< PreviousPILOT RETIREMENT AND ATTRITIONMost national regulators impose a mandatory retirement age of 65 for airline pilots. Other reasons for leaving the workforce include early retirement, the pursuit of a non-flying career, loss of medical fitness, etc.The Americas have the highest average pilot age. North America’s high percentage of senior pilots reflects significant recruitment activity in the 1980s and 1990s as airline deregulation expanded the industry and major hubs were developed. The recent consolidation of network carriers and their focus on efficiency slowed new hiring. Europe has seen an influx of younger professional pilots over the past 15 years which can be partially attributed to the rapid expansion of LCCs. In addition, many experienced European pilots have moved to the more rapidly growing Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions. This has left Europe with the youngest average pilot group of any region. As experienced captains retire, a chain reaction of pilot upgrades and new hires is triggered. For example, the departure of an experienced wide-body captain creates the need to upgrade a first officer to fill the vacant seat. This then creates downward pressure on airlines to develop and upgrade more first officers and captains.Years30204050Europe43.7Middle East& Africa45.7Asia45.8Americas48.0* Based on CAE analysisAVERAGE PILOT AGE IN 2016*ICAO TRAINING REPORT – NUMBER 3 201728AIRLINE PILOT DEMANDSelecting the right fitWhile onboarding 255,000 new first officers, the industry also needs to transition 180,000 pilots into captains by 2027.Airlines are not just looking for first officers to fill the right seat. They’re looking for candidates with the potential to become captains within their organizations. As an industry, we must continuously improve and adapt our assessment and selection processes for different regions and airlines to reflect pilot competency requirements. Careful matching of individual aptitude with airline needs will allow airlines to identify candidates today who can evolve into their future captains.A thorough screening and selection process performed early in the training process has proven to be very successful in identifying candidates with the right mix of language proficiency, flying skills and attitude to evolve into high-quality pilots.In addition to identifying future potential captains, airline requirements can be used to assess if the candidate, whether an aspiring cadet or a direct entry pilot, will be able to flourish within the airline’s culture. For example, one airline might need a pilot willing to travel for extended periods prior to returning home, while another airline might only offer daily short-haul return flights. An in-depth mapping of airline needs along with a multifaceted assessment of each candidate can correctly match the right candidate with the right airline.Airlines are also developing programs to tap into an underrepresented labour pool – female pilots. These programs encourage young women to consider an aviation career and provide airline sponsorship for flight training. Women currently represent less than 5% of airline pilots.As the assessment and selection process improves, we’re seeing lower dropout rates and higher placement rates. Ensuring the right fit is allowing candidates to flourish while increasing retention rates.The aviation industry continues to raise the bar for pilot training and increase its expectations of pilots. At the same time, we’re seeing much faster promotions to captain. A few years ago, it was common to see a co-pilot spend eight to ten years working in the right seat before becoming captain. Today, first officers are given the opportunity to upgrade with much less seniority than in the past. In fact, it’s not uncommon to see a pilot taking full command of an aircraft after only a few years as a co-pilot. This steeper pilot learning curve places additional stress on the current training system. It’s becoming a challenge to train to the new standards in the time allocated. As a result, the need for remedial training is increasing.Although remedial training is a valid mitigation tactic, it impacts operations as pilots are removed from line flying to undergo additiontraining. To adapt to today’s realities and ensure pilot readiness, we must improve training effectiveness.Emerging training and technology innovations that integrate training data with line performance data can help build such an approach.ADAPTIVE TRAINING DELIVERY:By providing an instructor with data-driven training insights, the instructor can adapt the training session to be more effective. This yields tools the instructor can leverage to objectively assess pilot performance. Through a better understanding of the pilot’s profile, the instructor is able to adapt training and delivery to better address the competency gaps. A word of caution: not all senior pilots are effective instructors. We must look for instructors with the right mix of teaching and communication skills to ensure we provide the most effective training. FILLING TOMORROW’S COCKPITSDEVELOPING TOMORROW’S AIRLINE PILOTSICAO TRAINING REPORT – NUMBER 3 201729AIRLINE PILOT DEMANDSHAPING TOMORROW’S AIR TRANSPORTIn workforce-driven industries, the availability of qualified personnel is essential to successful growth and development. Since