Flight Training - November 2011 - 46

CAREER PILOT»

developed with an emphasis on improving flight-deck safety. The MPL recognizes the significant advances in methodology and technology in the training sector that allow the air transport industry to sustain rapid growth by generating an influx of more highly trained and qualified airman to operate today’s sophisticated aircraft.” Imagine a pilot certification paradigm that dispenses with the usual track of student to private to commercial/instrument to multiengine to CFI to CFII, and finally to CFI multiengine. Of course, add to all of that—which comes at a stratospheric price—the “rite of passage” by submission to the servitude of flight instruction for another 300 to 500 hours and then, perhaps with good luck, a gig flying a Beechcraft King Air as a charter pilot.

The MPL sees trainees moving into the right seat of an Airbus 320 and other high-tech, high-performance Transport category jets with just 240 hours of instruction. Of this, only between 60 and 120 hours might actually be in the air. The student may have performed only 12 takeoffs and landings in the type of aircraft that ultimately will be flown. The MPL training scheme, which has been validated by some very savvy folks at ICAO, is subdivided into four phases: CORE FLYING SKILLS. Together with CRM, the concept of threat and error management (TEM) is introduced from the start. TEM is defined as “an overarching safety concept that recognizes the influence of threatening outside factors on human performance.”

This phase includes 60 to 120 hours of real flight time in light aircraft.
BASIC LEVEL OF COMPETENCY.

This phase serves as an introduction to multi-crew operations and instrument flight, including upset maneuvers, IFR cross-country navigation, and night flight. Time is spent in part-task trainers as well as aircraft.
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL OF COMPETENCY. In this phase,

the trainee moves into a highperformance multiengine turbine aircraft simulator. Here, the student is further instructed in CRM, line-oriented flight training, and handling abnormal situations.

final phase, the trainee moves into a Level D six-axis simulator and

ADVANCED LEVEL OF COMPETENCY/ PROOF OF PERFORMANCE. In this

CAREER ADVISOR

Options for a service-minded high schooler
» By Wayne Phillips »Q. I am an aspiring pilot in high school,

WHICH COLLEGE TRACK?
make the grade as a pilot, you will gain invaluable experience without investing great sums of money and be highly marketable in the civilian world when you do leave the service. My first suggestion is to meet with an Air Force recruiter. I am confident that the representative will be happy to visit with you and help you develop an action

and I’m looking for a degree to earn before I graduate and attempt to enlist in the Air Force as an officer. I’m looking at either humanities or aerospace technology. Would either of these degrees help me to attain my goal?—Antonio
»A. Antonio, congratulations on two

counts! First, unlike so many young folks who do not develop a career plan, you seem to already know where you are headed. Developing a career plan is much like a flight plan. If you don’t know where you are going, how can you plot a course to get there? Of course, just like a real flight, you may need to deviate from time to time and change career destinations, but at least you have one. The second bravo goes to you for aiming at serving your country. If you can

military involve rigorous testing in areas such as mathematics, physics, aerodynamics, and the sciences. Unfortunately, excelling in the arts, literature, history, and social studies does not seem to have a place in pilot selection for either the military or the airlines, although they are by no means disqualifiers for the position. If you ultimately aspire to civilian flying, choose a course of study that may help you weather the financial storms that many pilots face—a degree in accounting, medicine, or business can give you a fallback position if you are furloughed.

IF YOU ULTIMATELY ASPIRE TO CIVILIAN FLYING, CHOOSE A COURSE OF STUDY THAT MAY HELP YOU WEATHER THE FINANCIAL STORMS THAT MANY PILOTS FACE.
plan. Think about attending a college that has an Air Force ROTC program as well, which is generally a fast track to officer status. Of the two choices that you have selected, I think aerospace technology is the way to go. Most of the aptitude tests for flying positions in any branch of the Whatever you decide, make it a personal goal to achieve outstanding grades. Those As make a big difference when competing for flying slots. Good luck to you!
Send your Career Pilot questions to careers@aopa. org and we’ll answer them here.

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Flight Training - November 2011

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