European Pilot Selection

1
European Pilot Selection TrainingPRESENTAT
ION onThe Art and Science of SelectionOur
subject Pilot Selection by Dick Verburg
2
Background

• When creating EPST in 1997 we understood
  selection was absolutely key
• To complete basic license training (CPL/IR/ME)
• To successfully complete the Type Rating, Base
  Training and Line Training.(IOE)
• To obtain an airline job as First Officer flying
  a jet (in most cases)
• EPST has ten (10) years experience of selecting
  pilots and candidate pilots.
• EPST has a dedicated and stable selection team
  (ex BA, ex Martinair, ex KLM and Transavia).
• We work with a specialist Aviation Psychologist
  team.
• We have created our own aptitude (capacity)
  selection tool called COMPASS, which is now
  successfully used by many clients around the
  world (COMPASS for candidate pilots and
  Advanced-COMPASS for license holders/experienced
  pilots).

3
Background
Like many others in aviation, I go by my
experience. Trained by those who know.
I am not an Aviation Psychologist.
4
Background
In fact I did consider doing a PhD and becoming a
doctor.
However . . .
They might not like that
5
Pilot Selection

• Why airlines (should) select pilots

• Obviously if you want the right personality
• Team player
• Leadership material captaincy
• Fit your culture
• Stress resistant
• Etc. etc.

6
Pilot Selection

• Then personality becomes more and more important.
• What about handling skills ?
• What about CAPACITY ?

7
Pilot Selection
Capacity

• The mental capacity to manually fly the aircraft
  and maintain situational awareness and cockpit
  overview (management) while handling normal and
  non-normal situations.

8
Pilot Selection

A non-normal requiring capacity
9
Pilot Selection

• There are many discussions and task-forces on the
  subject of manual handling problems after loss of
  automation.

What about BEFORE ?
10
Pilot Selection

• Loss of automation is a non-normal (causing
  additional stress) and in combination with (as
  example) a diversion for weather could be

capacity overload
That is not the moment to select for handling
skills and capacity !
11
How much handling?

• Light aircraft training 180 Hrs
• T/O 1 min to A/P engage
• Landing from OM 3 minutes
• 800 hours per year
• 200 flights per year
• 100 PF x 4 minutes 400 min 6.7 Hrs.
• 10 year to command 4000 min 67 Hrs
• Total handling hours after 10 year about 1/3 of
  the Basic Training flying hours !!!

12
Pilot Selection
Acceptable standard
13
Pilot Selection
Some airline selection

• Personality

800 1000 hours
However Hours on light aircraft do NOT create
jet handling skills !!!
14
Pilot Selection

• What is the selection issue ?

Selection starts at the FTO
However ..
15
Pilot Selection
This is not good
16
Pilot Selection
This is what the FTO wants
17
Pilot Selection
18
Pilot Selection

• The same applies to airlines !

Commercial pressure is the biggest enemy of good
selection !
19
Pilot Selection

• Many FTOs select as follows

Accepted
Can you buy aptitude ?
20
Pilot Selection

• Difference in required capacity

21
Pilot Selection

• What is the selection issue ?

100
Can obtain PPL
80
Apply to airline
22
Pilot Selection

• Therefore airlines cannot rely on FTO selection
  and should do their own complete selection
  covering

• Personality
• Handling skills
• Capacity

23
Pilot Selection

• How to check handling skills and
• capacity?

• Use an objective test (COMPASS as example) to
  check
• Complex co-ordination
• Spatial orientation
• Multi-Tasking
• etc

• Verify the results in a simulator
  (subjective)

24
Pilot Selection

• Contradiction between objective and subjective
  (simulator) evaluation?
• Review why there is a difference
• Re-do (1 time only) the tests after some period
  (3 months)
• Fail the candidate

25
Pilot Selection

• Good and objective selection covering handling
  skills and capacity is much more (cost) effective
  than

• Failure in Type Rating
• Failure in Base or Line Training
• Liability due to incident
• Liability due to accident

26
Pilot Selection

• Recommendations

• Make objective airline standard selection
  mandatory for FTOs (especially for MPL).
• Make FTOs pay if students fail after selection
  (Like OAT and EPST do).
• Improve MCC / JOC course training with raw-data
  flying while handling non-normal(s). This is also
  a good capacity check in grading.
• Airlines to encourage more manual handling in the
  air or in the simulator.

27
Pilot Selection

• Pilot My salary is not for what I do, but for
  what I can do !

Let us make sure that we select those who can do
and help them to maintain their skills.
28
Pilot Selection
Bad luck . or bad selection ???
29
Pilot Selection
Thank you