Baltic Aviation Academy Envisions the Ways of Finding a Solution for Line Training

Recovering European aviation industry accurately tackles between financial and human resources. The pilots who have given the best efforts during the studies nowadays face closed airline doors to the last step to the successful professional career – line training. Baltic Aviation Academy experts envision, what can be done to solve line training issue.

In the structure of an airline two main persons are usually responsible for the personnel related decisions: commercial and flight directors. The one needs detailed arguments on the economical benefit, the other – safety oriented pilots who could ensure safe passengers’ transportation from A to B. Baltic Aviation Academy has highlighted the main reasons why line training can be unwelcomed by commercial or flight director. However, everything has a silver lining – the second part focuses on how line training cons can be turned to pros.

Commercial director

NO. We do not see the positive perspectives of employing inexperienced pilots for our airline.

YES. Airlines have additional income from the payment for line training service in exchange by giving a pilot opportunity to assume skills and to enhance an experience. As well company can save money by omitting screening process as all pilots sent by the training centre have already passed the initial selection process.

NO. Too many already operating pilots in the airline.

YES. Long-term partnership comes up with an ability to provide a guaranteed number of top-performing students in the periods when additional personnel is needed, e.g. seasonal summer peaks, constantly causing a height workload and overtire for the pilots, which might increase the human factor risk.

NO. Too many already experienced pilots seeking for the jobs in the market.

YES. Line training can also be understood as the social responsibility. Baltic Aviation Academy, believe that not all self-sponsored pilots look at their airline job as an investment pay-off. There are great people around with not only great scores, but also a great attitude and mentality, who are highly motivated and want to achieve best what they can in their first airline job. Next to that, social responsibility might save some expenses for the airline.

Flight director

NO. Inexperienced pilots break planes. Moreover, they tend to negatively affect the organisational safety culture and the airline‘s public image.

YES. There is always an ability to involve airline into a training process. It is always possible to provide students with additional training (such as CRM, DGR, First Aid, Ditching procedures, ESET/SEP, Fire fighting) according to the particular company’s programme.

NO. The lack of air company’s own instructors capable of training the beginners.

YES. If favourable, the air company’s first officers could overtake the function of safety pilots, who would still fly the airplane regardless with or without the pilot-beginner.

NO. Pilots who have paid for line training do not concern about aviation safety

YES. A pre-selection process for attitude and psychological profile (including team working capabilities) is usually applied for students to pick those who not only invested a bunch of money in pursuing their lifetime career, but also are going to be successful in the exact particular airlines position.

Of course, the European economy is not favourable to employ inexperienced people when the market is already fulfilled by real professionals. On the other hand, making a few seats for line training students would motivate and accelerate all aviation industry and its future. It has to be reminded that we all have begun from zero.