beginning operations in 1948, École Nationale de l’Aviation Civile (ENAC) has been educating men and women in the civil aviation sector in virtually all technical specialties, from air transport pilots and air traffic controllers, to technicians and engineers. Though initially focused on national needs, ENAC quickly expanded its activities in the international community, taking a first step with French-speaking countries. In the 1960’s ENAC began cooperating with French-speaking African States, under the auspices of agreements with the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA), a supra-national air navigation service provider (ANSP) in the region.Technology improvements and cost reductions in the 1970’s and 1980’s lead to the exponential growth of air transport which became a mass transportation system worldwide. ENAC acknowledged that the globalization process was underway and decided to take an important step towards more international cooperation by gradually translating the majority of its educational programmes into English. In parallel, ENAC expanded its work globally, signing dozens of partnership agreements with other academic and training institutions, mostly in Europe, North America and Asia. In Europe, the Partnership of a European Group of Aeronautics and Space Universities (PEGASUS) network was jointly created by ENAC and its main European partner universities, contributed significantly to the visibility of aviation education in many circles outside the educational world itself. PEGASUS made it possible to bridge the gap between continents and developed a cooperation with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) in North America, Russia and China, who recently created Aerospace College Alliance of Sino Universities (ARCAS), the Chinese equivalent of the PEGASUS network.PASCAL REVEL He is the Special Counsellor (Strategy/Partnerships) to the President of ENAC in France. Previously he was the Director of Civil Aviation for the French Southwest Region at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC) - Bordeaux Airport, serving as State State representative at the Bordeaux Airport Board of Administrators. Prior to that experience he was the Vice-President of ENAC.ICAO Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu (left) and the Director of France’s École Nationale de l’Aviation Civile (ENAC), M. Marc Houalla (centre), signed the Memorandum of Understanding covering the development and delivery of new educational programmes and training activities within the framework of the ICAO TRAINAIR PLUS Programme. The signing was attended by the Permanent Representative of France on the ICAO Council, Ambassador Philippe Bertoux (far right), and Meshesha Belayneh (far left) ICAO’s Deputy Director, Technical Cooperation Bureau and Chief of its Global Aviation Training Office. The first outcome of the new partnership will be a Master’s Programme in Aviation Safety Management, which is expected to launch in 2018.ICAO TRAINING REPORT – NUMBER 3 201730TPP MEMBER SPOTLIGHTWhile partnerships may differ from one place to another in terms of their scope, ambitions and various alliances (including industry), they all attest to the high value of collaboration. Working together across State boundaries allows for a better understanding of aviation training needs and for anticipating the competences that will be necessary for the next generation of aviation professionals.Examples of this include the educational projects that ENAC has been conducting in China since 2001. Beginning with a few professional training programmes in the area of aviation safety, airworthiness, flight operations and aircraft maintenance, ENAC was asked to create and develop a full-scale school of aviation engineering in Tianjin. The Sino-European Institute of Aviation Engineering eventually opened in 2007 and is now fully operational, delivering around 100 engineering graduates to the industry every year since 2013. ENAC also developed pilot training for Chinese airlines and other higher education programmes with prestigious Chinese universities in Beijing (Qinghua University, Beihang University, etc.) and Hong Kong. Currently China is one of the fastest-growing aviation countries in the world.Other aviation authorities and other stakeholders benefit from ENAC B2B programmes. ENAC delivers ATCO and ATSEP training for the Airports Authority of India, providing participants with the opportunity to take up management positions and boost their careers. In Brazil, ENAC will soon begin delivering high-end courses in air transport and air traffic management to executives and senior managers from the three governmental aviation bodies. Recently, ENAC partnered with McGill University on an unprecedented Global Aviation Leadership programme that is specifically designed for future decision makers in the aviation industry. Delivered on a part-time basis, this new programme will allow students from all over the world to complete a McGill Graduate Certificate in Aviation Leadership, as well as an Advanced Master in Strategic Aviation Leadership from ENAC, without taking a leave from their current jobs.In more recent years, after recovering from the world economic crisis of 2008-2009, air transport has been boasting tremendous growth and record profits. This has lead to