As graduates of multi-crew pilot licensing (MPL) programs gain admission to the right seats of flight decks in several world regions, the substantial data now being collected about their performance show high rates of completing courses and fulfilling airline expectations, say officials of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Moreover, comments by captains surveyed at MPL-participant airlines typically show acceptance of MPL graduates and sometimes a preference for them versus traditionally trained first officers.
The status of MPL programs and graduates, including early thinking about desirable improvements, was the focus of the ICAO Multi-Crew Pilot License Symposium in December. Many presenters compared today’s outcomes with the safety-centered philosophy on which the MPL was developed, and some pioneers predicted that this training will predominate as early as 2018.
“In October 2000, ICAO convened an industry meeting in Madrid [Spain] to review future fli…
