Market Intelligence: -General Aviation

US Airlines Pilot Shortage Attracting Foreign Pilots

US pilot shortage continues to worsen and this has pushed US airlines to hire more foreign pilots – poaching them from airlines in the country and luring them with higher salaries and bonuses. From a point of view of some foreign pilots, such circumstance is an opportunity for them to pursue their dreams working in major US airlines. U.S. immigration lawyers report a surge in inquiries and visa applications from pilots based in countries where traffic is still recovering from pandemic lows.

The pilot shortage is causing the continuing cancellation and reduction of flights in the US. Airports, especially regional ones, are seeing decrease in passenger capacity because airlines have cut, if not limited, flights. The demand is through the roof and airlines are desperate to hire more pilots and as fast as it could. For example, American Airlines announced plans to hire 2,000 pilots this year. Others are offering sign in bonuses for long overdue first officers – US Regional Airline Offers $80,000 in Bonuses for Direct Entry Captain.

A widening supply-demand gap had created an unprecedented opportunity for experienced foreign pilots, said Ana Barbara Schaffert, lawyer at California-based AG Immigration Group, as cited in an Analysis Article of Reuters.

“While the US has a major shortage, in the rest of the world pilots are out of jobs,” she emphasized.

“She has received more than 8,000 requests for consultation in recent months, and is screening over 2,000 resumes from pilots seeking to immigrate to the United States – up more than 90% from before COVID-19,” according to Reuters.

Further, American Airlines Group, in April, told investors the pilot attrition rate at its regional carriers was outpacing the hiring rate and that draws interest from pilots in Canada, Europe, Africa, and Asia where traffic is still recovering, said Carmen Arce, an attorney at Florida-based Arce Immigration Law as cited by Reuters.

Interesting to note is that the Federal Aviation Administration says the number of foreign-licensed pilots seeking U.S. certificates required to fly large jets increased to 718 in 2021, up about 24% from 2019.

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Middle East Training Center Partners With Airbus Subsidiary

Saudi Arabia, Jeddah based simulator training center – Prince Sultan Aviation Academy has announced that it has signed a cooperation agreement with AirBusiness Academy – An Airbus Company.

About AirBusiness
“AirBusiness Academy has been committed to developing professionals in aeronautics and gaining insight into the management needs of the talents working in this dynamic industry for over two decades now. As an Airbus company, our strength lies not only on our close ties to the aeronautical industry, but also on our in-house faculty and network of associate consultants who collectively cover a scope of fields related to managing the aviation business, managing and developing people and teams, managing and implementing operational processes and tools. Our portfolio encompasses customised training, coaching, facilitating and open courses. We can also conduct a needs analysis for clients, propose training design services and manage training programmes. We strive to propose the best learning solutions to inspire growth and help you move forward to reach your objectives.”

For more information, kindly contact Prince Sultan Aviation Company.

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Alpha Aviation Group Founder Shares Thoughts With Arabian Business

Global Pilot Training Group – Alpha Aviation Group’s Founder – Bhanu Choudhrie has shared his thoughts on how ‘The pilot shortage can be the right catalyst to increase the number of women on the flight deck’ with Arabian Business.

Extract from the article – you can find the full article here.

“While it is important for airlines to promote women, more valuable is for existing women pilots to offer guidance and mentorship to younger recruits, allowing their experience to act as a guiding beacon for new entrants and showcasing the benefits of having a long career in the cockpit.

While airlines do their bit, it is also vital for pilot training institutes to double down on attracting more women to the industry.

We at Alpha Aviation Group have trained over 2500 pilots for several international airlines and attracting female talent has been one of our key focusses. We have often gone straight to universities, shining a light on the experiences and stories of successful women trainees, aiming to pick up on interest in aviation at a young age and offering youngsters a clear pathway into the profession.

This perhaps is the perfect moment for industry leaders to transform the industry by increasing visibility of women, entrusting them with leadership roles, and cultivation of an open and welcoming culture.

This is truly a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the industry to attract the best talent and avert a crisis that might cause serious damage to its long-term future.”

For more information, kindly contact Alpha Aviation Group.

