have completed a total of 1500 hours total flying time, of which 500 hours must be multi crew environment i.e. flown in an aircraft which requires both a captain and first officer. You must be aged 21 or over for the license to be unfrozen.

Aviation Education

May 8, 2018

4 Easy Steps to Become a Pilot

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You can become a pilot. AAA has helped hundreds of men and women just like you to become professional pilots. Below are the basic steps for becoming a pilot and earning a Frozen Air Transport Pilot License

Phase 1:

Basic Aircraft Knowledge and Flying
Under this phase you will be covered the Basic Aircraft Knowledge such as:
Principles of flight / Airframes and Engines / Meteorology and Instruments.
Parallelly you will get to fly 25 to 30 hours. Our aircraft fleet consist of Cessna 150 / Cessna 152 / Cessna 172N / Cessna 172RG and Piper Seneca PA-34.
An average student can achieve his / her first solo between 12 to 20 hours of flight training.

(Click to see our fleet)

Phase 2:

ATPL Ground School and Flying
In this phase the whole ground school part will be covered. This has 7 different modules consisting with 12 papers for the examination. Once a student completes the ATPL theoretical phase and the technical exams, he can obtain a Frozen ATPL as soon as he completes the flight training part and upon successfully getting through the CPL / IR Check Ride.
Also, under this phase, student will get to fly up to 60 hours of flight time.

(ATPL Ground School)

Phase 3:

Conclusion of Theory and Step towards Advanced Flying
This can be the interesting phase and where student will make his / her way out of theory. There will be mock exams for each module and upon clearing the mock exam student will be released to sit for the final exam. Which will be conducted by MCAA (EASA – CAAi) ATPL Examination. Recognized by all the ICAO states.
In this stage student will cover advanced flight training such as Night flying and Instrument Training on Aircraft as well as simulator.
AAA has two sophisticated simulators, one is Frasca 141 single engine and ELITE FNPT II multi engine simulator.

Phase 4:

Flying hour building and check ride
Student will be transferred to Cessna 172RG aircraft and will get prepared to Commercial Pilot License and Instrument Rating skill tests. Also, the multi engine training will be conducted in this stage. Student can apply for CPL with Frozen ATPL upon successfully getting through the checkride.
Our students’ success rate is 100% and the training standards are well maintained in order to cater professional pilots to leading airlines around the world.

Please fill out our online enrollment form and get your placement today!

*in order to receive the placement letter, kindly attache clear scan copies of your educational certificates and passport copy.

Request More Info…

Aviation Education

March 5, 2018

Career Guidance

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We have included this section to help and explain the opportunities available to those students who continue to work towards the professional Pilot License level, and there after how to get about with their “way forward” plans. I’ve also thought it prudent to include some of the many pitfalls or setbacks that await the financially unwary in what is otherwise a very honorable profession.

Before you begin

Before you embark, it is most important that you get a assessment from your country’s “Civil Aviation Dept;” about the recognition of the license you are hoping to get, Is the License fully recognized by your civil aviation when you return back home., ..? the conversion process…! Do you require to sit the entire papers once again and only 50% of your flying will be counted towards the conversion. If so why you should go to a state where there is no recognition for those licenses ..?
Based on what you have obtained in a foreign country, some states require the national to complete only the “Aviation Law” examination and appear for the GFT and IRT. Another may require to sit for a “Composite Paper” and the GFT/IRT. Others may require to sit for the entire set of commercial papers and GFT…etc. Hence, it is most advisable that you have a discussion with your aviation authority prior to selecting and embarking on a course of training.

At the same time inquire about your national and other carriers’ recruitment program. Some airlines may want specific licenses, although the other licenses may be acceptable and convertible by your CAA. Check for other qualification required in addition to the pilot licenses…

Often newly qualified professional pilots and their parents are dismayed at the lack of career guidance from some of the general aviation flight schools. These schools are happy to take your money, but least interested to offer any guidance or advice after you qualify. This isn’t difficult to understand if you check the backgrounds of most of the management and instructors of these so-called “professional flight schools.” It is always advisable to do a research on FTOs prior to selecting one for you to attend. Speak to your friends who has completed courses with FTOs, which you have short listed. The money you spend there will be comparable to a bachelors degree program or more. You’d research the university wouldn’t you? Well the same applies here.

