Meet the Speakers & Moderators

Captain Philip Adrian, FRAeS has served the global aviation industry in many roles for over 35 years and is considered a Subject Matter Expert on Aviation Training, Simulation, Operational Suitability, EBT/CBTA, UPRT and world-wide operational regulatory affairs. In addition, Philip is a frequent speaker at global aviation events on these subjects.

He is strongly engaged in global regulatory affairs via ICAO, EASA, FAA and the RAeS. Amongst others, he is the current co-Chair of the EASA ATPG and the chair of the RAeS FCTG.

Philip currently serves as the CEO of MPS, the leading Fixed Base Simulator manufacturer for the Airbus A320 and Boeing B737NG and MAX series, as well as ancillary tools for the professional flight training industry. He leads two factories, one in the Netherlands and one in Germany as well as an innovation team in the Netherlands and a sales team which spans the globe. MPS partners with airlines, training organizations, OEMs and TDMs to provide tailored and innovative solutions for all training needs.

Capt. Adrian started as the MPS CEO in May 2018 after 11 years at Boeing, where he fulfilled multiple roles. He joined Boeing as an airplane instructor and examiner on 737, 777 and 787 in August 2007 and further served as Boeing’s 737/737 MAX Chief Technical Pilot, Assistant Chief Pilot, Chief Pilot Regulatory Affairs and lastly as Chief Pilot Regulatory Strategy. He was responsible for setting and coordinating global training standards and regulatory EIS support of new Boeing airplanes such as the 747-8, 787, 737 MAX and 777X ranges. He was also involved in the design and flight testing of all new Boeing products, including the NMA range.

Prior to his roles at Boeing, Philip was an airline Captain, Instructor/Examiner and served as Head of Training as well as in other management and executive positions for a major European airline. He joined the airline in 1992 after Officers and Flight training in the Royal Netherlands Air Force, where his aviation career started, and serving as a Flight Instructor.

During the entirety of his career, Philip has operated, flight tested and instructed for over 13.000 flight hours. He holds 737, 777 and 787 Type Ratings, and has instructed and examined on all those types. Philip has also served on numerous rulemaking tasks in the industry, including FAA ARCs, EASA RMTs and many boards regarding Flight Safety, Aviation Security and Crew Resource management. He co-chaired the FAA ARC regarding UPRT and chaired the ICAO LOCART initiative and EASA RMT.0581/0582 on UPRT.

Currently, Philip chairs the EASA RMT.0599 regarding EBT and Performance Based Rulemaking, leads the EASA ABLE (Aviation Blended Learning Environment) task while also serving as a Team Leader of the Training Expert Group supporting EASA RMT.0196.
Captain Philip Adrian, FRAeS has served the global aviation industry in many roles for over 35 years and is considered a Subject Matter Expert on Aviation Training, Simulation, Operational Suitability, EBT/CBTA, UPRT and world-wide operational regulatory affairs. In addition, Philip is a frequent speaker at global aviation events on these subjects.

He is strongly engaged in global regulatory affairs via ICAO, EASA, FAA and the RAeS. Amongst others, he is the current co-Chair of the EASA ATPG and the chair of the RAeS FCTG.

Keynotes – Combined Session (Pilot/ATO/Cabin Crew/Maintenance)
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 1

The New Training Paradigm

Dr. Sunjoo Advani was the founder of the ICATEE working group which created the foundation of UPRT. With a PhD and MASc in aerospace engineering, he has an academic and practical background in aerodynamics, airplane design and flight mechanics. His piloting experience has helped developed a practical UPRT program for IDT’s airline customers. Sunjoo initiated the creation of IDT’s UPRT and Final Approach Standardisation Training programs. He has been delivering UPRT and FAST to airlines. He continues to pursue improvements to pilot skills, particularly in Manual Flight Operations. He maintains ties with academia, government and industry in order to bring relevant knowledge into action.

Pilot Training Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 4

Improving Flightpath Management Skills – A Global Call to Action

While automation has contributed greatly to aviation safety, the ability of the pilot to manage the flightpath and energy level of the airplane remains a critical skill.

Ensuring that the aircraft is on a safe and correct flightpath is the highest priority of all pilots on the flight crew. Each pilot is responsible for being fully aware of the current and desired flightpath and energy level of the aircraft, and being fully capable of manually flying and managing the energy level of the aircraft to achieve the desired flightpath. However, analyses of operational and safety data have identified vulnerabilities in flight path management. This is a global concern as several accidents and incidents have shown, and should be addressed by the entire aviation community.

The FAA published Advisory Circular 120-123 on Flightpath Management to provide guidance and recommended practices on manual flight operations, managing automated systems, monitoring, and energy management to help address these vulnerabilities.

This presentation will underline the motivation behind the FAA AC including recent data, and indicate what actions are being taken to improve Flightpath Management. Some suggested changes to training and airline policies will be reviewed. Practical examples of focal points for training will also be provided.

The bottom line is that, particularly in this era of rapid growth and high influx of new pilots, greater focus needs to be placed on FPM at all levels in an airline’s training and operations departments. This is a global issue and needs to be taken seriously by our industry.

Turkish Air Forces:

• Graduated from the Turkish Air Force Academy, 1986
• Undergraduate Pilot Traning in T-34/T-37/T-38 aircraft
• Fighter Pilot in F-5/F-104 aircraft

USA:

• Instructor Pilot (Single & Multi Engine, Instrument Rating)

EU:

• Instructor Captain in Learjet 60
• Training Manager, MNG Airlines TRI/TRE (A300)
• Director Flight Operations, Atlasjet TRI/TRE (B757/767)
• Director Flight Operations, Freebird Airlines (A320)
• Head of Training ATO, IFTC (A320, B737)
• General Manager, IFTC

Combined Session (Pilot/ATO/Cabin Crew/Maintenance
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 8

Virtual Instructor Extended Reality Tool: A User Perspective

Tom Arthur is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Exeter, working within the Virtual Immersive Training and Learning (VITAL) group. His expertise spans aviation, military, sport, clinical neuropsychology, and healthcare, with a core focus on enhancing skilled behaviours through advanced technologies like extended reality and mobile eye-tracking. Dedicated to innovating in the study and training of human visuomotor skills, Tom has also served as a research consultant with Cineon for the past four years, where he has supported the development and evaluation of their immersive training solutions.

ATO (Approved Training Organisation) Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 7

Eye Tracking: A Development Case Study for Introducing Objective Measurements of Pilot Competency

Human factors encompass a spectrum of psychological, social, and organisational elements that influence individual and collective performance in complex systems. Approximately 75% of flying accidents arise from breakdowns in these ‘soft’ skills rather than from technical lapses alone. New and emergent technology offers significant promise in recognising and addressing these human factors, and are likely to become integral in fortifying the overall proficiency of pilots.

In this talk we will explore the use case and associated benefits of using eye-tracking integrated with training simulations for the assessment of pilot competency. We will also look at mythologies for defining good performance and expertise, and reference significant experience gained through 4 years of developing a tool called Training Aircrew Competencies using Eye Tracking (TACET). TACET is AI-powered software, which systematically captures and records critical performance and psychometric insights. This data provides a more objective means to evaluate various competencies and levels of expertise, enabling objective assessment of proficiency.

We have adopted an evidence-based approach to assessing the fidelity and validity of TACET, which has now been implemented in training sessions with several commercial and military pilot groups, with some results being published in the International Journal of Aviation Psychology. Direct measurement of eye movements has been useful for establishing construct validity and psychological fidelity of the tool, and we will provide an outline of the findings, highlighting lessons learnt and potential limiting factors to wider adoption.

Thomas Bessiere is the founder and CEO of HINFACT, a company focused on improving pilot training through advanced data management solutions. He holds degrees in Aerospace Engineering from SUPAERO and in Technological Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Polytechnique. Before founding HINFACT, he worked at Airbus, applying artificial intelligence to optimize aircraft performance, and worked as a consultant on strategy for major aeronautical companies, combining technological insight with practical business applications.

ATO (Approved Training Organisation) Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 6

Tools for CBTA – Training Design & Delivery

The aviation industry continues to evolve, emphasizing the need for robus, adaptive training systems that meet global, organizational, and individual requirements. This presentation explores the integration of Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA) with Evidence-Based Training (EBT), focusing on a systematic approach to training design and delivery.

The approach combines data aggregation from multiple sources, such as training records, safety management systems (SMS), flight operations data, and external reports, providing a comprehensive foundation for tailored training programs. By automating training design through criteria-based tools, it allows training managers and instructors to create customized training sessions aligned with specific operational needs and safety requirements.

The presentation also delves into key challenges faced by airlines, such as aligning taxonomies between training and safety, and implementing adaptive training frameworks that accommodate diverse pilot skill sets and operational contexts. The proposed methods emphasize the importance of data reliability and consistency, ensuring training outcomes that reinforce pilot competencies, enhance flight safety, and improve operational efficiency. Additionally, it offers insights into strategic planning for training managers, enabling them to define and implement rules that support a data-driven vision for pilot development.

This comprehensive, data-centric approach to pilot training not only addresses industry challenges but also aligns with the evolving demands of modern aviation, contributing to safer and more efficient training ecosystems. It provides practical guidance for airlines aiming to optimize their training processes while adhering to regulatory standards and improving overall pilot performance.

Jean-Michel has over 30 years experience in aviation, in various executive positions whilst flying as a commercial airline pilot and acting as Flight Training Instructor/Examiner.

In 2019, he founded AMFTA as part of his vision to improve flight safety via the creation of a harmonised flight training level worldwide.

Previously, Jean-Michel was global Head of Flight Training & VP Training and Flight Ops for major jet and turboprop airline manufacturers and has held executive positions including CEO & Member of Executive Board for different companies.

Throughout his career, Jean-Michel has flown for many different airlines and still flies on a regular basis. His wide airline experience also extends to the start-up and rrestructuring of several airlines.

Jean-Michel trained at the Ecole d’Air France and began his career working for a major airline, before joining the French Aviation Authorities to manage ab intio & advanced training.

He is current on the A320/A330/A350 & A380 and is still acting as Instructor and Examiner on both Airbus aircraft and light aircraft.

Keynotes – Combined Session (Pilot/ATO/Cabin Crew/Maintenance)
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 1

The Aircraft Manufacturer Flight Training Association (AMFTA)

At EATS 2024 AMFTA will delve into the critical aspects of pilot training, examining why regulatory compliance often masks inadequate educational outcome and how robust foundational training is pivotal for pilot’s long-term competence and growth. Specifically, AMFTA will be outlining the discrepancies in global training standards and the essential role authorities should play in ensuring genuinely effective pilot education.

Christine Bohl is market director of Commercial Training Solutions for Boeing Global Services, responsible for the market assessment and development, growth strategy, digital transformation and customer engagement activities related to the commercial training market. Bohl’s responsibility incorporates new product and process launches to digitally enable the business, go-to-market planning and customer experience, and optimization of the footprint of the business through direct investment, acquisition and partnerships.

Bohl has over 32 years of experience in the aviation industry. Her experience at The Boeing Company includes various roles focused on business development, growth and strategy. She has been an integral part of Boeing’s international presence having led the identification and execution of the stand-up or acquisition of capabilities in more than 15 countries.

Previously, Bohl held roles in Finance, Corporate Development (mergers & acquisitions) and Business Consulting with a focus on supplier development, international joint ventures, research and development and Boeing’s initial services strategy in the late 1990s.

Bohl holds a Bachelor of Arts in business administration with a focus in accounting from the University of Washington and a Masters of Business Administration from Seattle University with a focus on international business and law.

ATO (Approved Training Organisation) Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 5

Implementing CBTA in Ab Initio

Cedric Buch serves as a CBTA (Competency-BAsed Training and Assessment) expert within the Brussels Airlines cabin crew training department, actively engaging in multiple projects related to competency-based training and assessment for cabin crew members. His career spans 16 years as an active cabin crew member, operating on various aircraft, from short-haul to long-haul missions. Currently, he acts as ad interim Head of Cabin & Joint Training and continues to serve as a purser and instructor for Brussels Airlines operations.

With an academic background, Cedric initially assumed the role of a CRM (Crew Resource Management) instructor, subsequently expanding his expertise to include inflight instruction and safety instruction. Since 2020, he has been actively involved in numerous projects within the Brussels Airlines training department.

Cedric has assisted the Nominated Person Crew Training and the Head of Cabin and Joint Training with implementing a cabin crew competency framework at Brussels Airlines. This framework is currently in use for training and assessing cabin crew members during their operational duties.

Presently, Cedric is actively participating in the implementation of competency-based training and assessment for both the Lufthansa Group Initial training program and the recurrent training program at Brussels Airlines.

Cabin Crew Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 4

Workshop: Shaping the Dimensions of Performance

Indeed, CBTA is perceived as the most suitable method of training and is a common subject of discussion that continuously confirms its benefits. However, there are challenges in implementing such a concept and it’s not done overnight. Somehow, we do need to start and progressively apply the principles into the training until a complete transition from a traditional training into a full CBTA can take place. But this often turns out to be a challenge, especially when dealing with the non-technical competencies leading to its implementation not to take place at a pace at which the subject is being discussed.

Taking a deep dive into the issues often confirms that a better understanding of the design and development process of CBTA contents as well as the transition phase would be beneficial to those responsible for its implementation. So, how can such principles be adopted? What is an adapted competency model and why do I need one? How are performance criteria defined, evaluated and graded? What’s the difference between individual task assessment and competency assessment in a scenario-based exercise?

To shed light into such issues, we would like to use this workshop to enable the participants to familiarise themselves to a challenging part of the design and development process. Let us jointly practice, discuss and share our expertise on the development of CBTA contents and shape the dimensions of performance.

This workshop will consist of exploring a scenario-based training example and facilitated discussions to encourage participants to understand the process in developing vital CBTA components.

Aims & objectives:

• Practice applying the process of designing and developing CBTA contents for a specific scenario-based
  training example
• Identify and discuss competencies while adapting these into an adapted competency model.
• Identify and develop performance criteria
• Practice developing a grading scale for the relevant competencies

30 years in the aviation world as first officer, captain and instructor for different airlines, with a focus on long-haul operation and an interest for instruction, pedagogy and more recently EBT implementation.

TRI A330 Airline Pilot Assistant ATO PR and PN Training as CorsairPilot, EBT investigations, First Officer B747, Captain IPL/TRI MD80 DC1.

Pilot Training Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 3

Bringing Facts and Metrics to Evidenced Based Training – The Instructor View

PERCEVAL, short for Pilot Behavior and Competency Evaluation, is a French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) innovation project, bringing together a broad spectrum of consortium partners. Its main objective is nothing less than the transformation of training through a factual approach to observable behaviours; looking at recurrent pilot training, crew training, ab initio and training for air traffic controllers.

PERCEVAL consortium partners are ENAC (National pilot school), ENS Paris Saclay (research), Corsair, SimAero and Aviasim, Thales (lead) DGAC (National Aviation Authority, sponsor).

