Multi-Crew Pilot License (MPL)

WHAT?
WHAT?

Adopted by ICAO in 2006 as part of the Procedures for Air Navigation Services - Training (PANS-TRG) Doc 9868, MPL is the first airline-dedicated professional pilots license, derived from a need formally recognized in 1982. MPL training is tailored to guide students seamlessly from ab-initio training to airliner type rating, using simulation designed for multi-crew training. MPL implementation is part of the IATA Training and Qualification Initiative (ITQI) comprising: MPL, Pilot Aptitude Testing (PAT), Evidence Based Training (EBT), Instructor Qualification (IQ), Flight Simulation Training Devices (FSTD), and Engineering & Maintenance (E&M).

WHY?
WHY?

Airliner technology has advanced dramatically. Modern aircraft systems have attained outstanding levels of safety and reliability yet, incidents and accidents still occur. This puts even greater pressure on those who operate and maintain aircraft. The action taken was to develop an entirely new license based on task analysis, instructional design and operational evidence.
BENEFIT The benefit of MPL is to address challenges within the outdated legacy training process, such as: Updating both candidate and instructor selection, and instructor training and qualifications (PAT and IEQ) Replacing by competency-based training the traditional application of box-ticking, hours based, prescriptive syllabi Addressing the increased rates of loss of control in airline operations through Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT) Combatting the continuing dominance of multi-crew human factors in accidents through Threat and Error Management (TEM) and Crew Resource Management (CRM) Mitigating the prevalence of miscommunications with Air Traffic Control (ATC) Reducing misalignments between training process and airline operational needs through National Aviation Authority (NAA) regulations. Reducing the use of single-pilot light aircraft to learn skills not required for airliners (multi-crew focus) HISTORY MPL was proposed in Madrid in October 2000. Soon after this, ICAO established the Flight Crew Licensing and Training Panel (FCLTP) to develop MPL (2002 - 2005). The panel included 64 participants (members and observers from 18 Contracting States and five international organizations). The Air Navigation Council (ANC) adopted the results; the new Annex 1 containing the MPL in Chapter 2.5 and PANS-TRG Doc 9868 was distributed in November 2006; transposition into Joint Airworthiness Regulations (JARs) continued in December 2006; JAR-FCL Amendment # 7 (incl. MPL) was distributed; and final transposition into EASA Part Flight Crew Licensing (FCL) is expected during 2011.

HOW?
HOW? TODAY

MPL applies competency-based training throughout. The traditional hours-based qualification process fails to guarantee competency in all cases. Pilots with 10,000 hours may demonstrate a lower level of competency than those with only a few hundred hours. A critical component of competency includes the lessons learnt during induction training. A set of nine knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSAs) required for airline pilots have been developed by the IATA Training and Qualification Initiative project team from industry-wide research. ICAO requires that MPL training be validated from output performance to promote continuous improvement adaptive to industry change. Other mandated features are (a) Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT); (b) ATC training; (c) new Instructor Standards, (d) new Flight Simulation Training Device (FSTD) criteria, published in 2009 in ICAO Doc 9625, and (e) embedded Threat and Error Management (TEM) strategies throughout the training process.

TODAY
REVIEW

By December 2010, 30 States had adopted MPL; 14 States were running MPL courses; 1,100 MPL students were enrolled; 280 MPL students had graduated. The global uptake of MPL is accelerating. Despite the small sample size, operators report average all-round graduate performance as good as or better than students from traditional training. A CASA Flight Inspector who observed landing training (B737NG) in China for early MPL students indicated that: Each of the 6 candidates exhibited skills farbeyond what I expected. In fact their abilities were consistent with (and in some cases exceeding) that of crews I have observed with years of experience on type.

REVIEW

MPL represents a major safety-centered upgrade to airline training which IATA encourages airlines to adopt. Increasingly persistent concerns are voiced that the mix of experience loss + industry expansion + reduced career interest will increase the accident rate (which has plateaued for the first time during the last 10 years). MPL is ready to be adopted and implemented by ICAO Contracting States and IATA members, in the interests of long-term safety.

For more information, please visit us at www.iata.org or contact us at itqi@iata.org