FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1986
1986 - 0623.PDF
British pilot-training crisis predicted KIDLINGTON The lack of forward planning, suitable training aircraft, and experienced commercial flying instructors will create a crisis in the UK pilot-training industry within the next two years. This warning comes from Rex Pontin, managing director of CSE Aviation, which operates the Oxford Air Training School. He is alarmed that the major Brit ish carriers do not appear to take the signs of a future pilot shortage seriously. British Airways, the state-owned flag-carrier whose plans for privatisation have been deferred, is pinpointed. The problem is exacerbated by the lack of suitable training aircraft, says Pontin. CSE is one of the UK distributors for Piper, which has recently cut production of most of its piston-engined range. This follows similar retrenchment by Cessna and Beech, effec tively halting production of ab initio trainer aircraft by the traditional "big three" suppli ers. (CSE handles all types of Piper aircraft except the turboprop Cheyennes). The retreat from the trainer market has been largely due to product-liability costs, says Pontin. Like many American aviation managers, he sees the liability situation as being out of control. Reims Aviation in France is still building Cessna 152s, and Cessna will probably start up in Wichita later this year, but any high-wing trainer aircraft is unacceptable to BA, accord ing to Pontin. While Euro pean manufacturers such as Robin, Aerospatiale/Socata, and Grob now have a real chance to break into the domestic US market, light trainers such as the ARV Super2 and the Robin ATL would not stand up to the punishment of intensive commercial training pro grammes, says Pontin. "Britain's Trago Mills SAH.l is the best trainer available at present. It is an excellent design, but needs a big order FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 22 March 1986 to allow a decision for prod uction to go ahead." Flight understands that BA will decide on the timing of pilot recruitment later this year. The airline has not hired pilots since 1981, and currently does not employ pilots of less than 31 years old. It takes 2s years from the time of a recruiting decision to the moment that the fully trained pilot will be "on line", says Pontin. The airline will probably take its first draft from general aviation, having promised not to "poach" from other airlines. This would immediately result in well- qualified instructors leaving training schools for better- paid jobs at BA. Pontin's concern is that the very boom in pilot hiring will create a serious shortage of high- calibre instructors. Current commercial in structors' salaries are limited to around £14,000, less than the rate for a junior copilot with the major carriers. A decision on the timing of future training requirements and the type of training and aircraft required would allow investment decisions to be made in good time to prevent a crisis, says Pontin. The problem of pilot short age and inadequate training standards has already affected the US market, where airline training recruiting standards have fallen. While BA has always favoured in-house advanced training, converting students from light twin aircraft directly to jets, Lufthansa and Swissair have collaborated in the Futura training scheme. They use Piper Cheyennes with their cockpits equipped to resemble those of jets for easier transition training. CSE cannot afford to invest in a turboprop fleet unless it is sure of BA's future training business, says Pontin. Partenavia rolls out Mosquito NAPLES ~ The prototype Partenavia P.86 Mosquito was rolled out last week, and the first flight was said to have been immi nent. The two-seater is aimed at the training market, and the Italian manufacturer has made big efforts to keep the purchase price down. Partenavia expects it to sell for Li500 million ($32,000). The landing gear is fixed, and the wings are strut- braced. Power comes from a KFM.112M engine built in Italy, or from a Lycoming O-160 unit. Either engine can run on automobile fuel (mogas) as well as avgas, says Partenavia, a subsidiary of Aeritalia. PRIVATE FLIGHT Training-tape sales take off DENHAM ~ First-year sales of cassette tapes designed to assist student pilots training for the UK Private Pilots Licence are said to have been remarkably successful. Airtape (Publica tions) is now planning to add to its six-tape series on the basic PPL. A "six-tape seminar" on the IMC rating and a "twin-tape seminar" on the night rating have been produced. The publisher says that it is selling tapes at almost 100 flying schools in Britain, and that it hopes to produce an approved instrument-rating cassette and video course in the next few months. BRIEFING Our Private Aircraft Buyer's Guide (March 22) states correctly that Cessna has dropped production of the two-seat 152 aircraft and that the aircraft continues to be built under licence by Reims Aviation in France as the F.152. The US manufacturer deleted the aircraft from its entry to our guide. UK distrib utor Wycombe Air Centre points our that new examples of the Reims FR.152 are avail able to US customers who wish to import the aircraft from France. A lightweight structure needing little power is the hallmark of the Partenavia P.86 Mosquito, which was rolled out last week
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