This present paper continues where the presentation at WATS left off and focuses on the instructor view.

How may observable behavior indicators, OBIs, be built from contextualized, non-intrusive, multimodal data captured from the crew and the simulation platform, in real training scenarios? How may such data and analysis be presented and usefully integrated in instructor workflow as a pedagogical aid for EBT assessment and debrief?

Finally we will give pilot and instructor feedback from training sessions done in 2024 at SIMAERO’s training center at Roissy with CORSAIR pilots and instructors. How was it to train, monitor and debrief with the Perceval tool set?

Insights will include:

• How the approach enables objectivity of observation and root cause evaluation
• Integrate into instructor workflow to become a practical asset; “My view as instructor”: Practical examples and real data
• Pilot and instructor feedback from training sessions during the year: acceptability , improvement suggestions,  work still to do.

The consortium partners will together present progress and applicability in real training scenarios, practical tool use and the instructor viewpoint.

The results of PERCEVAL will be applicable and highly relevant for any organization looking at Evidence Based Training, worldwide.

João is a Cabin Crew member since 2000 and Senior Cabin Crew since 2017. He joined the Cabin Crew Training team in 2018 acting as an instructor and examiner. In 2019 he was invited for the role of Deputy Cabin Crew Training Manager and Coordinator for Cabin Crew Training in Safety and Emergency procedures, Security, Standard Operating Procedures and Crew Resource Management modules. Since 2024 he acts as the Cabin Crew Training Manager.

Cabin Crew Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 7

TAP Air Portugal CBTA Implementation for Cabin Crew

Carlo de Cocq is the Managing Director of AviTMS, a company specializing in automating training, learning, and quality management solutions for the aviation industry. With a foundation established in 2007, AviTMS has been a key player in enhancing efficiency for airlines, ANSPs, flight schools, and more. Carlo de Cocq brings over plenty of aviation expertise, focusing on innovation, automation, and tailored solutions. At EATS 2024, Carlo will share his insights on streamlining training processes and reducing human error through automation.

Maintenance Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 7

Finishing his Physics study, Rik de Swart started working in Engineering, performing Finite Element Calculations for computer-chip manufacturing-machine company ASML in the Netherlands. After that he shortly worked at Philips in a similar role and then at Singulus OMP as Installation Project Manager. Following this, Rik continued his career at BOC Edwards, as Account Manager and then at ATOS Origin as Project Manager in the IT business. Having worked for some years at Neways Advanced Applications, in 2011 Rik started as Sales Manager Research Technology at Bosch Rexroth Motion Simulation, which now is part of the Van Halteren Group.

Cabin Crew Training Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 3

The Advantages of Motion for Cabin Emergency Evacuation Training

A critical and important way to improve the realism for Cabin Trainers is to add realistic dynamic aircraft behavior to the Cabin Trainer. In the past, Cabin Trainers were equipped with a positioning system to simulate different crash positions of the aircraft. However, for the realistic simulation of in-flight and on-ground dynamic aircraft behavior, the positioning systems are not suitable; a motion system capable of both static positioning and the dynamic motion cueing tasks is required.

The value of motion simulation for pilot training applications has been proven over the years. Correctly applied motion cues provide the pilot with (time critical) information on the current state of the aircraft. As in the real aircraft, this helps the pilot with his task to control the aircraft. Furthermore, motion cueing adds to the pilot’s sense of realism, which has a positive effect on training.

For Cabin Training, a motion system has a similar or even higher effect on training as in Full Flight Simulators for pilot training. In case of an emergency, often a result of a hard landing or severe turbulence, the cabin crew has to make critical decisions based on the information they perceive.

Training with a positioning platform provides situations to train evacuation scenario’s, it however does not provide situational awareness to the cabin crew, which is in all emergency situations essential.

Adding dynamic motion to the Cabin Trainer results in a training device in which realistic, aircraft specific, motion cues are being presented to the cabin crew, enabling the cabin crew to establish awareness of the emergency situation and the actions to be taken.

With the above arguments taken into account, the question remains what type of dynamic motion system qualifies for Cabin Training. The following factors shall be taken into account:

1. Motion perception
2. Safety
3. Environment
4. Experiences from other users

Steve Dennis joined CPaT in February 2024 as Vice President of Training Design. Steve is a seasoned aviation training expert with a demonstrated history of success in leading global training organizations. With extensive experience in operations management, business analysis, and organizational improvement, Steve has spearheaded innovative initiatives to improve training effectiveness and ensure regulatory compliance. During his tenure as the Director of Training Design at CAE, he pioneered cutting-edge training strategies in a highly technical and regulatory-intensive setting.

Steve holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Commercial Aviation and is an IATA accredited CBTA course designer. He brings a wealth of expertise to our team, poised to drive excellence and innovation in CPaT’s aviation training solutions.

ATO (Approved Training Organisation) Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 5

Pilot Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 7

Meeting the Next Generation Where They Are: Microlearning and its Role in CBTA/EBT Training Programs

• Brief introduction as an ICAO accredited CBTA course designer, followed by a brief overview of the aeroplane pilot competency framework and its emphasis on the flight curriculum segment.
• Acknowledge the gap in PANS Training (ICAO 9868) regarding theory portion of training, and introduce the idea that self-paced eLearning has a role in developing pilot competency prior to flight training, particularly in KNO and PRO.

Current Paradigm:

• Discuss EASA phased recurrent training of theory subjects and how this approach still has some limitations regarding cognitive overload, limited retention, and logistical challenges.
• CPaT’s own 737 type rating course contains 1,676 learning objectives; even breaking these into thirds means about 550 learning objectives to review during a phased recurrent. This is far more than can be reasonably expected to be remembered for any significant length of time.

How Can a Microlearning Approach Improve Training Efficacy for the Next Generation of Pilots:

• Spaced repetition is proven to be more effective than larger blocks of training.
• With course content broken into microlearning objectives, you can incorporate existing content into EBT assessments, leading to more positive training outcomes in simulator training.
• Developing training content in a microlearning model can enable either assessment-based individualized recurrent training or continuous daily training.
• There is an opportunity to compare a control group assessment to a test group assessment at the 1-year mark to see if it works as well in aviation, as it does in other disciplines.
• Call to action for industry professionals to embrace and advocate for continuous microlearning as a new way to look at recurrent theory training to enhance competency development and combat the forgetting curve.

Delfim Zambujo das Dores was born in Lisbon on February 4, 1969.

He joined the Portuguese Air Force Academy (PoAFA) in 1991 having completed a degree in Military Aeronautical Sciences, in the specialty of Electrical Engineering – Avionics Branch, where he received several awards for best student.

He completed his PhD in Mechanical Engineering – Dynamics and Control at Florida State University (United States of America) in 2005, on the theme: “Feedback Control for Counterflow Thrust Vectoring with a Turbine Engine: Experiment Design and Robust Control Design and Implementation.

Within the scope of the functions performed throughout the military career, there are: – Lecturer and researcher in several areas including unmanned aircraft in the PoAFA (1998-2005); Head of the Airworthiness Certification Team of the Engineering and Programs Department at PoAF (2008-2014); – National representative in the Forum of European Military Airworthiness Authorities (including the Executive Level) under the aegis of the European Defense Agency (2008-2014); – Deputy for Airworthiness of the National Aeronautical Authority (2013-2014); – Chairman of the Technical Committee 190 – Aviation, Defense and Space of the Portuguese Quality Institute (2014-2016); – Deputy Head of the Military University Evaluation and Quality Office (2014-2016); – Defense Attaché at the Portuguese Embassies in Timor-Leste, Australia and Indonesia (2016-2019); – Head of the IUM Evaluation and Quality Office (2019-2021); and Director of the Portuguese Military University Research Center.

In terms of his civilian career, he performed the following functions: avionics engineer, EASA avionics Compliance Verification Engineer and Head of Design on an EASA Part 21 Organization (2006-2016); Technical Director of an aircraft avionic component maintenance organization – EASA Part 145 (2010- 2016) and Technical Director of an aircraft maintenance training organization – EASA Part 147 (2008- 2016). Furthermore, he was Lecturer on aircraft maintenance and EASA regulation matters on a university (2005-2016) as well as trainer on an EASA Part 147 organization (avionics and regulation matters) (2007 up to now). Between 2020 and 2023, he was a senior advisor of LAS Group. Since January 2024, he is the Chief Operations Officer (COO) / Deputy Accountable Manager of LAS Maintenance, an EASA Part 145 Organization.

Maintenance Training Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 2

Training the Next Aircraft Maintenance Generation: Synergy Between Human Factors, Emotional Learning and Social Skills

In the fast-evolving maintenance and repair industry, training programs for Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AME) must align with technological advancements and industry requirements. This presentation emphasizes the critical need for AME training programs that integrate Human Factors (HF), Emotional Learning (EL), and Social Skills to enhance daily performance.

Close collaboration between Training and Maintenance Organizations is essential to understand training needs that lead to comprehensive training programs, ensuring that the Maintenance Industry benefits from a highly skilled, emotionally resilient and adaptable workforce.

Alongside critical HF in AME performance, emotions and social skills significantly influence AME responses and overall job performance. Therefore, integrating Emotional Learning (EL) and Social Skills into HF training can greatly enhance teamwork, effective communication, and conflict resolution.

Transformative training programs that go beyond traditional knowledge acquisition are needed, fostering personal growth and the development of new skills through experiential learning, gamification, and immersive training programs.

This presentation explores the synergy between HF, EL, and social skills, demonstrating how their integration can lead to substantial improvements in AME daily performance. By focusing on these areas, these training programs can produce confident and adaptable workers who perform their duties more effectively and safely.

In conclusion, this presentation demonstrates that by leading in the adoption of comprehensive training strategies that include HF, EL, and social skills, training organizations equip maintenance organizations with a highly skilled and adaptable workforce to meet the demands of a dynamic industry.

Susan Durbin is Professor in Human Resource Management, at the Business School, University of the West of England. Her research expertise is in gendered employment, specialising in women’s employment in male dominated professions and managers/senior managers working reduced hours/hybrid working. She is a co-founder and Chair of the award winning alta mentoring platform and leads/co-designed the Reaching my Potential Future Flight Challenge mentoring programme. Susan works with organisations in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, to improve gender equality and provide support, including mentoring, for women. She is a Chartered member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Pilot Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 6

Why is There a Lack of Gender Diversity in the Pilot Trainer Role?

Aviation is a traditionally male working environment (Bridges, 2014; Durbin, et al., 2022b; McCarthy, et al., 2015, 2022) where women’s suitability and abilities are questioned (Yanıkoğlu, 2020) a persistent masculine culture persists (Mills et al., 2014) and women struggle to be accepted (Harvey et al., 2019) by both colleagues and passengers (Durbin et al., 2022a; McCarthy et al., 2015). It is little wonder that the commercial pilot role remains one of the most male dominated in the world; from 185,143 airline pilots worldwide, 9,746 are women (5.26%) and just 2,630 are captains (1.42%) (IFALPA, 2021). In the UK, the total number of commercial pilots is 16,338 of which just 889 (5.5%) are female (Civil Aviation Authority, 2024) and women make up just 0.9% of all UK registered trainers/examiners (Civil Aviation Authority, 2022), which is alarmingly low. Despite initiatives by airlines and the government to address this, little has changed in relation to the representation of women across the global pilot workforce. Between 2008-2018, the number of female pilots in the UK increased by just 0.9% (Marintseva et al., 2022). This paper explores what is preventing women from entering the pilot trainer  by drawing upon focus group data with pilot trainers and pilots to examine the barriers to entering the role both from the perspectives of those pilot trainers already in the role and the pilots who are in the pipeline, from a gender perspective. We examine the dual exclusionary processes of a male dominated culture within airlines and training schools and their reluctance to employ pilot trainers on a part-time basis. Given that women overwhelmingly perform part-time work, this becomes a way to exclude women from this male dominated profession and represents yet another form of ‘closure’ for women who work part-time.

Joint Pilot & Approved Training Organisation Conference Session
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 2
EASA Update

Francesco Gaetani – Head of Aircrew & Medical Department and Chief Pilot

Francesco joined EASA in 2014 as air operations standardisation team leader and one year later was appointed manager of the Air Operations Standardisation Section. In 2017, he also became member of the ICAO Flight Operations Panel.

After 8 years in Air Operations, Francesco took over the Aircrew & Medical Department in 2022. In his current role, Francesco is responsible for rulemaking and standardisation in the areas of aircrew training, FSTD and medical certification for pilots and ATCOs. The Department’s remit also includes oversight responsibilities on foreign Approved Training Organisations and FSTD located outside the EU.

In addition to his managerial role, since 2021 Francesco holds the post of Chief Pilot, responsible for the implementation of the Agency pilot competence scheme.

Prior to joining EASA, from 1998 to 2013, Francesco flew for the largest Italian airline – Alitalia, holding type ratings for the MD-80 and the B-777, the latter still valid. Beside flying, he took up ground duties as safety officer, operational standard officer, lead quality auditor and, as last assignment, regulations manager for flight operations, crew training and FSTD.

Francesco graduated from the Italian Naval Academy in 1990, earning his degree in maritime science. Soon after, he underwent aviation training at the US Navy to become naval aviator and combat-ready on the AV-8B II Harrier Plus. He then joined the Italian Navy Harrier squadron, where he served as pilot and head of operations and training department, resigning in 1997.

Angela Gallorini – Operational Suitability Data Expert, Cabin Crew Training

Angela joined EASA in 2010; she holds a university degree in political and social sciences.

Approximately sixteen-year experience as a cabin crew member, ten of which as a senior cabin crew member, for a long-haul Italian charter/scheduled flight airline. During this period, she experienced working with mixed aircrews from European, Middle Eastern and African air carriers.

Stefano Oprandi – Flight Crew Training Expert

Stefano born in Bergamo, Italy. He had a deep passion about aviation since he was very young, and he soon started building aircraft radio controlled models (which he is still doing). He has a Management Engineering degree from the University of Bergamo in Italy with thesis on “Flight Safety in modern airlines” related to the statistical analysis of the occurrences with a software specifically created for this purpose. Stefano spent more than 22 years in aviation holding a variety of positions both as manager and consultant in Operations, Training, Compliance and Safety for airlines, business operators and training organisations.

He flew for some airlines on Bae146/Avro, ATR 42/72 and over the last 10 years on Global 6000 and Global 7500 for worldwide operations as Captain with VistaJet. Over this period, he had the opportunity to know, while on duty, many countries operating from tiny airports (like Roadtown in the British Virgin Islands) to huge hubs (like San Francisco, Los Angeles, etc.). Over this period, he was also the SMS Manager for VistaJet and started to introduce new concepts like Safety II.

He recently joined EASA in November 2023 as flight crew training expert.

