The Coronavirus epidemic halted the movement of most aircraft around the world. But when global air traffic finally restarts, pilots must be on the alert.
This means improving pilots' skills and ensuring their compliance with strict safety regulations. This is a challenge, as most of them are still sitting at home.
Brian Straton, a member of the British Airways Pilots Association, which represents the interests of pilots in the United Kingdom, said that pilots need frequent training in order to be able to fly aircraft again.
This means complying with regulations stipulating that the pilot succeeded in carrying out 3 takeoff and landing operations, one of which was using the automatic pilot facility in the cockpit, during the past 90 days.
And in order to qualify to fly during the day and night hours, commercial pilots need to perform 3 takeoffs and landings during the day and night hours during the past 90 days.
There are other annual checks, which include an examination of the proficiency of the license, which the pilot must take every year to maintain the validity of his license as a pilot. The airline that employs the pilot must also examine its operational efficiency every 6 months.
Most of these checks can be done in a D-level simulation, according to Adam Todel, a seasoned pilot and CEO of PrivateFly, an aircraft reservation platform on request.
This technology provides the highest realistic definitions and responses, just like flying a plane on the ground.
Simulators are also important to help pilots keep their skills efficient. This can be done using programs such as Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Pilots need access to extensive real-time flight simulation experiences. In order to achieve this, simulators must be available.
In the UK, many facilities providing flight simulators have been closed. Besides the issue of the availability of trainers to conduct these checks. The co-pilot also needs to be present.
ToDel believes that there will be a shortage of available simulators, which will lead airlines to delay their normal operations after the end of the Coronavirus crisis.
Toudel points to the issue of exorbitant costs, as it costs about $ 300 to $ 400 to use the simulator, along with the salaries of employees associated with the device.
Additionally, there are regular requirements for firefighting training, as pilots have to go to a smoke-filled plane and clear it. There are also first aid courses and crew resource management training, which includes an assessment of how crew members work together as a team.
The pilots' crisis is represented in the different types of training and certifications that the plane's crew may have to abide by if the aircraft continues to stop for a long time, with the fact that the majority of the active pilots in the world, and more than 290 thousand pilots, remain at home.
To help relieve the backlog of pilots ’medical certificates and their ratings expire, regulatory authorities around the world grant pilots time extensions.
In the United States, Naomi Tsoda, assistant chief adviser to the Federal Aviation Administration, said that due to the exceptional circumstances related to the global epidemic, the Federal Aviation Administration will not take any legal action against pilots in cases of non-compliance with medical certification period criteria if they expire between the March 31st and June 30.
Certainly postponing the expiration of licenses and certificates is useful. However, the airline workforce is facing some burden due to the Coronavirus crisis.
More than 40 airlines have suspended their fleets completely and closed most other airlines, including companies that have not been heard of before, says Sam Sproles, managing director of AeroProfessional, a pilot recruitment agency.
Sproles notes that many flight crews either depend on the minimum wage or are required to take unpaid leave for the next two months.
Besides using flight simulation experiments with computer software, how can flying pilots stuck at home keep their skills in the cockpit?
Carlin Petite, the US-based Boeing 777 airliner, says pilots can take advantage of this time to improve their skills.
It would be good for airlines to provide online training tools so that we can maintain efficiency while we remain at home, and return to flying planes again, Petit added.
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