Some schools require huge deposits, including non-refundable fee, Immigration approval fees…etc, in addition a major part of the total course fee up front, with balance of payment shortly thereafter. Be very careful here! While it is true that operational costs of aircraft and study material are very high, there should be no good reason why you cannot “pay as you go.” If you part with all your money up front, and then decide for some reason to terminate your training mid stream, you are likely to be penalized very heavily – in some cases loosing the balance of your funds entirely, some schools declare “bankruptcy” , . You could try going the legal route to get it back – but would the time, money, effort and frustration be worth it? Some schools are banking on your answer being “No.”

Also make sure that a complete breakdown of costs is provided, otherwise you may find yourself scheduled to fly a simulator or a single when you thought you’d paid for a twin. DON’T FALL FOR THE “PACKAGE DEAL”. Get a clear hourly rate on the specific aircraft type you’re going to be flying.

Make sure the small print doesn’t penalize you if you take longer to complete the course than expected. Some schools make promises as to the time frame required to complete a course, then charge penalties if extra time is needed to do so – even in unforeseen circumstances!

Keep all receipts for money handed over – the lawyers will need them in the event of a reclaim on any unused funds.

Cadet Programs
Often you may note that many mega airlines have their own “cadet pilot” training programs for their own nationalities. These programs are being sponsored by respective airlines and those eligible will embark on flying training from ab-initio to professional pilot license standards, with a “frozen ATPL” status at the end of the course. Some programs continue with “Line Orientated Flght Training (LOFT) engaging a corporate jet, may be a Citation or Lear to carry out company routes prior to F/O training. This LOFT aspect will provide knowledge on company routes, practice of company SOPs…etc., Singapore, Malaysian, Cathay need to invest in their industry because their traditional supply of pilots from the military has all but dried up. Present day Airforces are also tending towards signing their pilots to lengthy training bonds to safeguard their massive investments. Consequently, most airlines rely heavily on recruiting civilian-trained aircrew to fill their vacancies. The retirement age for international airlines is 60 while some domestic carriers and freight operators extend it to 65 – much the same as other professions. In order to address the impending pilot shortage some airlines may increase the experience levels of the junior pilots before the seniors retire.

It’s worth doing some research to see if you are eligible to join a cadet scheme in your country’s national airline. This will save you and your parents a lot of money. Not all airlines have a training bond for this program but undoubtedly those that don’t will reconsider that policy shortly. In any case signing a bond in this case is definitely worthwhile. Bear in mind that all cadet schemes have their own selection criteria, along with academic and medical requirements.

Unless you wish to become a career military pilot it generally isn’t worth signing such a lengthy contract (on average ten years!) in exchange for what essentially amounts to limited hours on military aircraft. On average, civilian pilots tend to fly more hours than their military counterparts. Also, civilian salaries are usually higher than the military’s. More importantly, the lengthy contract will delay your entry into an airline and consequently negatively affect your seniority number. You can buy yourself out of these contracts, but this is usually at an enormous price.

Outside the Airline
Not all pilots choose an airline career. There are many other specialties just as rewarding. Other areas available are crop spraying, although I don’t recommend it if you intend going the airline route. Same goes for Geophysical Survey flying. This is because although the flying is incredibly precise and challenging – it is a single crew operation in an informal environment. Airlines prefer hiring pilots with multi-crew, multi-engine experience from structured environments. Nevertheless – it is well paid but obviously seasonal. Some crop sprayers alternate their work between northern and southern hemispheres to work all year long.

Charter
allows you the freedom to operate a variety of different aircraft to a multitude of destinations the clients require. It’s extremely enjoyable and challenging as the routes and requirements are never the same. The demands make it more of a young mans job and hence a stepping-stone towards an airline career.

Corporate Aviation
involves operating a company jet at their behest. Depending on the company it could involve international routes and often involves dealing with VIPs and the company’s directors on a personal level. Many large companies internationally have their own flight department. The only drawback is if the company shares take a dip it’s usually the jet that’s sold off first, leaving you without a job. But still – good work if you can get it.

Contract flying
Extremely challenging as the company you fly for will place you wherever the need arises. This could involve anything from delivering food aid to an impoverished African country to ferrying UN personnel in the Middle East.