Ascanio Russo – Aircrew Standards & Implementation Section Manager

Ascanio joined EASA in 2015 as flight crew licence standardisation team leader and deputy project manager for the standardisation of Examiner. In 2021 he achieved the FC OSD expert qualification, and since June 2022 he is the Aircrew Standards & Implementation Section Manager.

He has a university degree in science and technology of aviation.

He started his professional carrier in 1991, as business jets co-pilot. Few years later he moved to larger Air Carrier where, in 1995, he joined the training department. Since then, he has always worked in the training environment and still continues to be an instructor and senior examiner on B737 and B747.

Airline Captain since June 1998, he has flown mostly Boeing aircraft (B737, B767 and B747).

From 2007 to 2015 he held several managerial positions, including safety manager, head of training, crew training and flight operations nominated person.

Jenny is an accredited Aviation Psychologist, a senior consultant with the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR) and an EAAP (European Association for Aviation Psychology) Board member. Prior to joining NLR, she worked for many years as a selection and training expert for high-stress positions firstly with the Netherlands Ministry of Defence and later at Air Traffic Control The Netherlands (LVNL). Jenny holds a Master’s degree in Social and Organizational Psychology from Utrecht University.

Approved Training Organisation Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 7

Gender Differences in Pilot Training

The aviation industry has long been characterized as male-dominated, with training programmes traditionally designed by and for men. Selection and training are validated using groups that consist of around 95% men and even the aircraft themselves have of course been designed, built and maintained primarily by men for men. This inherent gender bias poses a challenge for the industry, perhaps even more so now we are facing a substantial pilot shortage.

There have, in the past, been many interventions and actions to increase women’s representation in piloting, both civil and military aviation. Gibbon (2004) speaks of a number of measures taken, such as increasing peer support, female role models and female buddy programmes. In 2008 the “Teaching women how to fly” research project even identified 101 different ideas on how to increase the number of female pilots (Hamilton, 2014). In their top 10 ways to increase female success in pilot training they included #5 Develop “Female Friendly Flight Training” specifying that more simulator time is needed. The “Teaching women how to fly”-project concluded that there is a need to recognize the difference between male and female learning styles and strengths recommending that sequence of instruction is flexible.

A thorough literature review (outside of aviation) conducted in 2022, concluded that gender influences training outcomes and that a gender-sensitive approach would be much more appropriate (Kroese, 2022). This presentation deals with actual, scientifically proven, differences between men and women when it comes to flying, how it could affect training and how can we cater to and embrace these differences. We also present the results from a recent study comparing male and female trainees using data from a major European flight school.

Carey began his aviation career with the Royal Air Force flying helicopters and has held an ATPL. Carey specialises in instructor training as well as developing CRM and human factors programmes. He was Chairman of the RAeS Human Factors Group and Chairman of the Ops & Licensing Focus Group for the EASA Human Factors Advisory Group. He is a member of the Flight Operations Human Factors Advisory Panel to the CAA, a CRM Trainer Examiner, and is author of the book ‘Airmanship’.

Carey has worked with may airlines worldwide implementing CBTA and EBT programmes, specifically in developing their instructors. As CEO of LMQ, he designed the Airbus Instructor Course and was a standardisation tutor for Airbus, as well as playing a key part in developing the A350 Type Rating course. He was the primary author of the majority of the ICAO/EASA Competencies and core member of the team that developed the EBT assessment and grading process.

Pilot Training Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 3

Getting CBTA and EBT Back on Track – Part 2

Last year I challenged the changes in the Observable Behaviours (OBs) that went against the data we have collected worldwide over 25 years. I showed that some of the key OBs have been removed or the language changed, and others have been added that are either unobservable, unclear or duplicated.

This year, I will challenge the changes that have been made to the grading process and associated word pictures, specifically the removal of the How Well dimension, which is a critical component of the VENN methodology and has been the way instructors have assessed trainees since the beginning of aviation. The original purpose was to assess How Well the trainees demonstrated the OBs not How Well they did overall, which is reflected in the grade and therefore an unnecessary duplication. Most significantly the idea of adding How Often to How Well encourages  mathematical techniques, and using the lowest of How Many, How Often and the Outcome really undermines the foundations of CBTA, as the focus may become on tasks and not competencies.

In the Word Pictures I will further question the paradox of the term ‘not unsafe’ as this often creates confusion and doubt, and show that using ‘reduction in safety margin’ is better; plus the duplication in terms such as ‘regularly’ that do not differentiate grades.

I will finally explore the question of using numbers in the grading system and whether it is demotivational for trainees, which of course is not desirable, or is just disappointing.

Broad industry background, holding management and product strategy positions in various companies and countries, with substantial time spent looking at innovative solutions. After a start in the energy sector and moving on to telecom and transportation, Margareta is now leading innovation initiatives with a focus on training in civil aviation. Specifically looking at behavioural and cognitive metrics to evaluate competences in a fact based and fair way. Innovation for the human individual and team interacting with a complex system, often with mission critical responsibility.

Pilot Training Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 3

Bringing Facts and Metrics to Evidenced Based Training – The Instructor View

PERCEVAL, short for Pilot Behavior and Competency Evaluation, is a French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) innovation project, bringing together a broad spectrum of consortium partners. Its main objective is nothing less than the transformation of training through a factual approach to observable behaviours; looking at recurrent pilot training, crew training, ab initio and training for air traffic controllers.

PERCEVAL consortium partners are ENAC (National pilot school), ENS Paris Saclay (research), Corsair, SimAero and Aviasim, Thales (lead) DGAC (National Aviation Authority, sponsor).

This present paper continues where the presentation at WATS 2024 left off and focuses on the instructor view.

How may observable behavior indicators, OBIs, be built from contextualized, non-intrusive, multimodal data captured from the crew and the simulation platform, in real training scenarios? How may such data and analysis be presented and usefully integrated in instructor workflow as a pedagogical aid for EBT assessment and debrief?

Finally we will give pilot and instructor feedback from training sessions done in 2024 at SIMAERO’s training center at Roissy with CORSAIR pilots and instructors. How was it to train, monitor and debrief with the Perceval tool set?

Insights will include:

• How the approach enables objectivity of observation and root cause evaluation
• Integrate into instructor workflow to become a practical asset; “My view as instructor”: Practical examples and real data
• Pilot and instructor feedback from training sessions during the year: acceptability , improvement suggestions,  work still to do.

The consortium partners will together present progress and applicability in real training scenarios, practical tool use and the instructor viewpoint.

The results of PERCEVAL will be applicable and highly relevant for any organization looking at Evidence Based Training, worldwide.

Michael is TiER1’s Aviation Market Lead and has been working alongside the aviation industry for the past five years. With an understanding that an organization’s potential lies within the potential of its people, he focuses on empowering employees to do their best work so that airlines can continue to realize their full potential.

By leveraging experience design principles to drive behavior change, Michael has helped activate a variety of training initiatives for both above-wing and below-wing audiences. His work with airlines has given him the chance to gain a diverse understanding of how complex airline operations are. Across all their work, Michael & TiER1 often find themselves at the intersection of people & performance and always put the human at the center of the solutions they design, deliver, and activate.

Outside of work, Michael enjoys spending time with his wife Catherine in the mountains of Colorado, setting off the fire alarms when attempting to whip up something in the kitchen, and looking up in the sky to guess what airplane is flying overhead.

Maintenance Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 7

Modernizing Training to Engage the Modern Employee

Preparing engaging and effective training for the next generation requires evolved thinking and methods in training design. While our industry has embraced innovative research and thinking around approaches for training, instructional design, and even learning experience design over the past few decades, pushing ourselves into the design of experiences that impact performance (not just learning) is the stepwise change needed to support the next generation.

Human behavior is complex and key moments (like COVID) shape the motivations of each generation. As training designers who are building future-oriented training organizations and delivery methods, we all need to incorporate evidence-based techniques from adjacent fields (like psychology, neuroscience, or behavioral economics) to drive behavior change.

Allow us to share insights and expertise on how to incorporate this “performance science” into your work. By moving beyond the initial classroom/lesson, you will see how to apply findings on habit formation, learning and forgetting curves, behavioral nudges, inner work, and neuroscience-based communication that can solve for factors that drive performance but aren’t knowledge or skill.

From this presentation, you will leave with tangible and applicable methods that you can apply to your current training needs immediately. Furthermore, you will take home a working canvas to allow you to keep processing back in your typical work context.

I began my professional journey as an aeronautical engineer. I hold a Masters Degree in Aeodynamics and Flight Dynamics and initially worked as a simulator software developer for Cranfield University before advancing to a role as an aeroelastics engineer at British Aerospace Airbus, Filton in 1996. I transitioned to aviation, joining BAE SYSTEMS military as a First Officer in 2000, where I flew aircraft including the Jetstream 31, Bae 146, and Hawker 125. Subsequently, I moved to easyJet airlines Ltd on the B737, and then the A320 family, a position I have held for the past 21 years, gaining substantial operational experience and expertise in pilot training.

Driven by a passion for the transformative power of airborne training and a commitment to helping others and sharing knowledge, I started training pilots in 1997 on single-engine light aircraft as a Flight Instructor (FI) before becoming a Flight Examiner (FE).

I am a current A320 training Captain and SE. For the last 12 years, I have served as a Type Rating Instructor, Type Rating Examiner and as a tutor for TRI (Instuctor) courses. I have recently earned a Masters of Science degree in Air Transport Management from Cranfield University.

I have held the position of Operational Standards Captain and am currently Training Manager responsible for overseeing training data analytics. I am the proud father of three boys, and I enjoy losing tennis when playing against them.

Pilot Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 6

Instructor Concordance in Evidence-Based Training: Practical Approaches and Insights

Instructor concordance, also know as inter-rater reliability, is essential for validating training data within airline programs. Accurate measurement of agreement and alignment among instructors is crucial to ensure the integrity of the feedback loop that underpins the effectiveness of evidence-based training (EBT). Agreement and alignment are the two main metrics that determine Instructor concordance. Agreement is defined as consistency in grading among Instructors and alignment is the accuracy of Instructors grades in relation to a golden standard defined by a panel of experts.

This presentation will share what we have learned as a team by addressing several challenges in maintaining instructor concordance:

1. Diverse Assessment Contexts: We discuss how meaningful concordance measurements can be achieved when instructors evaluate different sets of pilots.
2. Categorical Data Challenges: We discuss the challenges and techniques for effective measurement of agreement and alignment in a controlled grading environment

To achieve baseline Evidence-Based Training (EBT), easyJet will share how it has adapted best practice from other industries to comply with the EASA regulations and improve training effectiveness. We have adopted two distinct methods to assess instructor concordance and address the outlined challenges.

This presentation will detail the practical implementation, benefits and drawbacks of these methods.

• Method 1: This approach uses real data within the EBT evaluation context. It enables us to derive robust agreement metrics and to identify and quantify potential instructor bias.
• Method 2: This approach uses anonymous data collected when Instructors observe the same controlled event. It enables us to quantify alignment and agreement across the instructor population and discerns conceptual confusion in instructor assessments, providing a comprehensive framework for addressing and rectifying assessment discrepancies.

Overall Impact: By employing these methods, we continuously enhanced instructor concordance levels and validate our training data. We will share how this enables us to develop innovative approaches and leverage data to tailor training programs using detailed data metrics.

I hold CPL and UPRT FI qualifications and passionately believe in the value that good UPRT programmes can materially improve Flight Safety.

2011-present     Founder and CEO Ultimate High UPRT Academy
Delivering on-aircraft, academic and FSTD programmes to Airlines, ATOs, Business Jet operators, and National Aviation Authorities. Represented UK on EASA Rule Making group .0581 on Advanced UPRT and helped to write FCL.745.A on Advanced UPRT which becomes mandatory on 20^th Dec 2019.
SME on UPRT with numerous presentations around Europe including EATS, twice at the IFCTC at RAeS, EASA safety conference in Luxembourg and Risk and Startle Symposium in Netherlands.

2009-2011.   Director Aerospace Training at QinetiQ. Managed Empire Test Pilot School
Restructured school to meet international client needs and increased turnover by 90%. Worked with US Navy Test pilot school and EPNER. Promoted to run an additional 6 aviation businesses at QQ.

2001-2008   Founder and CEO Ultimate High
Delivering high quality advanced flight training (aerobatics, formation, spin-upset) as well as providing flight experiences. Qualified as Unlimited level display pilot flying air shows in the Extra 300. Managed (and appeared in) over 50 TV, film and advert projects.

1987 -2000   Risk Manager at two major US Investment Banks
MSc equivalent from Duke University North Carolina. European Head of Risk at Lehman Brothers. Left as Global Head of Risk for Credit Suisse Financial Products

1982-1986   RAF Pilot
Officer training at RAFC Cranwell then Basic and Advanced Jet training. Completed fast jet training but was medically grounded.

ATO (Approved Training Organisation) Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 6

5 Years of Mandatory On-Aircraft UPRT – LOC-I Challenge Sorted?

In December 2019 EASA implemented mandatory on-aircraft Upset and Prevention Recovery Training (UPRT) to mitigate Loss of Control in Flight (LOC-I) incidents. I’m going to  evaluate whether this initiative has adequately addressed the problem, examining the good, the bad, and the ugly aspects of its implementation.

The GOOD includes the positive outcomes of UPRT, such as improved pilot awareness, enhanced skills in recognising and recovering from upset conditions, and a far better understanding of the critical Human Factors associated with startle and surprise, together with the ability to build pilot resilience to Flight Upsets.

However, challenges persist. The BAD encompasses lack of alignment between ‘basic’ and ‘advanced’ UPRT at some ATOs, limited regulatory guidance sometimes resulting in ‘box ticking’, and very limited regulatory oversight with almost no NAA SMEs.

The UGLY side of UPRT involves the standards of both dedicated UPRT FIs and perhaps more importantly the deficiencies in both the existing PPL/CPL training syllabus and the inability of many FIs to deliver stall and incipient spin events effectively and safely.

The challenge of assessing the effectiveness of UPRT in preventing LOC-I is substantial and the industry should focus on establishing the frequency of near UPRT events (such as Loss of Margin on Go-around) to enable a more accurate data driven assessment and evaluation of real-world needs.

I’ll conclude by suggesting that while on-aircraft UPRT represents a significant step forward in addressing LOC-I, ongoing evaluation and refinement are necessary. Ensuring consistent, comprehensive and high-quality training industrywide, with particular focus on the critical Human Factors issues, are crucial steps towards maximizing its effectiveness.

Captain Stuart Gruber serves as the Senior Airline Training Deployment Manager at Boeing, overseeing the Global CBTA Deployment team. This team is dedicated to assisting customer airlines in effectively implementing the Boeing CBTA/EBT program.

Stuart brings with him a wealth of experience, having joined Boeing in 2022 after holding significant roles as Director of Flight Operations and Group Head of Training for a prominent European airline consortium. His expertise extends to aviation regulation, having served as a Flight Operations & Training Inspector and contributing to various EASA rule-making tasks, notably chairing the JAA A318 OEB and serving as the EASA Lead Pilot for the B787 OEB.

