Achieving VLJ Training Standardization

“Achieving VLJ Training Standardization,” 4 December 2006 — a white paper with appendices representing the initial work of the International VLJ Training Stakeholders’ Discussion Group (83 pages).

Background: An article appeared in the Journal of Civil Aviation Training (CAT) in April 2006 entitled: Pilot Training: VLJ Makers Adopt Airline Training Concepts. This article immediately caused considerable comment in the international training community. It seemed to appear that VLJ pilots would need to be as “professional as airline pilots” and some training professionals felt this to be an excessive response to a poorly defined training requirement.

Does training for technically advanced airplanes (TAA) really need to be so excessive that there is a fear owner-operators may “wash out” and that manufacturers will need to be prepared to refund their money? This was actually implied in the article. In addition, according to one industry pundit, “We’re hearing increasing chatter about whether VLJ pilots – who may be both the aircraft owner and the business owner – can ever be as proficient as everyone else who operates at 30,000 feet.”

If this is actually the case, then the Achilles Heel for the entire VLJ General Aviation market may very well be training. And, a key component of some already proposed VLJ training programs is pilot “mentoring,” which is described in Paragraph 3.5.1 of the NBAA (National Business Aviation Association) VLJ/TAA Training Guidelines.

(File: Achieving VLJ Trng Standardization (includes Appendices), 4 Dec 06)