Helicopter flying
A specialty of note. This could involve anything from flying off the oil rigs in the North Sea to fire fighting and rescue work. This is predominantly the domain of the ex-military pilot as although you can qualify privately, the extreme costs involved in getting experience ensure that ex-military helicopter pilots are more likely to get the good civilian helicopter jobs. Unfortunately it’s not as well paid as fixed wing jobs, as in this area supply does indeed exceed demand.

Flight Instruction
For those predisposed to it, instruction is the most rewarding of all the disciplines. Also the most challenging. There will always be a demand for trainers in any company. Whether at abinitio level in flight schools or at an advanced level in the airlines, the challenges and rewards are ever present. Flight instruction at primary level in the flying schools is very demanding as your students are in the “learning curve” and require much more time, effort and input.

Airlines have their own training staff and the job involves converting experienced crew onto a specific type of aircraft. Extensive use of simulators is required for this task. The new pilots are transitioned by training captains and pilot instructors in the simulator, then paired off with a training captain for tutoring en-route for number of sectors as per the company policy for the respective aircraft and end up with the final sim-check and you are a “qualified 1st officer”. At this level, each aircraft type is a specialty, and the process takes upwards of three months to complete. The training department in an airline is usually a separate career path from the ‘line pilots’ – the staff all being active airline pilots selected into these training positions by the department. To be eligible for selection the candidate must hold a valid instructors rating in some airlines and other do not insist, they select from the ‘line pilots” and they reach instructcor status in phases ie. Route training instructors, simulator instructors, base training instructors, few Training captains are qualified in all three segments. – hence the reason I encourage my prospective student pilots (who have the aptitude), to study for their instructors rating. Having this rating could benefit your career prospects within any company.

Possession of a “instructor rating” will always assist you in gaining hours without any cost on flying, this also help you to maintain your license currency at all times, which is an expensive exercise, and if you happen to renew your license every six months if you are not employed as a pilot..! Also be mindful that you are also updating your knowledge in the ground school department as well, every moment whilst employed as an Instructor. When you are sending your cv for a “pilot position” you feel that you are better prepared than those who are not current in the profession. An Instructor endorsement in your license will not go waste at all..

What it takes
Contrary to popular belief, not everyone has the ability to become a professional pilot. In fact, some people shouldn’t fly at all! Not because they can’t fly well – but because they can’t think well! Cocky, over-confident, egocentric pilots are not desirable and tend to be short lived in this job. The saying “there are old pilots and bold pilots – but no old bold pilots” is true. With the responsibilities and consequences involved, you naturally need to be supremely confident in your ability to do the job – but not to the point where ego exceeds ability. Mental attitude is everything. Throughout your career, confidence must be tempered with humility. One never stops learning in this game and you must have the ability to learn from others’ mistakes. You wont live long enough to make them all yourself.
Under confidence is just as dangerous as overconfidence – so good self-esteem is essential. These are the reasons most companies require a psychometric evaluation before they’ll consider employing you.
Medically, many impediments that were an immediate disqualification years ago are now acceptable, as long as they can be corrected. Eyesight for example.

The air force still has more stringent medical standards for their recruits but that’s because their financial investment and risk is greater. Should you lose your medical while employed as a professional pilot most company’s have a Loss of Licence insurance to cover, till you’re fit again or even a lump sum payout if you’re permanently boarded. Several insurance companies are happy to insure individuals under a similar policy and it’s obviously advisable to have this cover if you’re self-employed.

Academically, it obviously helps to have Maths and Science to O/Level but even if you haven’t, there’s nothing to stop you taking extra lessons to get up to scratch in these areas. Remember; you will be competing against other candidates for the top job, and the more attractive your qualifications and experience are, the better. Airline selections are conducted on a point system and you will score points for experience and qualifications. Having an ATP, Instructors Rating, Multi crew, Multi engine, Turbine endorsement, all count for big points. Another factor is the age/experience ratio. Obviously the older you are, the more experience the airline expects to see you with.

Remuneration
Obviously this is a difficult subject to generalise on as salaries vary extensively around the world.

Crop spraying is renowned as being a well paid job but this will be cyclically dependant on the season and whether you are prepared to work in outlying areas and switch hemispheres as required.

Charter likewise depends on the local economy and its practitioners can do very well indeed during the fat times and less so during the lean.

Contract flying is usually dollar based with good salaries and allowances while working but only a retainer between rotations. Rotations are usually 6 weeks on 3 weeks off.