With a background as a current pilot, instructor, and examiner across multiple aircraft types, Stuart also contributes as a Boeing Production pilot.

Pilot Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 7

Challenges of Implementing a CBTA/EBT Program

Implementing a CBTA/EBT program presents significant challenges due to the need for new organizational skills and competencies. As part of the safety prioritization of CBTA/EBT implementation we need to support and developed Heads of Training, focusing on the complexities of effectively managing a CBTA/EBT program.

The aim is to deepen Heads of Training’s understanding of CBTA/EBT through exposure to effective leadership principles, best practices, and essential organizational competencies. We need to bring industry experts and Heads of Training together to explore the required skills and collaboratively learn how to effectively implement and manage a CBTA/EBT program.

The goal is to ensure that Heads of Training are well-prepared to improve training outcomes, enhance aviation safety, and maintain regulatory compliance.

Raghoonundun Gunputh (Nickname: Birdy) is the Senior Manager Safety Training at Lufthansa Aviation Training, where his main area of responsibility is to manage the development of training policies & standards for safety related training (Safety, CRM, Security, First Aid, DG etc.) for flight crew and cabin crew to ensure alignment with legal requirements as well as forthcoming changes in new technologies and methodologies in order to optimise training for the Lufthansa Group Airlines and external customers.

He holds a degree in Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Open University UK.

In his past 36 years’ experience within the airline industry, Birdy started his career as a cabin crew member on long & short haul and afterwards as a Safety, CRM and Security Trainer. He was appointed Manager Crew Safety Training at different airlines for 19 years before joining Lufthansa Aviation Training in 2017. Within this journey, he has been involved in various projects in enhancing the design and delivery of safety training in an ever-changing operational environment.

As a member if the ICAO Cabin Safety Group, Birdy extends his engagement to cabin safety and training, as well as CBTA for cabin crew. At present he is also a subject matter expert of the ICAO Working Group on Cabin Crew Digital Learning.

His latest projects have been the development and implementation of the new Initial Cabin Crew Training as per EASA guidance, integrate CBTA principles into cabin crew training and explore means of implementing innovative training solutions through ongoing projects.

Cabin Crew Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 4

Workshop: Shaping the Dimensions of Performance

Indeed, CBTA is perceived as the most suitable method of training and is a common subject of discussion that continuously confirms its benefits. However, there are challenges in implementing such a concept and it’s not done overnight. Somehow, we do need to start and progressively apply the principles into the training until a complete transition from a traditional training into a full CBTA can take place. But this often turns out to be a challenge, especially when dealing with the non-technical competencies leading to its implementation not to take place at a pace at which the subject is being discussed.

Taking a deep dive into the issues often confirms that a better understanding of the design and development process of CBTA contents as well as the transition phase would be beneficial to those responsible for its implementation. So, how can such principles be adopted? What is an adapted competency model and why do I need one? How are performance criteria defined, evaluated and graded? What’s the difference between individual task assessment and competency assessment in a scenario-based exercise?

To shed light into such issues, we would like to use this workshop to enable the participants to familiarise themselves to a challenging part of the design and development process. Let us jointly practice, discuss and share our expertise on the development of CBTA contents and shape the dimensions of performance.

This workshop will consist of exploring a scenario-based training example and facilitated discussions to encourage participants to understand the process in developing vital CBTA components.

Aims & objectives:

• Practice applying the process of designing and developing CBTA contents for a specific scenario-based
  training example
• Identify and discuss competencies while adapting these into an adapted competency model.
• Identify and develop performance criteria
• Practice developing a grading scale for the relevant competencies

Helen’s career began with the UK airline Flybe, where she was employed as a Dash-8 Captain, and head of the CRM Training Team. She remained there for 21 years, until the airline collapsed in March 2020, and she was made redundant.

Since then, she has completed a Masters Degree in Human Factors in Aviation, and now works at the UK CAA in personnel licensing. Her specialist area is with flight crew training.

Helen’s focus is on how training can be most effective. She has the ability to identify learning opportunities from a wide range of industry academic research and thinking, and combined with her own experiences and those of others, turn them into straightforward concepts.

Pilot Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 7

Could Doing Less, Not More, Improve Operational and Human Performance?

I recently listened to a podcast, which fundamentally explored a psychological phenomenon, that it is the belief of many humans, that to improve something, we have to add something. That is, we have to do more to make it better.

However, research has shown that in fact, there are often occasions where doing less, and by that it is meant, overtly taking things away, can improve it just as effectively, and, poignantly, more efficiently.

To put that into a simple statement, you can get the same results, more quickly.

Now this podcast generated a thought. This philosophy could easily be applied in aviation training.

We talk about continuous improvement; systems, processes, procedures, are constantly evolving. But, how many of these improvements have taken things away? Or are we all stuck with the belief, that we have to put more things in?

In this session we are going to explore this phenomenon in more details, explain the research and evidence that supports this notion, and discuss how it specifically applies within our aviation training environment.

From the evolution of CBTA frameworks, simulator training programmes, right down to defining stabilised approach criteria, we will ask the question:

Can we perform better, by doing less?

Taja has broad experience in all aspects of Data Intelligence i.e. analytics, Insight generation,  data science, AI & ML including GenAI, evidence based business strategy development, budget spending planning and  forecasting roles across UK Government, consultancies and startups over the past 17 years.

Taja has extensive hands-on expertise of how to use analytics and data science  techniques, data mining and best practices to deliver strategic advice in order to drive business improvements in line with data security, compliance, and governance practices aligning it with business objectives, decision making and future growth plans.

In addition, Taja brings a deep understanding of digital data and analytics infrastructure transformation for optimal performance. She possesses a deep knowledge of data architecture, infrastructure management and development of scalable and robust analytics solutions, combined with the ability to build strong relationships with clients and stakeholders, by communicating technical concepts effectively to non-technical stakeholders.

What you might not know about Taja: Speaks four languages fluently, with a penchant for a very hot curry!

ATO (Approved Training Organisation) Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 4

Maintenance Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 5

Accelerating Ground School and Type Ratings with AI Coaches

The integration of AI coaches into aviation training promises to accelerate the learning process, without the need to increase the number of human instructors and educators. By harnessing the power of Generative AI, we can optimise the way pilots, technicians, and cabin crew are trained, leading to higher standards of proficiency and safety in the aviation industry and pave the way for more adaptive and personalised learning experiences.

AI-assisted learning presents a compelling opportunity to improve throughput for ground school and technical training phases, so that students are better prepared for their practical phases, whilst reducing time to proficiency.

By securely hosting Open Source Large Language Models (LLMs) that reference specific source material, such as technical manuals and work instructions, an AI Coach can deliver a personalised learning experience in a natural and intuitive way.

This AI Coach can express difficult technical content in an unlimited number of ways, and in multiple languages, whilst accommodating a variety of learning styles – thus increasing the likelihood of subject matter mastery by the students.

Multiple choice quizzes can be provided, with the AI Coach learning the strengths and weaknesses of the individual students’ subject matter comprehension and tailoring further study and questions accordingly, bringing Computer Based Training into the 21st century.

Delivered from a secure cloud, intellectual property is protected, whilst being available for consumption at the point of need, allowing students to learn on the go and focussing more on their knowledge gaps whilst simultaneously minimising skill-fade in their areas of strength.

Interactions between the AI Coach and students can be monitored for standardisation purposes, and by applying advanced analytics we can provide insights into how the overall course can be improved, or where specific individuals are struggling. This allows for interventions by human instructors before a failure – ensuring practical courses are used optimally.

After obtaining an MSc in Occupational Psychology in 2013, Aleksandra has been working in aviation gaining a wide range of experience in European assessments and selection programs of cadets and active pilots whilst working with a range of airlines, aviation companies and training organisations. Aleksandra is an EAAP accredited Aviation Psychologist, an assessor and KSA100 assessment specialist.

Pilot Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 6

Finding the Perfect Match: CBTA in Selecting Instructors with the Right Traits

In the dynamic and demanding world of aviation, the role of pilot instructors is more critical than ever, influencing the safety, proficiency, and success of both aspiring pilots and seasoned professionals. The need for exceptional instructors extends across both flight schools and airlines, where the quality of instruction directly impacts the effectiveness of pilots and safety. However, not every skilled pilot is suited to be an instructor, making the selection and development of the right individuals a top priority for the industry.

This presentation will emphasize the importance of selecting pilot instructors who possess the right competencies, personality, attitudes, and motivation. Drawing from the CBTA approach, we will explore how to identify and cultivate instructors who excel not only in technical skills, but also in communication, leadership, and resilience.

By addressing the needs of both flight schools and airlines, we will discuss why focusing on these competencies is essential for selecting instructors who can meet the evolving demands of aviation. This presentation will provide industry professionals with the tools and insights needed to improve the recruitment of instructors, ensuring that the next generation of pilots is trained by professionals who are not just competent but truly exceptional.

• Active Captain A320 Lufthansa CityLine (Lufthansa Group)
• Supervisor Master Thesis University Joaneum, Graz, Austria
• Current Ratings: A340, A320, Embraer 190, SEP and MEP
• Instructor & Examiner (Check Airman) TRI/TRE A340, A320, E190/195, CRE SEP/MEP
• Advanced UPRT Instructor on FSTD
• UPRT Training on DESDEMONA-, Spatial Disorientation-Simulator
• Co-Founder of the OneTeamCockpit Initiative with Cpt. Dr. Christian Popp, JetBlue Airways
• Engineering Degree in Aeronautical Engineering (Munich University of Applied Science)
• Head-up Display Specialist with application in flight operation and training
• Over 16.000 hrs. as airline pilot in over 34 years active airline experience with more than 7.500 hrs instructing.

Pilot Training Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 4

Push to Unload – Are We Doing It Right?

As aviation technology advances, pilots encounter a new set of challenges necessitating innovative and effective training solutions. This presentation, led by Capt. Christof Kemény, a certified advanced UPRT Instructor Pilot, will explore into the complexities of delivering Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT) and Stall Training using Full Flight Simulators across various aircraft types.

The presentation will explore the limitations and potential of diverse training platforms, including the DESDEMONA simulator, which offers sustained g-loading capabilities, Spatial Disorientation simulators, and aerobatic aircraft. By leveraging extensive experience and final data from a comprehensive simulator research campaign and a global instructor pilot survey conducted in collaboration with the University of Graz and simulator manufacturer AMST, this presentation aims to validate innovative training methods.

Key insights will be shared on presenting UPRT-related information directly within the trainees’ field of view and employing task specific Flight Simulation Training Devices. The discussion will emphasize the importance of understanding flight envelope limits, g-load effects, and stall protection within these training setups.

Special attention will be given to human factors affecting instructor qualification and performance, with a focus on the critical “Push to Unload” technique. The session will examine the balance between prioritizing safety and understanding human performance limitations in UPRT, addressing operator constraints and the comprehensive scope of training required for instructors on UPRT-related human performance factors.

Attendees will gain a thorough understanding of the current challenges in UPRT and Stall Training, along with practical solutions and insights to enhance training effectiveness. This presentation provides a valuable platform for industry professionals to exchange ideas and best practices, fostering a collaborative approach to meeting crucial training requirements in aviation.

Stéphan presently holds the position of Airbus Head of Flight Training Worldwide, responsible for the global Airbus flight training network from ab initio to Advanced and Air Operations training.

Stéphan has over 30 years of experience flying with commercial airlines and Airbus, initially flying turboprop operations before qualifying on the Boeing B737 and later Airbus aircraft, flying in Europe, USA, China & the Middle East.

He began his instructor career in his early graduate days, giving theoretical ATPL lessons specialised in Human Factors and CRM, before joining Airbus in 2011 as TRI on the A320/A330. Stéphan was Head of TRIs & the Airbus Europe Training Centre prior to his current position. He is current on A320, A330, A350 & A380 as well as TRI & TRE on A320, A330 & A350.

Since 1995 he has been particularly involved in Human Factors, CRM and Emergency Response system research and training, as well as the implementation of new training concepts such as CBTA.

Pilot Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 5

Tracking, Data and Us

Where are we really in terms of data in flight training? In data collection? In tracking? In data-sharing? What are we supposed to use it for?

Having a clear vision, strategy and objectives for the collection and use of data is paramount in flight training, and more specifically its role in CBTA & EBT. We want to examine and challenge to ensure the use of tracking and data can really allow us to cross-check whether that safety-minded approach exists and is applied correctly.

Jamie embarked on his flying adventure with British World in 2000 as Cabin Crew. After the company ceased operations following 9/11, Jamie joined Channel Express in 2002. He took to the skies on VIP aircraft and swiftly joined the training team in early 2003, just as Jet2.com was taking off. Originally hailing from Essex, Jamie relocated to Leeds to become part of the Training Management team and has since soared to the position of General Manager of Cabin Crew Training. Jamie has been instrumental in introducing the B737 (300/800), B757, and the cutting-edge A321neo into the fleet. Throughout his career, Jamie has spearheaded projects to establish two top-notch cabin crew training centres for Jet2.com – one in Bradford and the other in Cheadle, UK. He is also a key player in the Jet2.com Future Training project, which is set to bring VR technology to the cabin crew training experience. Jamie’s journey is a testament to his passion for aviation and his commitment to training the best cabin crew in the business.

Cabin Crew Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 5

What We Found at WATS

In a world where Jet2.com, the UK’s 3rd largest airline, faces the challenges of introducing the A321neo to a long-established Boeing-skilled Cabin Crew Community … One solution is changing everything. 

Discover how Jet2.com, with the help of Latitude83, is tackling skill fade, embracing new technology and preparing for the future – all with a virtual twist. Join them as they share their search for a cost-effective, multi-generatinal and logistical solution, and how they found it at WATS ’24. You won’t want to miss it!

Thomas Leoff is the Chair of the International Association of Aviation Personnel Schools (IAAPS) and Manager Training Standards within Lufthansa Aviation Training. He has been in the aviation training business since 1991 and is a recognized expert in day-to-day practical training management as well as in the field of developing the future training environment. Since 2001, he is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

He is a member of EASA’s Stakeholder Advisory Board (SAB) and in this function an industry observer in the EASA Management Board’s PAR group (Programming and Resources Advisory Group).

He is the Chair of EASA’s Flight Standards Technical Committee (FS.TEC) and a memberof the Aircrew Training Policy Group (ATPG), and FS.TEC sub-group. He is also a member of EASA’s Commercial Aeroplane Safety Committee (CAS.COM).

He is actively involved in RMT.0194 and EASA’s task force on the integration of Theoretical Knowledge Instruction and Practical Training in integrated ATP courses.