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Irish Flight School Partners with University for Aviation Management and Pilot Training Program

A new partnership between Dublin City University Business School and the National Flight Centre Pilot Academy (NFC) was launched at Weston Airport, Dublin, by Simon Harris TD, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

This collaboration will facilitate DCU students in the Aviation Management with Pilot Studies degree programme who undertake their pilot training with National Flight Centre. Students choosing Pilot Studies as their preferred option on the course can now begin their pilot training at the commencement of year 3, which will allow them to complete their B.Sc. and Airline Transport Pilot training within a 4-year period.

Minister Simon Harris, T.D., said: “This partnership is a shining example of universities and training centres working together to deliver for students and employers. Ireland’s pilots and aviation experts of the future will now have the chance to get a degree and complete flight training in a more integrated course of studies. They will have the opportunity for academic-based learning as well as hands-on experience. I want to thank DCU and the National Flight Centre for partnering to deliver this for students and the aviation industry. This type of project is key to Ireland’s competitiveness and ability to attract investment in the future.”

DCU President Prof Daire Keogh said: “As the Ireland’s University of Enterprise, DCU is delighted to collaborate with the NFC on this initiative. The partnership will offer world-class opportunities to DCU students and support the development of talent in the aviation industry which is facing a global pilot shortage.”

National Flight Centre, Head of Training, Darragh Owens said: “There is growing international recognition that degree-level studies, combined with professional pilot education and training, can contribute significantly to the quality of candidates entering the airline industry. University experience and qualifications develop analytical skills and encourage a broader personal outlook. These enhance longer-term career prospects for pilots as they transition into management and wider leadership roles while enriching the contribution of skill and competence they can bring to employers. NFC is delighted to collaborate with DCU in facilitating these outcomes with our new collaboration”

For more information, kindly contact National Flight Centre.

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Airbus Expands its Training Portfolio to include Evidence Based Training

Airbus is expanding its flight training portfolio, by extending its Competency Based [pilot] Training and Assessment (CBTA) offer to include Evidence Based Training (EBT). This new flight training concept will enable airlines to incorporate operational and training data in order to adapt training programmes for technical and non-technical skills accordingly.

EBT is currently being offered as an option to customers as an alternative to Recurrent Training & Checking (RTC) for pilots – traditionally a method that is oriented towards tasks and task-based training and assessment, or as an enhancement to CBTA – a technique which has been well implemented across the aviation industry since its launch by ICAO in the 2000s – that focuses on assessing the pilots’ performance, developing specific pilot competencies and providing pilots with targeted individual training needs, such as decision making and workload management.

A New Trend in Flight Training

In addition to this, EBT also addresses new regulations that are being recommended / made mandatory by Airworthiness Authorities around the world in acknowledgement of the innovations in aircraft technology and developments in aircraft operations that pilots are being faced with.

The appetite for EBT is being led by China, following requirements imposed by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), who in 2020 launched a roadmap requiring all Chinese airlines to implement CBTA/EBT training by 2024.

Loong Air Becomes First Adopter

To that end, Airbus confirms that the fastest growing airline in China, Loong Air, operating scheduled passenger and cargo services out Hangzhou Airport is the first customer to sign for the EBT service offering.

“We’re proud to be the launch customer for Airbus’ Evidence Based Training, and the first airline in China to step into the new era of flight training,” said LIU Qihong, Chairman of Loong Air.

The Airbus EBT Service is a flexible training solution for customers, as the training can be done by the airline, it does not have to physically take place in an [Airbus] Training Centre, providing their instructors are trained to Airbus standards and that they are equipped with Full Flight Simulators.

Data Analytics as an Enabler

In order to implement EBT, Airbus has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the French based training data analytics company, Hinfact. The deployment of EBT involves Airbus and the airlines acquiring Hinfact’s specific training software compatible with any training data source, tablet and Full Flight Simulator (FFS).

By combining operational data from the airline, plus training session data from FFS sessions, Hinfact software uses data analytics to identify competency improvement areas and suggest customised training sessions accordingly.

Airbus has been offering training courses since its creation some 50 years ago and has always taken a comprehensive and innovative approach via its unique cockpit commonality concept and the regular introduction of the latest technologies or learning concepts.

The Airbus (flight and maintenance) training network currently counts 18 locations, plus 2 flight schools, around the world. This extensive global network enables Airbus to offer a complete flight training package, allowing its customers to benefit from its training expertise closer to their home base.

Source: Airbus Press Release

For more information, kindly contact Airbus.

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