Generally, corporate and airline jobs pay the best with some Middle Eastern jobs paying in the region of 6,000 to 10,000 US dollars per month tax free, depending on your rank and seniority. Inducements include a company sponsored pension plan. In addition housing, education and medical aid is usually free. European airlines, Easyjet, Go Airlines, and RyanAir pay substantially less and without the fringe benefits, hence their turnover of pilots is higher. One cargo airline in the Far East pays their Captains in excess of 15,000 USD / month tax free. Co-pilots earn around 11,000 USD. And that’s not counting allowances! Also it is noteworthy to mention that Indian private carriers Kingfisher, Jet..etc too follow similar scales to attract crews from the region.

In the USA salaries are generally not very good in the lower echelons. And only once you become a Senior Captain in a major airline will it be comparable. (In most major airlines this could take 18 years!)

I hope this chapter goes some way in helping you make a decision about your future. Obviously all the aspects cannot be covered in such a short section so if there’s any further advice you need please feel free to contact myself at the contact addresses on this website or my mobile phone..
Best of luck,

Capt Suranjan De Silva

ATPL;IRE/CRE;FIE;FEE:
MCMI;MCILT;AMRAeS(UK),
Director / CEO & Head of Pilot Trg;

Asian Academy of Aeronautics

Aviation Consultant / CAA Flight Examiner
Mobile 1: +960 759 9149 (Maldives)
Mobile 2: +94 777 342 173 (Sri Lanka)
Email: ceo.ht@aaa-fta.com
Alt: pesuren@sltnet.lk

Aviation News

January 10, 2018

Shortage of Pilots: A Great Threat to Aviation Industry and the Booming Economy

Pilot Shortage

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The global aviation industry faces a serious pilot shortage, many will tell you. A recent study by Boeing reveals that more than 637,000 new pilots are needed in the next 20 years which translates to more than 80 new pilots for every day for the next two decades. CAE estimated last summer that more than 90,000 new pilots are required by 2027. As the middle class expands in the Asia-Pacific region, ICAO predicts that this part of the world will need 230,000 pilots by 2030. Globally speaking, pilot shortage represents a market of $15B.

Canada is no exception to this challenge. The Air Transport Association of Canada (ATAC) estimates that in order to meet the industry’s demands, Transport Canada must issue 6,000 more licenses within the next twenty years. In fact, Canadian commercial aviation currently carries a 200 commercial pilot-deficit every year. Why are we facing this situation?

Two main reasons clarify this issue – pilot retirement and fleet growth.

Pilots are getting older, recruitment of new pilots is woefully inadequate. The physically and mentally demanding pilot career is highly rewarding for anyone passionate about aviation. However, one might be surprised that, globally speaking, aviators are getting older and older, especially in North America.

CAE conducted an impressive study on the subject in 2016 and the data is somewhat startling when we consider the age limit for pilots working for the airlines. In the USA, the average pilot age is 48 while in Africa, Middle East, and Asia, the average pilot age is 46 when in Europe, pilots are 43 on average. For safety reasons, in most of these jurisdictions, the civil aviation authority limits the aircrew members to 65 years of age whether through regulatory or internal policies. With baby-boomer retirements within the next 10 years, a massive shortage of airline pilots is about to happen – this will represent a major aviation performance deficit and will unequivocally impact the whole economy if no action is being taken by the principal stakeholders immediately.

However, it would be unfair not to mention the limitations regarding the access to the profession for young pilot candidates.

There are mainly three obstacles. All of them are, unfortunately, financially-related.

First, pilot candidates must assume the cost of flight training. Typically, a pilot trainee will disburse $75,000 CAD to $85,000 CAD to earn a private pilot license, commercial pilot license, multi-engine, IFR ratings and airline pilot transportation Licence. A disciplined and motivated pilot candidate can complete full pilot training within two years. Fees in the area of $35,000 to $45,000 per year for training could represent a serious financial burden for a young adult beginning professional life, especially when the candidate has previous debts from post-secondary school studies. It is not unusual to see pilot candidates working on a part-time basis while completing flight training which could bring an interesting and positive mutual relationship between the flight training unit and the pilot candidate, especially in the case of a large commercial flight training operation.

The second obstacle is strongly linked to the cost of flight training. Indeed, there is a significant lack of financial aid specifically dedicated to pilot candidate financial needs in Canada.