ATO (Approved Training Organisation) Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 3

Keynote Presentation

Stuart Lowe is the Co-founder and CEO of Force Air Defence and has a wealth of experience. His skills have been developed over more than 30 years and stem from a genuine passion for martial arts where he holds the rank of 4th Dan and the desire to promote safety and confidence in others. His practical knowledge has been built up from his training in the British Army – including training with Special Forces after leaving the Army, Close Protection – including Body Guard experience and Security, Boxing, Ju-Jitsu, Krav Maga, Wing Chun, KSCKM, FAST to name a few. In addition to the practical defence knowledge, Stuart has also studied the psychological side of defence to help assist people who have suffered at the hands of others and help them to take back control of their feelings or dismiss fears.

Kathleen Lowe has worked in the energy industry for over 30 years and with the entrance to the aviation industry she has drawn many parallels between the two sectors. She notes the complexity and constant change within both industries provides continual challenges and delivers ongoing rewards that drive her on to the next focus point. Kathleen recognises, that at the heart of the successful organisations operating in these areas, the value laid on customer facing and customer servicing teams is of utmost importance. As Chief Operating Officer and Co-founder of Force Air Defence, she is keen to assist companies wishing to invest in the safety and well-being of their staff and by so doing she will help these companies deliver a safer space for their employees and customers. Using transferable project management skills Kathleen has ensured that the concept of Force Air Defence Training Scheme has been set up as a successful, effective and evolving option available to the aviation industry.

Cabin Crew Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 7

Self Defence in the Aviation Industry

Force Air Defence offer training in self-defence and restraint techniques specifically designed for cabin crew.  These techniques are easy to remember and effective and are workable in the confines of an aircraft cabin. With the rising number of unruly passengers affecting all airlines, Force Air Defence are committed to being part of the solution in controlling the effects. By empowering cabin crew to defend themselves and protect passengers and colleagues, we will contribute to the excellent customer experience.

In addition, we are aware of issues around attracting and retaining staff in the aviation industry and we see our training as a means of enhancing the aviation training package. Cabin Crew who receive defence and restraint training will feel valued. These techniques are effective not only at work but also outside of the workplace. As we are aware of an increasing number of attacks in every day life, so cabin crew will have skills that they can carry with them in all walks of life. This is particularly valuable to crew who find themselves in places that may have high security risk or places that they are unfamiliar with.

Recognising that all airlines are unique with different budgets and training rotas available to them. Force Air Defence will design a package that meets your needs and will respect your requirement for discretion around training delivered.

Our presentation will feature a self-defence demonstration by Stuart Lowe and Kathleen Lowe.

Claudio Marturano is the CEO of the T-C-Alliance, a collaborative group of aviation training and consultancy organisations and subject matter experts. Claudio is an active, results-oriented executive with 20 years of experience in aviation and 15 years of senior-level exposure across various business development and professional learning domains. As a seasoned leader and advisor, he leverages team insights and wisdom to drive and implement organisational improvements through learning and development initiatives. Claudio is committed to continuous growth and skill development.

Maintenance Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 5

Fostering a Future of Safety: Training in Aviation Risk Management

Training the next generation in aviation safety is essential for managing risks and fostering a robust safety culture. A critical component of this training is understanding and utilising safety communication effectively. This involves defining concepts like safety voice, muted safety voice, and safety silence, and recognizing their impact on risk management.

This presentation will explain the findings related to the PHD carried out by Captain Kimberly Perkis on Unconscious Bias within the flight deck.

The Threat and Error Management (TEM) model plays a pivotal role in this training, highlighting how a Safety Management System (SMS) helps reduce human error. Effective risk management relies heavily on proactive communication of safety concerns.

Interpersonal challenges and biases, such as naive realism and fundamental attribution error, must also be addressed to ensure open communication. Understanding power dynamics, including the effects of headwinds and tailwinds on team interactions, is vital for fostering a supportive environment.

Psychological safety, the belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking, is crucial for enabling open communication and effective risk management. Techniques for self-awareness, self-regulation, and emotional intelligence (EQ) help maintain a supportive team environment.

Training the next generation involves a comprehensive approach to safety communication, psychological safety, and interpersonal skills. This ensures future aviation professionals are well-equipped to manage risks and contribute to a culture of safety. By focusing on these areas, we can lead and accelerate training improvement in aviation, fostering a resilient and safety-oriented organizational culture.

Ana Mata was appointed Chairwoman of the Board of ANAC – Portuguese Civil Aviation Authority in January 2024.

She was already a member of the Board since November 2021, being responsible for managing with the CAA the following areas: Economic Regulation; Consumer Protection; Human Resources; Financial Resources and Procurement.

Following her appointment as Chairman of the Board of Directors, her activities also include management of matters related to airworthiness, operations, facilitation and security.

Ana Mata was Director of the Management Control and Studies Bureau in the Portuguese Civil Aviation Authority from 2008 up to August 2020. She was also in charge of the Economic Regulation Directorate since 2014, accumulating both duties. Her main activities related to airport and air transport economic regulation as well as monitoring the civil aviation markets, and assessing the quality and availability of data. She conducted several studies including the Statistical Yearbook and economic studies on the competitiveness of civil aviation areas and their impact on the Portuguese economy.

Ms. Mata joined the Civil Aviation Authority in 2000. She has a postgraduate in I&T business engineering, a master’s in management and strategy from the Lisbon School of Economics and Management and a degree in business management from the University Institute of Lisbon.

Keynote Presentation – Combined Session (Pilot/ATO/Cabin Crew/Maintenance)
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 1

Hans R. Mayer looks back to more than 40 years in aviation. Working as a licensed Maintenance Technician he became quickly aware that working in aviation means lifelong learning.

Consequently, he moved on to become a Technical Instructor and alongside graduated as Master in Pedagogy with focus on adult learning.

In his philosophy, learning is closely linked with quality and he also successfully accomplished the studies in Quality Management.

In 2022 he retired as the responsible senior person of Lufthansa Technik for the EASA Part-66 License issues with German NAA. During his active time, he managed the qualification and authorization system.

He joined EAMTC as an active member in 2000 and he has been President of the foundation since 2017.

He strongly believes that continuous learning and the human factor are the key elements for success and safety and must therefore be considered throughout the entire professional career.

With innovative HF Trainings he won two industry awards. He is a member of the EASA Human Factor Collaborative Analysis Group and the EASA Stakeholder Advisory Board.

Motto: “Be the change you want to see”

Hans is married, has two grown up daughters, is a proud Grandfather and lives in the countryside near Frankfurt, Germany.

EAMTC – European Aviation Maintenance Training Committee

Maintenance Training Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 2

Training for the Future in Aviation

Ivan Noël has spent over 25 years, serving as president of Inflight Innovations Inc. and director of InflightInstitute.com. Drawing on his background as a cabin crew member, Ivan brings a practical perspective to training design and methodologies that focus on improving efficiency and effectiveness in the aviation industry.

Ivan’s work has focused on creating innovative learning systems, interactive training techniques, and refining emergency procedures. Over the past decade, he has concentrated on implementing Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA) for cabin crew, cultivating the advancement of industry standards.

His pre-qualification training programs have been adopted by airlines worldwide, helping to train hundreds of thousands of aviation professionals. Ivan and his team are proud to celebrate 25 years of Inflight Innovations Inc., continuing to support the aviation industry with forward-thinking training solutions.

Cabin Crew Training Conference
Wednesday 6th November 2024 – Session 2

The Price of Connection: Bridging Expectations, Empathy, and Safety in Aviation

Nuno Nogueira is the Deputy head of training at Bartolini Air.

With a background in engineering Nuno is a career flight instructor with 5000 hours flight instruction given for all ab-initio courses.

Nuno was a speaker at Pilot-Expo for the past three years, having mainly focused on educating young pilots-to-be on the differences between modular and integrate training, as well as how to navigate EASA regulation to find relevant information. Nuno has also participated in discussion panels both in Pilot-Expo and Pilot-careers live with other industry professional to discuss several topics affecting the industry and to answer questions from pilots-to-be.

ATO (Approved Training Organisation) Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 4

Instructor Standardization in 2024: Is AI a Possible Solution?

Instructor and pilot standardization was, is, and will continue to be one of the major challenges faced by the aviation industry. Especially at the ATO level, where there are several factors at play, from the multitude of different maneuvers and operations to the different backgrounds and the overall lack of experience of the students at this stage.

With such a critical item for safety and training quality, it is no wonder that many different approaches have been taken over the years to approach this dilemma. But the truth is, this is an evolving ecosystem, and no approach was ever perfect or one that truly mitigated all the potential issues.

Due to this, it is only normal that every time something new becomes available, it is looked at as a possible additional tool to add to the arsenal used in this never-ending quest.

Recently, the world has been taken by storm by what some call the AI “revolution”. However, just like with any new tool, there is a great degree of care that must be considered when implementing solutions, and this is all the truer for AI.

The main goal of this presentation is to outline the common standardization methodologies used today, present a working understanding of how AI works, and present a study of how this new tool could, or could not, be used to enhance those existing methods, or create new ones. Hopefully sparking a discussion on standardization as a whole, what threats exist to the injection of new technologies, and what benefits can be gained from those new technologies.

Scott Nutter is a thirty-eight-year veteran of the aviation industry. His career began upon graduation from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 1986.

As a professional pilot, Scott flew for several corporations, on-demand charter operators, and a business aircraft manufacturer. Mr. Nutter transitioned to training full-time in 1996 when he joined FlightSafety International as a ground, simulator, and aircraft instructor. Two years later, Scott took a position as an MD-11 instructor at Delta Air Lines. It was during this time that he learned the business side of pilot training and earned professional credentials in disciplines related to training and performance improvement.

In 2008, Scott assumed responsibility for Delta’s pilot and instructor training programs and continued in that role until his retirement in late 2020. He was responsible for the systems and processes associated with pilot training curricula, courseware development, and training evaluation systems. Mr. Nutter managed the Delta Aircrew Training Center for seven years which held FAA 142, JAA TRTO, and CAAC 142 certifications, serving customers from over thirty countries.

In addition to FAA pilot and instructor certificates, Scott served as a FAR Part 142 Training Center Evaluator/Check Airman and FAA Designated Examiner. He holds professional certifications in Instructional Systems Design, Human Performance Improvement, Change Management, Quality Management Systems, and Auditing.

Mr. Nutter now operates Touch & Go Solutions, a professional services company specializing in aviation training systems and improving operational performance. He lives in the Atlanta, Georgia, area with his wife, Gigi, and a small menagerie of animals.

Pilot Training  Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 5

Let’s Use Facts, Not Feelings: Data Management & Strategy in CBTA Programs

Regardless of which Competency-based Training and Assessment program you use, having a proven Data Management System and Strategy is critical to its long-term success. New CBTA entrants soon discover the barriers and challenges to implementing data-driven training. Fortunately, data-driven systems have existed for decades and have produced a wealth of lessons learned and recommended practices.

It’s not uncommon to see training organizations take an inward-focused view of their role in supporting flight operations. While curriculum design, evaluator concordance, simulation capabilities, and instructional methods are all important aspects of a training program, leaders must realize that Training is fundamentally a support organization for the line flying operation, and Flight Operations is an operations unit within a business. Taking a systems approach to Data Management & Strategy is essential to ensure that facts based on data are used to manage everything from individual pilot/crew performance to meeting corporate safety goals.

Scott Nutter will share an airline-specific framework that has been developed to help training professionals understand how they can turn data into business results. The simple framework is easy to understand and does not require high data literacy. However, digging into the details of the model reveals decades of lessons learned and nuanced aspects of the process that data specialists and continuous improvement professionals will appreciate.

Real airline use cases will illustrate how the model works. The presentation will focus on making Data Management & Strategy easier to understand and apply to air carrier training. A document describing the framework will be shared with EATS attendees.

Andy O’Shea, CEO of the Airline Pilot Club (APC), served as Head of Training at Ryanair for 18 years, selecting and training over 10,000 newly licensed pilots to become safe and effective airline pilots. He chaired the EASA Aircrew Training Policy Group that introduced the APS MCC to the training industry. APC connects quality-assured students with quality-assured ATOs and introduces both to recruiting airlines.

ATO (Approved Training Organisation) Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 3

The Role of AI-Enhanced Psychometric Assessments

Partnering with Symbiotics, APC integrates AI-enhanced psychometric assessments into its recruitment and training processes to ensure a holistic evaluation of pilot candidates. This presentation will discuss how these AI-driven assessments provide deep insights into candidates’ cognitive abilities, personality traits, and behavioral tendencies. By combining these AI-generated insights with ATS and AI-PEBT data, APC creates comprehensive profiles of each candidate, enhancing selection accuracy and training effectiveness.

The session will also cover APC’s AI-supported approach to integrating human factors and resilience training, focusing on psychological, physiological, and social aspects to better prepare pilots for modern aviation challenges.

Pilot Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 5

Enhancing Pilot Competency & Performance Through AI-Driven Continuous Assessment & CRD

AI-driven continuous assessment and Continuous Resilience Development (CRD) are crucial for maintaining high standards in pilot performance. This presentation will explore how APC’s AI system facilitates ongoing competency assessments and integrates CRD to help pilots manage stress, fatigue, and other non-technical challenges. By providing real-time AI-generated feedback and tailored training interventions, the system ensures pilots develop the necessary skills and knowledge to perform effectively.

The session will include examples of AI-driven continuous assessment in action, benefits of CRD, and its role in enhancing training outcomes and operational safety.

Steve Pennington is a Senior Manager with Boeing Global Services, responsible for Learning Program Design within Maintenance Training. Throughout an aviation career spanning into its fourth decade, he has carried many positions with airplane design and training, including multiple maintenance- and flight-training post-holder positions.

He joined the Boeing company’s Alteon subsidiary in 2004 based out of Luton, UK and relocated to Seattle in 2006 to develop maintenance training into a single, global operation.

He embarked on his aviation career upon graduating from Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom. He joined British Aerospace, initially as an Avionics Design Engineer, but quickly moved into training, instructing maintenance engineers and pilots on Britain’s last commercial airliner family, the BAe 146 and Avro RJ. He then spent 5 years as Ground Training Manager and Chief Groundschool Instructor before leaving to pursue a new career with Boeing.

He is a Chartered Electrical Engineer, a Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (MIET), holds a Masters degree in Human Centered Design and Engineering, and a Bachelor degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

Maintenance Training Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 3

The Evaluation of Training Efficacy in Aviation Maintenance

As the aviation industry moves into the next age of maintenance training, developing resilient maintainers has become the focus of training systems and programs. Resilient maintainers are those who have both the competence and confidence necessary to operate in today’s maintenance ecosystems.

We believe that maintainers who consistently participate in Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA) learning experiences will demonstrate greater levels of performance and will be more prepared to operate and maintain aircraft safely, thus providing greater value to their organization. How do we prove that hypothesis? How do we measure the resilience of maintainers and show its subsequent impact on maintenance operations?

We’ll start by looking at Training efficacy; this is the systematic evaluation of the effectiveness of training programs. Successful efficacy measurement shows where training is making a difference in human operational performance and where improvements can be made to training to create even greater impact on operational outcomes.

