Alteon expands training offerings to meet demand

By: Bernard Fitzsimons

Farnborough Air Show >> July 2008
Training

Boeing subsidiary Alteon is responding to the global need for training by expanding and refining its service offering. The company estimates the aviation industry will need at least 36,000 new pilots and 480,000 maintenance personnel over the next 20 years to meet forecast fleet growth.

Alteon president Sherry Carbary said here yesterday that the company now has around 100 simulators in 20 training centers and trains an average of 460 pilots plus 200 mechanics each day.

To help retain instructors in the face of attempts by the airlines to lure them back to the flight deck, it has developed a program to share the pilots’ services, so that they fly part of the year and instruct during the remaining part. The program is tailored to suit the individual and has been tried in Europe. “It works really well,” Carbary said.
“The pilots have a better quality of life because they are not away from home so much, and the airlines like it because the pilots are happier and are constantly having their skills upgraded.”

Another tool to meet the demand is the ICAO multi-crew license. Alteon is beta testing the program with six Chinese pilots in Australia.  Carbary said that while she was skeptical at first, the cadets have soloed early and so far they have passed every test. They did need more than the ICAO-specified level of proficiency in English, however.

Meanwhile, Boeing has increased the amount of training provided to 787 customers, who traditionally received training for eight crews no matter how many airplanes they bought. “Now if they buy five airplanes they get 30 flight crews plus maintenance and cabin crew training,” Carbary said. “And they also have the option to trade maintenance or cabin crew training for more flight crew training, so they can tailor the amount of training to meet their needs. They get it where they want it around the world.”

Back

Horizon Flight on the prowl for opportunities Tuesday 17. of November 2009 Al Ain-based Horizon International Flight Academy, which has assembled a fleet of nearly 30 aircraft since it was established in 2002, is... [more]
TSB Recommends Increased CRM Training Sunday 01. of November 2009 In the wake of its investigation into the January 2007 fatal crash of a Hawker Beechcraft King Air A100 medical transport in Saskatchewan, the... [more]
SimCom upgrades units, adds light-jet fam course Thursday 22. of October 2009 SimCom Training Centers is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, as well as  the addition of new training programs and upgraded... [more]
SimuFlite’s online courses target pilots and techs Wednesday 21. of October 2009 At NBAA’09, CAE SimuFlite (Booth No. 251) is offering demonstrations of its e-Learning and technical training programs. “We are trying to bring... [more]
Virtual trainers on show at Aerosim Wednesday 21. of October 2009 Aerosim Technologies might not be a name familiar to most business aircraft pilots who train in full-motion simulators, but pilots who need to... [more]