With the promise of vaccines on the way, the demand for career and hourly airport staff will likely climb in 2021, according to industry prognosticators. And that will trigger a corresponding need to educate and train airport professionals in a variety of fields, from the airport general manager on down.

Educators and trainers tell CAT that airports are looking for candidates with expertise in finance and accounting, environmental management, human resource management, information technology, security, marketing, traffic flow (groundside, airside), airport planning, emergency management and other fields.

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What does Bombardier Aviation think of the proposed standardized curriculum (SC) concept for pilot training on Part 135 aircraft? They provided these comments to CAT.

Bombardier Aviation applauds the FAA for forming a working group that addresses this important topic. Ensuring the highest levels of air safety is consistently a top priority across all of civil aviation – from ANSPs, airports and regulators to operators, service providers and OEMs. While it’s fundamentally important to recognize that “one-size-does-not-fit-all” and that Part 135 flight operations are often varied and quite different depending on their respective mandates/missions, Bombardier is generally in favor of a standardized curriculum for pilot training on Part 135 aircraft. 

It’s something we have encouraged for some time, as we believe that this approach will have a positive impact on safety. We feel that this approach can contribute toward elevating standards across the board and will favor a consistent output

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Safety advocates’ push for a standardized approach to training pilots for Part 135 operations has gone from being a pipedream to near-reality. Robert W. Moorman explores this development.

The industry-wide proposed “standardized curriculum” (SC) concept for pilots training to fly Part 135 aircraft is gaining steam and could become the norm. Announced through an FAA Advisory Circular (AC 142-1) in May 2020, the SC, if adopted, will address administrative inefficiencies that exist between Part 135 operations and Part 142 training centers and enhance safety.

Safety is a key driver of the SC, which supports The National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) Most Wanted List initiative to increase safety in Part 135 operations. The SC concept is designed to increase safety by improving the consistency of training, testing, and checking delivered to Part 135 operators. Various segments of the aviation community are supporting the idea of the SC and its common-sense based approach to training.

What makes the proposed initiative unusual is that it is voluntary. In addition, the SC would not alter or modify existing regulations regarding Part 135 pilot training or operations. AC 142-1 describes the SC concept as an “acceptable means, but not the only means” for Part 142 training centers to obtain authorization to offer training for Part 135 operators, according to the FAA.

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After being grounded for 15 months, Boeing 737 MAX re-certification flights may begin as early as today. Robert W. Moorman explores the turbulent history of the airplane, and Rick Adams outlines the steps to a revised training program.

This past year has been a trying one for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The revenue-draining after-effects of back-to-back fatal accidents involving the company’s latest and last 737, the MAX, and the costly fixes to the aircraft’s software system remain a major concern for the iconic plane maker.

The timeline for the aircraft’s return to commercial airline service keeps slipping, although MAX production resumed in May 2020 at its Renton, Washington plant. Boeing stopped MAX production in January and all aircraft production in late March due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Latest reports speculate that the MAX will remain grounded until August 2020, at least.

Equally troubling for Boeing is the lack of confidence in the MAX by some airlines and passengers. Hundreds of orders have been deferred or cancelled.

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