increased pressure on the labor market, and the fear that some aviation professions will suffer from shortages in the years to come. ICAO recognized this potential threat when it established the NGAP initiative. Even before joining the network of ICAO Regional Training Centers of Excellence and the TRAINAIR PLUS programme, ENAC was committed to supporting NGAP. In October 2017, ICAO and ENAC signed a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly deliver educational programmes that bestow an academic diploma. Building up on these partnerships and the existing regional initiatives, it is the right time to consider a new initiative at ICAO level, that would encompass academia and training institutions, to bridge the gap between aviation professions and university programmes and address the future manpower needs of aviation. Ultimately, one objective will always remain constant – to better train the next generation of aviation professionals and give them the relevant competencies they will need for tackling future issues in aviation. This is key to ensuring that air transport economic growth will continue while we increase safety, security and the preservation of our natural environment. ICAO TRAINING REPORT – NUMBER 3 201731HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2017 REGIONAL AVIATION TRAINING & TRAINAIRPLUS SYMPOSIUM IN ASTANA From 9 to 11 October 2017, the Regional Aviation Training and TRAINAIR PLUS (TPP) Symposium was held in Astana, in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The Global Aviation Training (GAT) event, which was hosted by the Kazaeronavigatsia Republican State Enterprise (RSE), welcomed more than 300 participants from 59 Member States. GAT TPP Symposiums provide an international forum where participants can exchange the best aviation training practices and debate training-related issues. At the Astana Symposium, the latest training trends, techniques, and tools that are currently available around the world, were shared. The event served as a forum for bringing together the various stakeholders in the field of aviation training and human resources development, so that they can build effective communication links. The event included two workshops, five panel sessions, 18 presentations, one speed networking session and a workshop summary closing. During the panel sessions, speakers (led by a moderator) debated training-related themes that included: the global and regional outlook of aviation training; how to attract, train and retain aviation professionals; how to calculate the return on investment (ROI) of training and how to use the TRAINAIR PLUS Programme to strengthen the competencies of aviation personnel in a State; and innovative tools and technologies that are available in aviation training, among other topics. ICAO TRAINING REPORT – NUMBER 3 2017322017 GAT TPP REGIONAL SYMPOSIUMTRAINAIR PLUS FULL AND ASSOCIATE MEMBERS WHO RECEIVED OFFICIAL CERTIFICATES AND PLAQUES AT THE 2017 REGIONAL SYMPOSIUMANGOLACentro Aeronáutico de Instrução (CAI)AssociateALGERIAEtablissement National de la Navigation Aérienne (CQRENA)AssociateHONG KONGHong Kong International Aviation Academy (HKIAA)AssociateZAMBIAZambia Air Services Training Institute (ZASTI)AssociateTANZANIACivil Aviation Training Centre (CATC)AssociateQATARQatar Aeronautical College (QAC)Full UAEGulf Centre for Aviation Studies (GCAS)Regional Training Centre of ExcellenceNETHERLANDSJoint Aviation Authorities Training Organisation (JAA TO)Regional Training Centre of ExcellenceMOROCCOAcademie Internationale Mohamed VI de l’Aviation Civile (AIAC)Regional Training Centre of ExcellenceICAO TRAINING REPORT – NUMBER 3 2017332017 GAT TPP REGIONAL SYMPOSIUMTHE NGAP IMPLEMENTATION WORKING GROUP: ESTABLISHING COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK WORKSHOPS AND PROCEDURES FOR TRAINING MANUALSThere are many issues associated with attracting and educating the next generation of aviation professionals that are of immediate interest to airlines, air navigation service providers (ANSPs), airports, manufacturers, training providers, universities, and CAAs. Ensuring there are enough qualified and competent aviation professionals to meet aviation demands, is an important activity that falls under ICAO’s mission to ensure No Country is Left Behind.ICAO launched the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) programme in 2009, as a means for addressing the forecasted shortage of aviation professionals. The NGAP Task Force brought together a consortium of stakeholder organizations with specific NGAP issues that needed to be addressed. These stakeholders were willing to commit resources to support NGAP initiatives – ICAO is enormously grateful for the financial support and human resources contributed by the many organizations and individuals who are helping to achieve NGAP objectives and expected results.Establishing an Air Traffic Management (ATM) working group was one of the early initiatives of the Task Force. The ATM completed the development/revision on the Procedures for Air Navigation Services –Training Manuals and Competency Frameworks Training (PANS –TRG, Doc 9868) in 2014. In 2015, the NGAP Implementation Work Group (IWG) was created to develop roll-out strategies and foster collaboration to promote the use of competency-based provisions developed in