Canadian financial institutions have not yet seriously analyzed the issue of pilot shortage. I was personally shocked to learn through a meeting with one of the big five Canadian banks that financial institutions themselves have not yet studied the impact of pilot shortage on the economy while the issue is threatening the survival of some air carriers and air operators from the most isolated areas in Canada. The shutdown of these businesses could be a real problem as hundreds of isolated communities in the far north of Canada are dependent on air transportation for bottled water, clothes, food, medical services, and essential goods.

The third obstacle relates to the low level of income available for the pilot graduate during the first posting following flight training. While the situation has improved recently, we must acknowledge that there remains the need for considerable focus to be pursued regarding remuneration.

Obviously any reasonable pilot trainee, before assuming any debts/liabilities through a loan, will first need to analyze the value of the return on such a loan commitment. Education is likely the most important investment an individual will ever make in one’s life, and we could understand the reluctance to choose a profession, while highly exciting when the value of the remuneration could be much lower compared to the fees spent. It is noteworthy, however, that more and more flight training units (FTUs) in Canada, such as Ottawa Aviation Services currently engage with airlines to offer direct entry positions with top regional airlines in Canada for pilot graduates.

Our situation in Canada is more interesting than in Europe regarding flight training.

In Europe, serious training in an academic flight school program, concentrated on an airline pilot career, will cost $173,000 CAD, while it would be only $85,000 CAD for the same level of professional quality in Canada. The European program is, therefore, 49% more expensive than its Canadian equivalent. Another particular of the European airline pilot training market involves academic flight school programs that are highly professional and commercially oriented to serve the requirements of Tier 1 airlines. This explains the relatively young pilot-in-commands or captains on Boeing 737 aircraft currently emanating from Europe.

The Canadian airline industry slowly adopts the European modal. Most pilot candidates follow the traditional pilot career path as illustrated above.

However, it is worth mentioning that many efforts have been deployed by airlines to follow the “European model”, including the Jazz Aviation Pathway Program (Jazz APP) put into place in 2006 as well as the SOAR Program by Air Georgian. Those are only two of the excellent examples. By taking a closer look at the Jazz APP, there are more and more partners. Top public Flight Training Units (FTUs) in Canada such as Seneca College in Toronto and Mount Royal College in Calgary are part of it. There is only one private flight school in Canada that belongs to this partnership at the moment – Ottawa Aviation Services. There is no question that Ottawa Aviation Services pilot candidates enjoy strong odds to be hired by Jazz. One should seriously consider private FTUs as they have many advantages over public colleges wherein training is more tailored to the needs of pilot candidates; and expeditious regarding the time frame – on average 18 to 24 months – as opposed to four years in public colleges.

On the airline side, many captains have been reluctant to fly with first officers holding only 500 hours of total flight time. However, airlines uncovered interesting attitudes about pilot candidates graduating with a disciplined, professional, and serious integrated Airline Pilot Licence Programs (iATPL program). In fact, airlines noticed that graduates from these programs are regarded as being more suitable for the airline industry than the typical modular flight students who flew previously for Tier 3 airlines since the iATPL pilot candidates are already accustomed to the professionalism of the airline industry with professional benchmarks that are monitored by the airlines themselves. Airlines have discovered that this high level of discipline and excellence is a more significant variable than the number of flight hours.

Global fleet growth

While Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier, Dassault, etc. build more and more innovative aircraft, the airlines and private business operators buy more and more of these aircraft for their use. By 2027, we expect the global commercial fleet to be at the level of 37,000, representing a growth of 12,000 aircraft – an increase of 32% over 10 years. While the number of aircraft seems to be dramatically increasing, the regulations maintain the same number of pilots required per aircraft which is basically 10 for a regional aircraft, 11 for a narrow body aircraft and 16 for a widebody aircraft. All these new aircraft deliveries are following the high demand for air travel. By 2037, we will be counting more than 1.6 billion passenger trips annually which is another variable in the formula demanding more airplanes and pilots on the global level.

Another aspect is the massive technology shift that the accelerated rate of new aircraft deliveries will create within the next 10 years. Indeed, 58% of the global fleet will consist of new generation aircraft. This mandates that airlines must develop ways to train aviation recruits efficiently for current aircrews at dramatic new levels of cost efficiency. It is easy to recognize that this factor alone is a major hurdle for the aviation industry.