Efficacy evaluation has three main purposes:

1. To collect empirical evidence of training’s impact on industry safety, supporting regulatory rulemaking and auditing.
2. To demonstrate the intrinsic and economic value of training to support organizational decision-making.
3. To create levers and mechanisms used by training departments to optimize instructional systems and training programs.

But efficacy evaluation poses several key challenges:
– Firstly, suitable sources of data are not always available or consistent.
– Second, determining causality requires that we isolate the impact that training has from other factors that may induce variation.
– Thirdly, operationalizing efficacy evaluation at scale requires an automated and continuous approach to data collection and analysis.

In this presentation, I will be discussing Boeing’s perspective on training efficacy measurement and the value it provides to training organizations and will also explore a few key strategies organizations may use to begin implementing efficacy evaluation themselves.

Victor is an aviation expert with 32 years of experience, leading the Commercial Aviation Program at Columbia Institute, Peru’s largest aviation school (3,000+ students).

He has extensive cabin crew experience across 5 major Peruvian airlines: Faucett, Aero Continente, Taca Peru, Avianca Peru, VivaAir Peru. He’s also a DGAC Peru-certified instructor and designated inspector for Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 FAM and Airbus A330 fleets.

A passionate advocate for safety, he developed expertise in Human Factors and Safety Management Systems. He’s also an experienced “Train the Trainer” facilitator and consultant for leading Peruvian airlines.

In his love for aviation, Victor is currently spearheading the development of future aviation professionals at Columbia Institute in Lima, Peru.

Cabin Crew Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 6

Elevating Cabin Crew Performance Through Innovative Training Strategies

In the aviation industry, where safety and passenger satisfaction are paramount, cabin crew members play a crucial role. However, traditional training models often fall short of preparing crew members for the complex challenges they face. This presentation proposes a transformative approach to cabin crew training, emphasizing innovative solutions to address current limitations.

Current training models rely heavily on memorization and lack real-world scenario practice, neglecting critical thinking and soft skills development. To bridge this gap, this presentation advocates for integrating immersive simulations, such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), to practice emergency procedures and service protocols in a safe and realistic environment. Additionally, role-playing exercises with professional actors can equip crew members with the skills to navigate challenging passenger interactions.

This presentation also emphasizes enhancing soft skills training through workshops, seminars, and personalized coaching; focusing on Crew Resource Management (CRM), communication, empathy, and de-escalation techniques. Adaptive learning sessions, tailored to individual learning styles, can optimize knowledge acquisition and ensure continuous improvement.

Furthermore, cross-departmental collaboration, involving pilots, ground staff, and other operational departments in joint training exercises, can improve communication, coordination, and teamwork, leading to smoother operations and a better passenger experience.

By adopting these innovative training strategies, we can empower cabin crew members to excel in their roles, ensuring passenger safety and satisfaction while upholding the highest standards of professionalism in aviation.

This presentation will explore the challenges, solutions, and implementation strategies for transforming cabin crew training, contributing to a more resilient and passenger-centric aviation industry.

Fabian “Fabi” Riesen is the founder and CEO of Loft Dynamics, the maker of the first and only virtual reality (VR) pilot training devices with regulatory approval. Before Loft Dynamics, Fabi spent over two decades as an engineering technical leader at Cisco Systems, earning the company’s prestigious Pioneer Award for his innovations. During that time, Fabi constructed simulators as a hobby outside of work. With a background in electrical engineering and a lifelong passion for flying, Fabi recognized the need to enhance the safety, realism, and accessibility of pilot training globally and built a simulator to achieve that goal.

In 2014, Fabi combined virtual reality and motion platforms to create a cutting-edge VR simulator from the ground up, in his living room. By 2016, Loft Dynamics (formerly VRM Switzerland) was born, debuting a qualified VR Robinson R22 FNPT II simulator before releasing its EASA-qualified FTD Level 3 VR simulator, the Airbus H125. Today, leading manufacturers, airlines, operators, schools, and organizations around the world use the company’s VR simulators, including the Federal Aviation Administration, Los Angeles Police Department, Airbus Helicopters, Air Zermatt, Helitrans Norway, Heli Austria, and many others.

In addition to receiving his Electrical and Software Engineering and Transmission Technology degree from Zurich University, Fabi obtained an executive MBA in Business Administration from Kalaidos University of Applied Sciences.

Fabi enjoys spending time with his family and exploring the Swiss mountains in his spare time. He recently climbed the 48 summits of the Swiss Alps, all exceeding 4000 meters. Fabi also holds a private pilot license for fixed wing (PPL(A)) and is in the process of obtaining the helicopter equivalent (PPL(H)).

Combined Session (Pilot/ATO/Cabin Crew/Maintenance)
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 8

Harnessing the Power of VR to Revolutionize Fixed-Wing Pilot Training

Loft Dynamics is leading a paradigm shift in pilot training, redefining helicopter training with its pioneering FAA- and EASA-qualified virtual reality (VR) FSTD. Now, having mastered helicopters, they are poised to transform fixed-wing aircraft training amid a critical global pilot shortage.

Fabi Riesen will discuss, for the first time, the industry-defining fixed-wing training suite the company has been developing in close collaboration with customers, OEM aircraft manufacturers, and aviation authorities. He will share the new ways virtual reality will transform fixed-wing training through a combination of hardware and software.

Zac brings a blend of experiences as a former educator and from a decade of consulting with large, Fortune 500 clients across a wide range of industries. His career has been focused on experience design methodologies, developing leaders, and driving innovation in organizations. He is a Design Thinking certified facilitator and has expertise in adult learning, all stemming from a foundation in psychology.

He has led projects and solutions across patient experience improvement, application development, learning experience design/development, innovation system creation, design sprint facilitation, onboarding, leadership development, technology system implementation, e valuation design, and for employee experience/retention/burnout. He recently led the design and development of an award-winning burnout solution for one of our nation’s largest retail healthcare/pharmacy organizations.

He most often finds himself lost In a ‘flow state’ when he has processed a complex challenge well enough to identify key insights to solution against. Zac resides in Cincinnati, OH. He loves to hike (shout out to Hocking Hills, OH!), jam to music with the windows down, or engage in the care of houseplants and bonsai trees with his wife Katie.

Maintenance Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 7

Modernizing Training to Engage the Modern Employee

Preparing engaging and effective training for the next generation requires evolved thinking and methods in training design. While our industry has embraced innovative research and thinking around approaches for training, instructional design, and even learning experience design over the past few decades, pushing ourselves into the design of experiences that impact performance (not just learning) is the stepwise change needed to support the next generation.

Human behavior is complex and key moments (like COVID) shape the motivations of each generation. As training designers who are building future-oriented training organizations and delivery methods, we all need to incorporate evidence-based techniques from adjacent fields (like psychology, neuroscience, or behavioral economics) to drive behavior change.

Allow us to share insights and expertise on how to incorporate this “performance science” into your work. By moving beyond the initial classroom/lesson, you will see how to apply findings on habit formation, learning and forgetting curves, behavioral nudges, inner work, and neuroscience-based communication that can solve for factors that drive performance but aren’t knowledge or skill.

From this presentation, you will leave with tangible and applicable methods that you can apply to your current training needs immediately. Furthermore, you will take home a working canvas to allow you to keep processing back in your typical work context.

Luís Santana is the Coordinator of the Strategic Management and Specific Projects Departments at Quidgest, he has been developing his professional activity at Quidgest since September 2008. He is responsible for the planning, control, and execution of numerous projects in multiple sectors of activity.

From 2008 to 2012, I’ve collaborated with Instituto Politécnico de Tomar e o Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal, teaching classes in Algorithms, Systems Analysis, Databases, and Project Methodology.

As a project manager, I worked on several projects related to the implementation of solutions for managing training for aircraft maintenance technicians (EASA Part 147 certification) for clients such as LASTRAINING, PGA – Portugália Airlines, and OGMA.

During these ears working in these projects, I’ve had the privilege of having direct contact with this companies who have allowed me to realize the importance of an efficient management of information related to Part-147, making it essential to implement adaptable and scalable information management systems.

Maintenance Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 7

Optimizing Aviation Training with Innovative Software Solutions

Efficient management of information related to Part-147 and other legislation for aircraft maintenance technicians, poses a significant challenge for the aviation industry. The complexity and vastness of the data, ranging from certifications to specific training and competency requirements, demand robust digital solutions that go far beyond traditional Excel spreadsheets. The size and digital maturity of organizations vary considerably, making it essential to implement adaptable and scalable information management systems.

It is also imperative for companies that certify aircraft maintenance technicians to keep up with the legislative changes mandated by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Systems need to be dynamic and flexible, allowing continuous adaptation to regulatory changes, ensuring compliance, and mitigating the risks of non-compliance. These solutions should avoid centralizing knowledge within a single person or team, promoting distributed and sustainable knowledge management.

Training organizations, whether external or internal, face different realities and requirements. The spectrum of procedures, nuances in data collection, analysis, and information processing is vast and diverse. Therefore, it is essential to develop systems that support this diversity, providing customizable and efficient tools for managing the training and certification of technicians.

With 36 years of experience, Quidgest has implemented innovative digital solutions in various countries. Partners and major organizations, such as governments, multinational companies, and global multilateral institutions use Quidgest’s solutions to achieve their digital strategies. Our solutions now include Generative AI components, capable of transforming complex information management processes into automated and intelligent operations, significantly increasing efficiency and reducing manual effort.

This combination of expertise and cutting-edge technology positions Quidgest at the forefront of digital transformation in aviation training, offering systems that meet the industry’s most demanding requirements. That is why we are excited to share our vision and experience at the EATS conference.

• 1985-1990: CSC Corp. – Admin for contractor development of FAA Next-Gen air traffic control testing
• 1990-1998: Southeastern Penn Transportation Authority – Light-Rail Maintenance Ops/Admin.
• 1998-2002: UPS Airlines Division – Ramp Operations/Maintenance   PHL
• 2002-2005: Keystone Aerial Surveys – GA Aircraft Maintenance – Line & O/H
• 2005-2015: The Boeing Company – Assembly, Quality, Flight-Test Maintenance
• 2015-2020: Air Wisconsin Airlines – Inspector, Training Instr., MX Management
• 2020-2021: AAR Corp.  Quality and Inspection for D-Checks for United Airlines
• 2022-present: SkyWest Airlines – Maintenance Training Instructor.

FAA Mechanic’s License:  Airframe & Powerplant Certificate (2000)

Various part-time roles with several Aviation Training Schools as Maintenance Training instructor.

Maintenance Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 5

Maintenance Training Design for Improved Outcomes

The electronic tools for remote communication have improved exponentially in the past few years and sophisticated reliability and audio-visual developments seemed to arrive just in time for the Covid-19 work rule changes and limitations on travel. Many training requirements were transferred or expanded to a new or existing remote operation. Airlines were able to continue required and optional training in the Maintenance Departments with little interruption. Can we state that the training events were at least equal to, or perhaps even surpassed the performances and outcomes from earlier meetings?

My answer was: Not yet.

Remote training clearly provides better efficiency. Once the equipment was in place for remote communication it seemed that courses could be scheduled rapidly, with almost no travel and with several instructor options. All this contributed to less time administering the training event and even more significantly – less cost.

Was this new delivery of training more effective than traditional forms?

My experience seemed to indicate:  Not yet.

Remote training needs to be recognized as a distinct form of communication. Just as a live theatrical performance is not a cinematic performance, I have learned that remote training is not a mirror image of instructor-led activity.

I would like to present 3 items for the outline of a remote training course that could be used as a framework to develop improvements for the administration of training.

Preparation, Performance, Follow-Up.

Preparation requires a suitable space that supports audio-visual communication. Simple backgrounds with no distracting “architecture” for the presenter, and proper lighting and camera arrangement for the classroom that does not leave the students “adrift” in a large room full of posters and shadows. And of course, the best technology the department can acquire, or even rent.

Performance requires instructors to practice for personal evaluation and improvement in front of cameras with proper supporting materials that will be quite different from the original paper and physical items commonly used. And interjecting professional videos and even using multiple instructors creates curiosity when they are hearing changes in voice and personality.

Follow-up allows the electronic transmission of information, testing, and the evaluation of both students and instructor performance into the future to accurately measure exact retention for accurate course improvements and instructor course tuning.

This would give the remote experience a much greater effectiveness for the maintenance staff at all levels of training.

Harald Schween is part of Lufthansa Technical Training’s management team and is responsible for the companies’ global customer affairs as the Head of Sales & Marketing.

He has a holistic expertise of the aviation and the MRO industry and has focused over the last years on developing new markets and customer solutions for the qualification of aviation technical staff. Within his area of responsibility, he is overseeing all customer and market relevant activities of the company including the market rollout of new training products, such as online and digital learning solutions for the aviation training industry.

He joined the Lufthansa Group in 1994 and during his career, he has been holding several expert and management positions in the group. Before joining Lufthansa Technical Training in 2016, Harald was responsible for the product management at Lufthansa Flight Training’s simulator training division.

Harald is currently living in the Frankfurt area. He graduated from the Universities of Applied Sciences in Darmstadt and Mainz, Germany, and holds university degrees in mechanical and industrial engineering. He started his professional career as an aircraft maintenance technician.

Maintenance Training Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 2

Recruiting and Retaining Maintenance Technician Talents in the Aviation Industry

The demand for qualified maintenance technicians in the aviation industry is steadily increasing, prompting Lufthansa Technical Training (LTT) to develop strategies to meet this demand. Establishing close relationships with technical schools and vocational institutions allows LTT to identify and engage potential talent early on. Collaboration with educational institutions also ensures that training programs align with industry requirements. Moreover, airlines and Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) organizations are constantly challenged to maintain a sufficient level of suitably qualified technicians to ensure flawless operations.

With today’s and upcoming generations being more digitally connected and committed to personal improvement, there is a growing need for modern, cost-effective training programs. Digital natives are used to sharing knowledge and data via social media platforms and are more familiar with the world of virtual and augmented reality. More than ever, the question of developing modern effective and efficient training programs at reasonable cost has become a priority.

The presentation will explore innovative approaches to training that leverage virtual and augmented reality technologies as well as collaborative learning tools. Furthermore, it will showcase an example for a successful partnership for recruiting maintenance technicians in today’s digital age.

Francesco, or Fran to his friends, took off on his Jet2.com journey in 2011 as a main cabin crew member. Over the years, he climbed the ranks and made a smooth landing in the training department as an instructor for cabin crew safety and security training. In recent years, Fran has joined the training management team, where he now oversees the certification of Jet2.com’s security instructors and ensures the top-notch quality of their aviation security training. He has played a pivotal role in introducing the Security and Dangerous Goods framework and was instrumental in launching the new Jet2.com training centre in Cheadle. Fran has successfully introduced practical competency training for security and dangerous goods and is a key player in the Jet2.com Future Training project, which aims to bring VR to the cabin crew community. Fran’s dedication and innovative spirit makes him a true high-flyer in the world of aviation training!

