In November 2006, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) introduced the first new license in more than 40 years for pilots of commercial transport jets. The multi-crew pilot license, or MPL, takes zero-time students to the right seat of an advanced airliner, embedding the multi-crew environment, threat and error management, human factors awareness and airline-specific standard operating procedures throughout the training program.
Today, roughly five years after initial beta-test programs commenced, more than 1,000 MPL license holders are flying worldwide.
The MPL came about following an ICAO Flight Crew Licensing and Training Panel (FCLTP) review of ICAO Annex 1 — Personnel Licensing. From 2002–2005, the panel examined established training paths to the right seat of an airliner with a view to understanding whether those paths were still effective and relevant in light of the significant advances in technology and the increased complexities of the pilot work envi…