Assisted by the incredible technological and engineering advancement, the narrow-body aircraft will represent 65% of the global fleet as the wide-body aircraft will only be 21% of the aircraft by 2027. Smaller regional jet and turboprop fleets will occupy only 14% of the global fleet.

Narrow-body aircraft supremacy is explained by the point-to-point mentality that most airlines are currently adopting for passenger transportation. By 2027, airlines will operate more and more from airport to airport rather than proceeding through the hub-to-hub process, thanks to the civil aviation authorities that authorized better Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards (ETOPS). Smaller and smaller airliners are getting ETOPS approval. For example, Air Canada now flies Airbus A319s between St. John’s, Newfoundland to London Heathrow.

While the growth of the global fleet contributes to the shortage, the renewal of the fleet demands the recruitment of top-class pilot candidate cohorts throughout the world.

Conclusion

After reading this article, one understands that we are currently in a peak period in the airline industry. It-is-time-to-earn your-pilot-licence.

In Canada, there are 184 FTUs if we exclude balloon, glider, parachute, gyroplane, powered parachutes, and ultra-light schools. As detailed in the chart below, 154 FTUs offers aeroplane training. Amongst them, only 13 iATPL programs are accredited by Transport Canada.

As indicated above, iATPL Programs such as the renowned program offered by Ottawa Aviation Services are part of the solution of the pilot shortage, and any potential pilot candidate should consider enrolling in such programs. Professional, rigorous, and demanding, iATPL Programs guarantee successful pilot candidates.

In my opinion, the 13 FTUs offering professional pilot training will play a major role throughout the next 10 to 20 years in the Canadian airline industry and include advantages to work together in order to offer top quality training to future Canadian pilot candidates.

However, these programs set by the FTUs can’t be the sole solution any longer. It is time for our public policy professionals to inform themselves of the emerging economic threats that airline pilot shortage will inflict, not only in the airline industry, but also in the sales/retails, alimentary, and humanitarian sectors around the planet. Governments on all levels must show leadership by gathering and convening the principal stakeholders in planning sessions in order to find solutions.

Source: www.aerotime.aero
This article was written by Alexis David Fafard and first published on the Flying Policies blog.

Instrument Rating Image - Control Panel of Aircraft

Aviation Education

November 9, 2017

Find the Best Path – If you are a newly Qualified Pilot

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Starting a career is difficult, no matter if you are a doctor, a lawyer, or a pilot. It all comes down to making choices – first employer, first country of work (staying at home or going overseas?), and so on.

I’m a newly qualified pilot, what direction should my career take?

General Aviation, Regional and National Airlines or Instructor are the usual choices for newly qualified pilots.

There is no right or wrong choice as to the direction your career should take.

There are, however, positives and negatives to each path.

A great deal depends on what you, as the pilot, are motivated by on a day-to-day basis and the experiences you wish to cultivate. I would encourage you to have a good think about that and write down your goals and core motivations as this will help you when making your decision about where to start your career.

Keep in mind, most, but not all pilots strive for one key goal; to achieve their Jet Command on either a Narrow Body or Wide Body aircraft.

Let’s look at each career path in a little more detail, keeping in mind that differences exist between regions and countries.

General Aviation:

Again GA is highly contested, with hundreds of graduating pilots looking for a start, highly contested but certainly not impossible.

What do I mean by GA? Well, they are smaller operators who run general charter or scenic flights, aerial survey, aeromedical and executive charter or search and rescue to name a few types of roles. The aircraft will be single and twin-engine right up to the smaller turboprops and sometimes the smaller corporate jets. Mostly single-pilot operations, some multi-crew, but pilots still need to build time to meet the minimum requirements for the larger multi-crew aircraft.

GA provides you with a wider diversity of flying and usually a greater degree of hands-on flying. You are face to face with customers and will need to manage the daily challenges of on-time performance, non-controlled airspace, operational support and in-flight failures.

Most smaller operators offer a few different aircraft types, but it will be necessary to move employers to continue to progress to larger types. In averagely GA pilots have between 3-6 different employers in their journey to build hours and to reach the minimum airline requirements.