Cabin Crew Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 5

What We Found at WATS

In a world where Jet2.com, the UK’s 3rd largest airline, faces the challenges of introducing the A321neo to a long-established Boeing-skilled Cabin Crew Community … One solution is changing everything.

Discover how Jet2.com, with the help of Latitude83, is tackling skill fade, embracing new technology and preparing for the future – all with a virtual twist. Join them as they share their search for a cost-effective, multi-generational and logistical solution, and how they found it at WATS ’24. You won’t want to miss it!

I have been in aviation for more than 35 years

• Tour-guide / Cabin crew for a charter operator in Denmark for 10 years.
• Pilot for various airlines in Denmark for 10 years, i.e., SAS flying the MD80
• ATPL ground instructor for 15 years
• CRM instructor since 2004
• Approved Training Manager for our Part 147 Maintenance Training Organisation.
• MCCI simulator Instructor for Multi Crew Coordination courses
• Member of the Danish Flight Safety Council since 2010 dealing with human factors.

I have been involved in training for more than 20 years and am always looking for new ways to enhance the learning experience.

Maintenance Training Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 3

ATO (Approved Training Organisation) Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 5

Cabin Crew Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 6

Introducing Scenario-Based Training into the Training Environment

We believe in ACTIVE LEARNING.

We need to facilitate the training in a way, so we obtain the greatest learning effect of our training.

By introducing relevant scenario-based training, we create a link between classroom theoretical training and practical training as well as to the operational environment. By engaging the participants in relevant training scenarios, we increase the motivation and the skills of the trainees as well as of the instructors.

Furthermore, we are given the opportunity to evaluate and assess the competencies while training in the classroom. By using ICAO Core Competencies or EASA Competence Assessment Criteria, we are able to give relevant and better feedback to the students using the KSA100 Matrix and transfer this knowledge to the operational training by using formative and summative assessments of the students and compare this to their performance in the simulator i.e., during their MCC training.

It is also of utmost importance that the assessment itself is valid and that the instructors have the competency to assess competencies, so there is a general line in the assessment within the company. We have been assessing technical skills for many years and that is not new to the Flight Crew. However, when it comes to assessment of non-technical skills, there is still a challenge in evaluating the performance, since we are looking at so many different parameter and behaviours.

Therefore, the assessment must focus on observable behaviour and not the task and furthermore, should contain an element of and a possibility to exercise self-assessment.

Introducing active learning and scenario-based training into the training environment is one way of obtaining a high level of learning and at the same time being able to assess competencies of the students, as well as enhancing the knowledge and skills of the instructors.
Our Digital Solution also provide the possibility to collect valuable data from the training sessions for highlighting KSA100 incl. CRM and Human Factors issue within the company.

This is valuable not only for KSA100, but also for CBTA and EBT.

Justin brings a strong dedication to improving learning opportunities in the aviation industry and a passion for training to his role as Learning & Development Specialist at Transavia.

Having worked as a teacher trainer and researcher for more than six years, Justin is specialized in lecturing didactics and building motivating and challenging learning programs for a diverse range of learners.

Justin’s expertise in Learning Management Systems and talent development has helped Transavia shape comprehensive and impactful training solutions, ensuring the team of developers and trainers is equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary for excellent training in the aviation sector.

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Cabin Crew Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 5

Transavia’s Vision on Training Newly Hired Cabin Crew

In this presentation, we will look at how we transformed the Initial & Conversion Training program at Transavia Netherlands to fit the learning preferences of a new generation of cabin crew. We designed a more effective and engaging training program by implementing a blended learning method based on the principles of Flipping the Classroom. Traditional lectures have been replaced by interactive online courses, which allow crew members to learn key topics at their own speed before attending physical training sessions focused on practical application and collaborative exercises. In addition to improving knowledge retention, our new training method boosts our new crew’s critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. On top of that, Transavia’s Initial & Conversion Training program has been divided into the formal regulatory parts, introducing an independent Initial training program in accordance with EASA and IOSA requirements and a separate Transavia Conversion training program addressing the operator conversion and type training. This development creates new opportunities, allowing Transavia to accept cabin crew already in the possession of a cabin crew attestation and offer a shorter training period. Vice versa this development creates new opportunities for other airlines to be more effective with their resources as Transavia is able to offer initial certification for industry partners. The benefits are not limited to airline training departments: along with the growing success of universal cabin crew attestations goes a brighter future for cabin crew members: being more flexible and being able to develop themselves on several types of airlines and aircraft. Join our presentation to discover how our approach to blended learning and training newly hired crew is impacting the future of cabin crew training.

With an operational and technical background in aviation, Maaike combines her skills with education in risk, change and business management. Being passionate about creating new opportunities while ensuring the highest standards of training, leads to continuous improvement and innovation at the cabin crew training department of Transavia.

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Cabin Crew Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 5

Transavia’s Vision on Training Newly Hired Cabin Crew

In this presentation, we will look at how we transformed the Initial & Conversion Training program at Transavia Netherlands to fit the learning preferences of a new generation of cabin crew. We designed a more effective and engaging training program by implementing a blended learning method based on the principles of Flipping the Classroom. Traditional lectures have been replaced by interactive online courses, which allow crew members to learn key topics at their own speed before attending physical training sessions focused on practical application and collaborative exercises. In addition to improving knowledge retention, our new training method boosts our new crew’s critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. On top of that, Transavia’s Initial & Conversion Training program has been divided into the formal regulatory parts, introducing an independent Initial training program in accordance with EASA and IOSA requirements and a separate Transavia Conversion training program addressing the operator conversion and type training. This development creates new opportunities, allowing Transavia to accept cabin crew already in the possession of a cabin crew attestation and offer a shorter training period. Vice versa this development creates new opportunities for other airlines to be more effective with their resources as Transavia is able to offer initial certification for industry partners. The benefits are not limited to airline training departments: along with the growing success of universal cabin crew attestations goes a brighter future for cabin crew members: being more flexible and being able to develop themselves on several types of airlines and aircraft. Join our presentation to discover how our approach to blended learning and training newly hired crew is impacting the future of cabin crew training.

Our founder and CEO, Davy Snowdon MBE, was a conditioning expert for the Olympic Federation covering all sports for two Olympic Games, a former Weightlifting Guinness Book World Record holder, a National and staff coach for the British Weightlifting Team and lecturer for many governing bodies.

Following his memorable journey at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, Davy founded Pristine Condition International Ltd, driven by his passion for safety and well-being.

In the intervening years, Davy has revolutionised manual handling training with a unique and innovative approach that continues to deliver unprecedented results across all industrial and commercial sectors, including phenomenal results with some of the world’s largest carriers, and is now regarded by many as the world leader in reducing manual handling injuries.

In 2014, his exceptional dedication earned him the prestigious MBE honor from Queen Elizabeth II for his pioneering work in industrial safety and his contributions to the nation’s health.

Davy’s commitment to excellence and his relentless pursuit of safety and well-being have been the guiding lights of Pristine Condition’s mission.

Cabin Crew Training Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 3

Navigating the Skies of Aviation Culture Change

In this fascinating presentation, Davy Snowdon MBE, Owner and CEO of Pristine Condition International, takes the audience on an intriguing journey through the unexpected intersection of Olympic Weightlifting and the aviation industry. As he unfolds the masterclass, Davy sheds light on how this seemingly unrelated discipline has brought about significant changes in aviation practices.

Shifting gears, Davy directs our focus to the paramount realm of aviation safety. More than just emphasizing the importance of manual handling training, he delves into the essence of making these changes sustainable, ensuring they become an integral part of a company’s culture. The question then arises: How does one transform an aviation business’s safety culture through training?

Davy offers insights into this transformative process by briefly exploring the landscape of AI, manual handling gadgets, and exoskeletons. He envisions the future of manual handling and discusses strategies to seamlessly integrate safety measures into the core of organizational culture.

Concluding on a crucial note, Davy addresses the significant issue of slips, trips, and falls accounting for a significant percentage of all accidents. This presentation not only enlightens the audience on the unexpected connections between Olympic Weightlifting and aviation but also leaves them with a renewed understanding of how manual handling and safety culture can shape the future of the industry.

Anne has been a part of the aviation industry since 1987, starting her career as a cabin attendant before moving on to roles as a pilot and simulator instructor on the Boeing 737. She retired as an airline captain in 2016 and is now the CEO of her own company, NaviMinds.

NaviMinds is a prominent leader in the European human factors training market, having received multiple awards for Innovative Training and Best Crew Resource Management Training.

This year, NaviMinds once again secured the award for Best Crew Resource Management Training Provider.

Cabin Crew Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 6

Training the Trainer – New Methodologies

The training of crew members presents a multitude of challenges, encompassing the management of diverse learning styles and generational differences, accommodating varying expectations, assessing student performance, and integrating new regulations to meet the standards of regulatory bodies.

New methodologies in the field of teaching have emerged as educators strive to improve learning outcomes, adapt to technological advancements, and meet the diverse needs of students. These methodologies reflect a shift towards more student-centered, flexible, and technology-integrated approaches to education. They aim to make learning more engaging, effective, and tailored to the needs of individual learners.

In my presentation, I will explore innovative methodologies and demonstrate their application in classroom training. The elements covered will included blended learning, gamification, personalized learning, inquiry-based learning, collaborative learning, experiential learning, and hybrid learning. These approaches will be exemplified through practical demonstrations, and I will encourage active engagement from the attendees to illustrate their effectiveness.

Frank Steiner is the Head of EBT Standards at Lufthansa Group and has been flying the Airbus A320 for Lufthansa Airlines since 2007.

He became an instructor 14 years ago, and in late 2016, he joined the project team responsible for implementing Evidence-Based Training (EBT) at Lufthansa Airlines, focusing on planning and IT processes. With a strong emphasis on data analysis and management, he developed the airline’s Instructor Concordance Assurance Program (ICAP).

In 2020, he was appointed head of the project team and began consulting for IATA and other airlines on ICAP and EBT implementation.

Since 2023, he has supported EASA as a member of the Safety Promotion Task SPT.012 – ‘Promotion of the new European provisions on pilot training’.

Pilot Training Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 3

Instructor Concordance: The Holy Grail of CBTA?

The presentation will explore Lufthansa’s journey in standardizing instructors during the rollout of Evidence-Based Training (EBT), with a special focus on the Instructor Concordance Assurance Programme (ICAP). Lufthansa adopted the IATA standard in partnership with conavitra, who also conduct annual ICAP analyses. The session will feature examples from concordance analyses and highlight key insights gained from years of EBT instructor standardization, pinpointing common areas where instructors face challenges. The presentation will conclude by emphasizing the critical role of instructor concordance in Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA).

Paul is a graduate of Cambridge University in the UK and is the founder / CEO of Mayflower College in Plymouth, UK.

Mayflower College has specialised in the teaching and testing of Aviation English for 30+ years.

Paul’s latest project is to help native English speakers improve their communication skills when interacting with non-native English speakers.

Cabin Crew Training Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 3

The R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Principle of Communication

Communication without understanding is simply noise – the R.E.S.P.E.C.T. principle of communication

Communication is a cornerstone of Aviation safety. But we are not always very good at it.

In fact, communication is a factor in 70% of aviation incidents and accidents.

The acronym / mnemonic R.E.S.P.E.C.T. provides a useful summary of the principles of safe, efficient radio telephony.

Pilot Training Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 4

The Role of Native English Speakers in Safe, Efficient, Radiotelephony

In this presentation, we will explore the critical role of Native English speakers (NEs) in maintaining safe and efficient radiotelephony, summarizing insights from the June 2024 White Paper by the aircrew training Policy Group (atPG).

Key topics of the White Paper:

1. Formal testing of NE’s and the removal of the lifetime pass for ‘expert – Level 6’ candidates. Acknowledging that language proficiency does not automatically mean communicative proficiency.
2. Advanced communicator training for NEs. Successful communication is a shared responsibility and everyone (including NEs) needs to pay their part.
3. Enhancement of the Communication observable Behaviours (CoM oBs) for pilots, instructors, ATCOs and AMTEMs. Further standardisation is required with a greater focus on language and radiotelephony.
4. Data collection and analysis from aviation events where ‘Communication Breakdown’ is a factor. Highlighting the under-reporting of incidents related to communication and arguing for a greater recognition of communication’s crucial role in aviation safety.

Additional issues for investigation:

• STE (Simplified Technical English) is a subset of English (with its own 1000-word dictionary) used to write Aviation Manuals. could this be used as a template to create a similar subset for spoken plain Aviation English?
• ‘Don’t tell Me, show Me’. Radiotelephony Manuals currently tell us what to say but typically don’t show us how to say it (accent, speed of delivery, pausing, emphasising key information, etc).

Recommendations:
• Publish examples of speech (from both native and non-native English speakers) which are considered ‘intelligible to the aeronautical community’.
• Embed audio files into Radiotelephony Manuals or include them in supporting guidance materials.

• Should Standard Phraseology testing be combined with Language Proficiency testing?
• There are many English language proficiency tests – how can we ensure that different tests produce similar results?

Work Experience:

• 11/2022 – CURRENT – TRI/TRE AIRBUS A330
• 06/2022 – CURRENT Frankfurt, Germany – CAPTAIN AIRBUS A330 DISCOVER AIRLINES
• 10/2021 – CURRENT Frankfurt, Germany – TRE AIRBUS A320 DISCOVER AIRLINES
  Introduction of the A320 fleet at Discover Airlines. EBT implementation
• 01/2021 – CURRENT Vienna, Austria – MANAGING DIRECTOR HEADING365
• 09/2018 – CURRENT – TRE AIRBUS A320 AUSTRIAN AIRLINES
• 12/2017 – CURRENT – TRI AIRBUS A320 AUSTRIAN AIRLINES
• 11/2016 – CURRENT – CAPTAIN AIRBUS A320 AUSTRIAN AIRLINES
• 11/2014 – 11/2016 – FIRST OFFICER LONG RANGE AUSTRIAN AIRLINES
• 02/2014 – 06/2016 – ASSISTANT TO THE FLIGHT OPERATIONS MANAGER AUSTRIAN AIRLINES
  Managing all tasks assigned by the Flight Operations Manager.
• 07/2010 – CURRENT – LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY EXAMINER SELF-EMPLOYED
  Assess pilots and air traffic controllers level of English and German proficiency including Level 6. Acknowledged in Austria, Germany and Switzerland.
• 03/2010 – CURRENT – FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SELF-EMPLOYED
  Providing flight and ground instruction. Holding following instructor licenses: CPL, PPL, IR, Night, FI, Aerobatic, SEP, MEP, TMG
• 02/2007 – CURRENT – FLIGHT EXAMINER SELF-EMPLOYED
  WORK EXPERIENCE
  Flight examination for candidates obtaining and validating flight licenses. Holding following licenses: FE, IRE, CRE SEP, CRE MEP
• 04/2005 – 03/2010 FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ÖLS ÖSTERREICHISCHE LUFTFAHRTSCHULE
  Providing flight and ground instruction for Austrian Airlines and Austrian Air Force ab initio and ready entry candidates. Holding following instructor licenses: CPL, PPL, ME, SE, IR, NIT, FI, SFI
• 10/2003 – 11/2014 – FIRST OFFICER SHORT RANGE AUSTRIAN AIRLINES
  Pilot on the Boeing 737NG and Airbus A320 fleet operating short and medium range scheduled and charter flights within Europe, North Africa and East Asia.
• 03/2003 – CURRENT – CORPORATE PILOT SELF-EMPLOYED
  On demand flights for a private person on different single and multi engine piston aircraft.
• 11/2002 – 10/2003 – PASSENGER SERVICE AGENT AUSTRIAN AIRLINES
  Handling passengers mainly for Austrian Airlines but also for other airlines. Passenger check-in and boarding.

