Achieving Very Light Jet (VLJ) Training Standardization

“Achieving Very Light Jet (VLJ) Training Standardization—a progress report,” WATS 2007, Orlando, May 2007.

Pilots of Very Light Jets (VLJ) will be required to have a type rating even though these jets will carry fewer than 10 people and weigh less than 10,000 pounds. Pilots who meet the published standards for such type ratings will be qualified by regulation as safe to operate as pilot-in-command (PIC) of that aircraft. However, it appears that extra training in the form of a pilot mentoring program will be required by VLJ manufacturers and aviation insurers in order to operate a VLJ in all the environments for which it has the capability. If this is the case, then the specific training requirements for such a program should be fully defined by industry standards. This paper summarizes the activities of VLJ stakeholders which are now leading towards the development of such international VLJ training standards.

Topics include: What is needed? What is a standard? Who are the VLJ stakeholders? VLJ training standards discussions; and the Current consensus.

(File: Barnes, Achieving VLJ Training Standardization, WATS 2007)