Regional and National Airlines:

Most pilots want to end up on jet, and settle into a secure airline that provides career progression and stability. You can achieve this with either a Regional Airline, who traditionally offer the larger turboprop aircraft or medium-sized regional jets or a National Airline who will offer domestic and international destinations and Narrow and Wide Body Jet roles.

These airlines can offer two differing cadet or trainee programs. One, the Ab Initio cadet program requiring zero flying time or experience, and the Advanced Cadet Program that requires a CPL but limited flying hours, let’s say under 800.

Some airlines fund the training; others have repayment schemes for your endorsement costs. Most provide a secure Second Officer or First Officer position upon passing the training.

Applying to the airlines is something you must be prepared for. They have rigorous recruitment/assessment processes that can include; Video Interviews, Psychometric Testing, Group Exercises, Planning Exercises, Panel Interviews and SIM tests. If you decide this path is right for you, ensure you have done adequate preparation to ensure you perform at your best.

So let’s assume you are into an airline, your career plan should include 3-6 years as an SO, 6-15 as an FO before reaching command as an average. Often airlines have more than one fleet type, so a little diversity exists to move between fleets, taking in to account your seniority ranking, the expansion of each fleet and route structure as to the frequency of those opportunities.

What’s the downside? Not much really, the recruitment process is tough, and starting as a Second Officer on a Wide Body Jet is a hands-off role, so no flying for you for a few years, not everyone would be happy with that. Starting as a First Officer straight out of training puts you on a Turbo Prop or Narrow Body Jet and will mean you will fly the aircraft right from the start.

The key requirements a pilot should consider when selecting an airline to apply to are:

Stability and growth of the airline
A young fleet and new technology
Regular progression and supportive team culture
The highest standards around training
An exemplary safety record

Any pilot role other than with a major airline is usually a stepping-stone to a jet career unless you aspire to stay within a regional or instructing environment.

Instructor;

Many flying schools offer their graduates, Instructors roles, after they qualify. I suppose it is a bird in the hand situation, why wait for an offer from an airline if you get straight into an instructors role and start building hours without the grueling airline recruitment process.

Often getting that first job offer is difficult with, depending upon the region, hundreds of newly qualified pilots vying for GA or airline positions. There is career progression in Instructing, usually through 3 stages culminating in gaining the highest level of Instructor Rating. Opportunities to contribute to the ground school and theory syllabus add to the role.

Often ad hoc charters are part of the flying schools services, providing an additional level of experience and customer interaction.

What are the negatives?

You may be limited to one region or airspace with most of your flying, therefore ultimately lacking some diversity in your experience. Your student will be conducting most of the hands-on flying so this may restrict the speed at which your hours can be logged. The aircraft at your disposal will be singles or twins thus no long-term progression to the large aircraft types.

Over my 18 years in the industry, I have noticed that it is a harder sell, coming from an instructor background when applying for the major airlines, even when they meet the minimum requirements.

The experiences you will acquire outside the major airlines, however, are some of the most interesting flying one can undertake.

So, what will you decide?

In reality, you could sample it all.

Exciting times, big decisions to make.

Asian Academy of Aeronautics

Aviation News

November 1, 2017

Budget Airline Wants to Land in Sea,, Opening for New Cadets

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The next sales pitch for one of the world’s fastest-growing airlines may turn out to be: No runway? No problem!

Spice-Jet Ltd., an Indian budget carrier that’s seen its stock zoom 899 percent in three years, wants to open up the third-biggest aviation market even more. That means targeting the billion Indians who’ve never flown before, either because they can’t afford it or because they don’t live near a functioning airport.

he airline is in talks with Japan’s Setouchi Holdings Inc. to buy about 100 amphibious Kodiak planes that can land anywhere, including on water, gravel or in an open field. The deal, valued at about $400 million, would help SpiceJet capitalize on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious plan to connect the vast nation by air without waiting for billions of dollars in upgrades to colonial-era infrastructure.

“Airports are in short supply in India,” SpiceJet Chairman Ajay Singh said. “Lots of the growth in India is happening in small markets, but those small markets have little or no connectivity. So we are looking for a solution where we can get flights to places where no airports exist.”

While negotiations continue, Hiroshima-based Setouchi plans to conduct a demonstration water landing in November, said Go Okazaki, an executive managing director in the overseas business division. He couldn’t estimate when the deal would close.