the competency and training groups. Additionally, the IWG was tasked with: Developing a three-year plan of events to promote the implementation of competency-based approaches for the technical competencies addressed by the NGAP Task Force; and Identifying and supporting the production of publication material for the promotion of competency-based approachesSpecifically, the IWG sought to bring about awareness, and to inform and implement the work the Air Traffic Management (ATM) Work Group completed. When the ATM Workgroup completed its work, the IWG began developing guidance materials for a workshop that MARY S NELSON She is the division manager for the International Training Division of the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, OK. Mary serves on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Next Generation Aviation Professional (NGAP) programme management team and chairs the Implementation Working Group.ICAO TRAINING REPORT – NUMBER 3 201734NGAP IMPLEMENTATION WORKING GROUPwould introduce Member States to a Competency-based Training (CBT) model that incorporated these publications: Procedures for Air Navigation Services - Training (DOC 9868); Air Traffic Control (ATCO) Training Manual (Doc 10056); and Air Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel (ATSEP) Training Manual (Doc 10057)THE TARGET AUDIENCE FOR THE WORKSHOP INCLUDED: Personnel from training organizations, ANSPs and Civil Aviation Authorities (CAAs) responsible for the management of ATSEP and ATCO training; CAA personnel responsible for the management of ATSEP and ATCO regulation, auditing and oversight of training; CAA personnel responsible for conducting audits and oversight of ATSEP and ATCO training; ATSEP/ATCO, course developers, instructors and assessors; and Training managers, regulators, and other personnel involved in the delivery of ATSEP and ATCO trainingTHE OVERALL PRESENTATION SCHEDULE:The workshop runs over three days, with the first day of the common to both ATSEP and ATCO. For the second day and the morning of the third day, ATSEP and ATCO attend separate sessions, with the two groups rejoining for a common session on the afternoon of the third day.The IWG raises awareness through various articles, conferences, events, and websites. They hold many face-to-face meetings around the globe, including monthly telecom meetings to discuss and share developed guidance materials, syllabus, schedules and assignments. With several group exercises throughout the three-day event, the workshop provides an opportunity for participants to analyze the advantages of competency-based approach. With approximately 70 participants, the first NGAP workshop was held in June 2016 at ICAO Headquarters in Montréal. “ Ensuring there are enough qualified and competent aviation professionals to meet aviation demands, is an important activity that falls under ICAO’s mission to ensure No Country is Left Behind. ”NGAP WORKSHOP, JUNE 2016 IN MONTRÉALICAO TRAINING REPORT – NUMBER 3 201735NGAP IMPLEMENTATION WORKING GROUPSince the launch, workshops have been delivered at each of the ICAO Regional offices with positive engagement and feedback from all participants: SEPTEMBER 2016MEXICO CITY, MEXICOSTATES REPRESENTED: Bahamas, Cuba, Curazao, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, and Saint LuciaORGANIZATIONS:Corporacion Centroamericana de Servicios de Navegacion Area (COCESNA), and Colegio De Controladores Aereos De Mexico (COCTAM) 44 participants attended the workshop at the ICAO Mexico: North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACC) Office. The workshop delivered in Mexico City was presented in English and translated into Spanish.JUNE 2017BANGKOK, THAILANDSTATES REPRESENTED: Afghanistan, Cambodia, Hong Kong, China; Macao, India, Japan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Turkey 72 Participants attended the workshop at the ICAO Bangkok: Asia and Pacific (APC) Office.ICAO TRAINING REPORT – NUMBER 3 201736NGAP IMPLEMENTATION WORKING GROUPNOVEMBER 2016LIMA PERU STATES REPRESENTED: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay 43 Participants attended the workshop at the ICAO Lima: South American (SAM) office. MARCH 2017DAKAR, SENEGAL STATES REPRESENTED: Cabo Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinee, Liberia, Niger, Senegal, Togo ORGANIZATIONS:The Agency for Aerioal Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar and the Aeronautical Airport Operations Development Company Meteo organizations 44 participants attended the workshop at the ICAO Dakar: Western and Central African (WACAF) Office. In addition, the workshop delivered in Dakar was presented in English and French. JULY 2017NAIROBI, KENYA WORKSHOPSTATES REPRESENTED: Algeria, Angola, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe 55 participants attended the workshop at the Nairobi: Eastern and Southern African (ESAF) Office.OCTOBER 2017PARIS WORKSHOPSTATES REPRESENTED: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lativa, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom (UK), Ukraine 74 participants attended the workshop. Eurocontrol hosted the workshop in Luxemburg. THE FINAL WORKSHOP IN THIS FIRST ROUND OF WORKSHOPS WILL BE DELIVERED IN CAIRO, EGYPT, IN MARCH 2018.ICAO TRAINING REPORT – NUMBER 3 201737NGAP IMPLEMENTATION WORKING GROUPNext >