India’s airlines handled 100 million domestic passengers last year, making it the No. 3 market behind China and the U.S. To handle growth, India will need at least 2,100 new planes worth $290 billion in the next 20 years, Boeing Co. estimates.

Modi unveiled a plan in 2015 to bring aviation to the remotest parts of the world’s seventh-biggest land mass. The government program subsidizes airfares while offering free landing and parking to airlines. Modi envisages domestic ticket sales quintupling in the next decade to half a billion units.

About 97 percent of India’s 1.3 billion people have never been on an airplane, according to SpiceJet. But there’s a problem finding places to pick up and drop off those passengers.

Only about 75 of the 450 areas designated by the Indian government as an airport or airstrip currently handle commercial flights. That exacerbates the stress on major airports in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, where hardly any landing slots are available.

Infrastructure at most of those dormant airports — runways, control towers, terminals and maintenance sheds — has suffered decades of neglect, making the sites unusable.

That’s where SpiceJet’s amphibious strategy comes in. The Kodiak aircraft, which can seat either 10 or 14 people, is capable of taking off or landing on a 300-meter strip of water or land, and has a range of 1,000 kilometers (621 miles.) That’s about the distance between Mumbai and Bengaluru.

By: Anurag Kotoky – Source: Bloomberg Oct 30, 2017

Aviation News

September 30, 2017

British Airways to turn household rubbish into jet fuel

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On September 18, 2017, British Airways announced partnering with a renewable fuels company Velocys to design a series of plants that convert household waste into renewable jet fuel.

The first plant should take hundreds of thousands of tons of household waste per year, destined for landfill or incineration, including nappies, plastic food containers and chocolate bar wrappers, and convert it into clean-burning, sustainable fuels, British Airways informs. The jet fuel produced at the plant will deliver more than 60% greenhouse gas reduction, compared with conventional fossil fuel, delivering 60,000 tons of CO2 savings every year. Thanks to new development, the airlines expect to reduce net emissions by 50% by 2050.

“The UK still sends more than 15 million tons of waste per year to landfill sites which not only damages our natural environment but also releases further greenhouse gases affecting climate change” – informs British Airways in the official statement.

According to British Airways, the planned plant will produce enough fuel to power all British Airways’ 787 Dreamliner operated flights from London to San Jose, California and New Orleans, Louisiana for a whole year. The airline plans to supply its aircraft fleet with increasing amounts of sustainable jet fuel in the next 10 years.

“Turning household waste into jet fuel is an amazing innovation that produces clean fuel while reducing landfill,” said IAG chief executive Willie Walsh.

In 2014, British Airways has already announced about its plan to buy 50,000 tons of jet fuel made from converted waste as part of Green Sky project, the Guardian informs.

Source: aerotime.aero

Aviation News

March 9, 2015

A grand old transport

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The Experimental Aircraft Association‘s Ford Tri-motor spent a weekend in September visiting the DeKalb Taylor Airport (KDKB) in Illinois, “offering rides and walk-throughs for seekers of this grand old transport,” says Albert Dyer who sent us photos of his flight in the Tri-motor.

“The experience left me feeling like this: When those three big engines came alive and settled into a rhythmic rumble, my excitement only grew as the taxi brought the flight closer to the departure end of the runway. What was the takeoff like? IT WAS GREAT!!!”

“The tail was up quickly and seconds later we were climbing, leaving the airport environment. Airborne, it was easy to imagine what passengers of the late-1920s might have experienced as you looked down on all the farmland surrounding DeKalb as the big Tri-motor flew lazily overhead.

“Since we didn’t fly very high you saw a lot of heads looking up with waving arms. The entire flight was an E-ticket ride.”

“Should the EAA’s Ford Tri-motor stop on tour near you, I would suggest that you Google the history of the Tri-motor before you take the flight. Knowing the history only adds to the overall experience. It won’t disappoint.”

He continued: “The EAA Tri-motor is such a goodwill ambassador for aviation. Many young families came out to see the Ford and it sure sparked a light. I’m not sure if it was because of the Ford’s overall size or because everyone was allowed to walk through it, including even sitting in the front office if you wished. It was totally accessible to everyone.

“A lot of elderly folks also came out. You knew their smiles held a story that I would have loved to have heard. I overheard someone say that during the days the Ford was at DeKalb it made more than 25 flights. For an airplane that is almost 90 years old, that’s a lot of interest from a small farming community.”