ATO (Approved Training Organisation) Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 6

Enhancing Aviation Training: Customized Software Solutions for Optimal Learning Outcomes

In the fast-paced world of aviation, training methodologies must evolve to keep up with technological advancements and the increasing complexity of aircraft systems. One critical approach to achieving this is through the implementation of customized software solutions tailored specifically to the needs of training organizations and airlines. This presentation explores how the principles of Evidence-Based Training (EBT), already successful in larger programs, can be adapted to enhance smaller aviation training projects.

Customized software offers a powerful tool for training organizations to design and deliver training programs that address their unique operational requirements and safety standards. By leveraging data analytics and simulation technologies, these systems can create a comprehensive and cohesive training environment that mirrors real-world scenarios pilots may encounter. This ensures that training is both relevant and practical, significantly improving learning outcomes.

The presentation will delve into how tailored software solutions can help standardize training procedures, streamline operations, and provide consistent training experiences across different platforms. By integrating advanced simulation technologies and adaptive learning algorithms, training organizations can provide immediate feedback and create dynamic training scenarios, preparing pilots for both routine operations and unexpected challenges with greater confidence and competence.

Reducing negative learning is a critical goal of any training program, and customized software plays a vital role in achieving this. By ensuring that training content is accurate, relevant, and effectively delivered, these solutions help to eliminate misconceptions
and reinforce correct techniques from the outset.

Attendees will gain insights into the practical implementation of customized training systems, the benefits of data-driven customization, and strategies to minimize negative learning across all levels of aviation training. Join us to explore how tailored, technology-driven approaches can revolutionize aviation training, making advanced, effective training accessible to organizations of all sizes.

He started his career as a successful oil and gas engineer working in a major oil and gas company until 2004 when he decided to leave the major oil and gas company and started his own company. In 2010, he expanded his business to the aviation sector by sending Indonesian cadets to the US and Europe for pilot training. Inspired by the rapid growth of the aviation industry in Indonesia, in 2012 he founded his flight school, Perkasa Flight School, which is nowthe only international flight school in Indonesia. In 2021 he expanded his aviation business to business jet operator and management.

ATO (Approved Training Organisation) Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 3

The Declining Interest and Passion of Generation Z to Become a Pilot

Air traffic in various parts of the world is currently at levels between 85% and 118% compared to pre-pandemic (2019) air traffic levels. It is estimated that air traffic will return to the position of 2019 air traffic levels between the first quarter of 2023 and early 2025. Now airlines have been busy re-recruiting pilots who had been laid off or asked to take early retirement. Many have even started recruiting new pilots, both experienced pilots, and ab initio pilots. It is estimated that approximately 10% of pilots who were laid off or taking early retirement will not return to work as pilots for various reasons. As the result is that the shortage of pilots from 2019 will re-occur even before air traffic conditions return to the 2019 levels.

95% of cadet pilots are high school graduates which of course are filled by Generation Z. This is where, in my opinion, there is a more serious problem: the sharp decline in interest and passion of Generation Z, born 1996 – 2010, to become pilots. Generation Z is a generation that is technologically adept and prefers to communicate through social media, due to the influence of social media on what is currently trending. Their interest in becoming a pilot really depends on the surrounding environment.

The decline in the interest and passion of Generation Z is influenced by many factors, including the increasingly stringent level of flight security, and in today’s environment, most of them watch social media that shows instantly comfortable living.

In our analysis, North America, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East tend to suffer the greatest shortages while Europe, Africa, and Latin America remain short but not as severely as the other areas.

Soon, the supply-demand market for pilots will begin to change into a pilot market where the pilot has higher bargaining power due to the shortage of pilots. Thus various strategies must be implemented so that airlines can still be guaranteed the supply which will be discussed in this paper.

I was born in Jersey, United Kingdom on November 15, 1979.

I have a degree in Physics and Chemistry teaching from the Sciences Faculty, University of Lisbon. I joined the Aviation Industry in 2006 as a training technician and as a physics and mathematics instructor, in several aircraft maintenance mechanics courses delivered by LASTRAINING, an aircraft maintenance training company based in Lisbon, Portugal. After a year, I was invited to be responsible for the training and the examinations delivered in the organization, and I was in this position for five years.

In 2007 and 2008 I’ve been part of the team responsible for obtaining the EASA Part 147 certification of the organization. Between 2008 and 2009 I attended a postgraduate course in Air Transport Operations. At that time, I was challenged to deliver training as a Human Factors instructor. Due to this invitation, I attended my first Human Factors Course specific in Aviation Maintenance. And over time I’ve developed more knowledge in this area by attending training in Emotional Intelligence, Teamwork, Team Motivation, and Leadership, and in the last year, I have specifically focused on Emotion Management Training.

Since 2013 I have worked as the Training Manager of LASTRAINING, maintaining the role of instructor and examiner for the Basic Training Courses for Aircraft Maintenance Technicians.

Between 2015 and 2017 I’ve attended to a Master’s Degree in Education and Training – Organization and Management of Education and Training, in the Education Institute of the University of Lisbon.

During these 17 years working in LASTRAINING, I’ve had the privilege of having direct contact with hundreds of trainees who have allowed me to realize the importance of frequent monitoring and an in-depth understanding of the classes. This knowledge helped our school to understand the importance of delivering specific training, vital in the development of essential skills, that combined with technical knowledge, turn our trainees more confident and able to carry out their job more effectively and safely.

Maintenance Training Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 2

Training the Next Aircraft Maintenance Generation: Synergy Between Human Factors, Emotional Learning and Social Skills

In the fast-evolving maintenance and repair industry, training programs for Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AME) must align with technological advancements and industry requirements. This presentation emphasizes the critical need for AME training programs that integrate Human Factors (HF), Emotional Learning (EL), and Social Skills to enhance daily performance.

Close collaboration between Training and Maintenance Organizations is essential to understand training needs that lead to comprehensive training programs, ensuring that the Maintenance Industry benefits from a highly skilled, emotionally resilient and adaptable workforce.

Alongside critical HF in AME performance, emotions and social skills significantly influence AME responses and overall job performance. Therefore, integrating Emotional Learning (EL) and Social Skills into HF training can greatly enhance teamwork, effective communication, and conflict resolution.

Transformative training programs that go beyond traditional knowledge acquisition are needed, fostering personal growth and the development of new skills through experiential learning, gamification, and immersive training programs.

This presentation explores the synergy between HF, EL, and social skills, demonstrating how their integration can lead to substantial improvements in AME daily performance. By focusing on these areas, these training programs can produce confident and adaptable workers who perform their duties more effectively and safely.

In conclusion, this presentation demonstrates that by leading in the adoption of comprehensive training strategies that include HF, EL, and social skills, training organizations equip maintenance organizations with a highly skilled and adaptable workforce to meet the demands of a dynamic industry.

David has been a director of Basair Aviation College, a large flight training provider, for over 10 years. Basair provides the flight training for Griffith University, TAFE NSW (the largest vocational education provider in Australia) as well as being approved to deliver its own Diploma of Aviation course.

Prior to entering the aviation industry, David worked for Accenture as a Strategy Consultant and ran large projects at Barclays Bank (London) and Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

David has extensive presentation experience, presenting as part of his role at Accenture and in the banking industry. David has also presented his research project at Lund University, and delivers the Safety Culture lectures at Basair Aviation College.

David has an MBA from London Business School and is currently studying for a Masters of Safety Design at Lund University (Sweden.) He also holds Bachelors Degrees in Economics and also Science from the Australian National University.

David is an experienced Director and Chair, and is also a Director of the Regional Aviation Association of Australia, Eagle Aircraft Maintenance and Australia by Air (a general aviation charter operation.)

Approved Training Organisation Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 4

Successfully Using AI in Pilot Training Operations

I would like to share my experience of implementing Artificial Intelligence (AI) projects at Basair Aviation College by using, as an example, the development of an AI tool to optimise student bookings.

1. The tremendous opportunities for ‘AI’ in pilot training.

AI uses historical data to predict future outcomes, and in pilot training we capture a huge data set; flights, student competency scores, exam results, homework results, cancellations by reason, pass rates, satisfaction surveys, safety event databases, etc…
This wealth of data provides many opportunities to leverage AI.

2. How we translated a ‘Business Problem’ into an ‘AI Problem’

AI projects need to frame the business problem as a ‘predictability problem’ in order to use the dataset available. In my example, the business problem was reframed as “For every student, what is the probability (%) that they will complete the Unit of Study on time?”

3. Why ‘AI’ was better at this problem than people.

Base Managers and Instructors can easily identify the very best students, and those students that need the most additional help.
However for the majority between these extremes, AI is better at identifying when a student is at risk of just missing a goal on time.

4. How we kept a Human Element focus in the solution.

Rather than give a single answer to each potential booking, we recognised the benefit of utilising the Base Manager’s current knowledge (as opposed to the AIs historical focus.)

5. How accessible AI projects are.

Basair is a small company (70 aircraft, 300 students) and we have successfully managed several AI projects. You do not have to be large, with your own IT department, to leverage AI. Solutions are available for companies of all sizes.

Cabin Crew Training Manager at SmartLynx Airlines Ltd.

• 24 years of professional background in sales, customer service and management roles
• Also qualified as CRM Assessor, Compliance Auditor, Train the Trainer and Senior Ground Instructor
• Currently managing Cabin Crew Training for a fleet of 70 aircrafts comprising of A320, A321, B737MAX and A330 damp or wet leased to customers worldwide
• I call myself an adrenaline addict, I love travelling, meeting new people and most of all enjoying every day to the fullest.

Cabin Crew Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 5

Cabin Crew Training Challenges and Solutions for an ACMI

• Complex operations
• Access to suitable training facilities worldwide
• Introduction of VR technology
• Access to aircrafts for familiarization purposes
• Staff resources in terms of qualified instructors and examiners to fulfill unprecedented training needs post pandemic
• NEW workforce and increased turnover
• Customizable training syllabus in line with regulatory requirements
• Cultural & Generational Intelligence differences

René has been active n the Aerospace Industry for over 45 years, of which 23 years in Aviation Training. Prior to joining ProSim-TS in 2021 he was the Head of Business Development for a large Flight Training Center (FSC Aviation Training) in Amsterdam.

Through his career he served in a wide variety of management roles in many different disciplines of aviation. After his career within Operational and Technical departments for Airlines (HV, KL), Regional Airlines (WU) and Northsea Helicopter Operations (KLM-H) he managed the Business Development for major OEM’s of Aircraft parts and Engines such as Allied Signal Aerospace as well as pioneering the introduction of safety enhancing Avionics such as EGPWS and TCAS for AlliedSignal (later Honeywell Aerospace).

In 1999 he entered the Aviation Training & Simulation industry as the Marketing & Sales Director EMEA for Mechtronix and Aerosim simultaneously and subsequently as VP Customer Support based in Montreal. Upon his return to The Netherlands in 2012 he was responsible as VP Business Development for the market introduction of flight simulators of Multi Pilot Simulations (MPS), and later Lockheed Martin Commercial Flight Training.

René holds an Engineering degree in Aerospace Structural, Power Plant and Avionics and Industrial Engineering, Exec MBA, a PPL and is a Member of the Royal Aeronautical Society (MRAeS).

Combined Session (Pilot/ATO/Cabin Crew/Maintenance)
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 8

Virtual Instructor Extended Reality Tool: A User Perspective

Neil Waterman has worked in the flight simulation and training industry for 35 years specializing in sound and communications systems. He joined Singer Link-Miles in the UK in 1989 before heading over to the USA in 1999 to join Advanced Simulation Technology inc. (ASTi). Today, Neil is the Commercial Aviation Director for ASTi and for the past 18 years has championed development of the ASTi SATCE solution SERA. He has previously presented on the practical application of Simulated ATC Environments in Flight Simulators and the delivery of Level D sound in Full Flight Simulators and was a contributing author to the recently published “Implementation Guide For Artificial Intelligence In Aviation” book, published by HF Horizons.

Combined Session (Pilot/ATO/Cabin Crew/Maintenance)
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 8

Regulation: Roadblock or Backstop? A Tale of Innovation, Frustration and Better-Together with the FAA – Has SATCE Come of Age?

Currently there are roughly 300 Simulated ATC Environment (SATCE) systems installed on FSTDs around the world. Of these, more than 90% are in use for military training, while the remainder are commercial.

Why the disparity? Could it be explained in one word: Regulation?

When the current regulatory standards for FSTDs were crafted, SATCE wasn’t available. It’s not that it wasn’t desired, it was just at the time, technically impossible. Hence, there is no mention of such a technology. Innovation doesn’t sit well within this regulatory framework and commercial flight simulators are purchased to meet the requirements defined in the regulations. But, in military flight training there is no such barrier – if the technology works, it will be used, and if it works well, it will be used more. And the evidence indicates this is true. Military use continues to expand.

However, in the commercial world, the path forward for SATCE seemed very much like a chicken and egg problem. On the one hand, the regulator’s position was that as users start using SATCE they would start evaluating the system, while the users stated that once the system was required by regulation they would start using it.

For quite a while it seemed this impasse would remain. Despite great progress with the military user base, despite significant product improvements and capability enhancements, and, somewhat more worryingly, evidence from the flight line that incidents involving other traffic and ATC were increasing, there seemed to be little interest from the global regulatory community.

However, as the saying goes, “still waters run deep”, and while it may have seemed that SATCE was beyond the interest of the national aviation authorities, early in 2023, the FAA issued an RFI covering “immersive flight simulation technologies”, identifying virtual reality (VR) and specifically SATCE of interest, and as of January 2024, the FAA and ASTi now have a Cooperative Research And Development Agreement (CRADA), focused on the strengths and weaknesses of SATCE through experimentation, with a focus on how it might be certified for pilot training.

This presentation will look at the pathway and roadblocks found in bringing this new technology into the aviation training industry, the challenges that regulation brings, both restrictively and, conversely, working cooperatively with the FAA and the resources they can provide. Looking forward, this presentation will outline the areas of research (and other adjacent research efforts focused on SATCE) and the vision for this work moving forward, and how this will enhance pilot training and ultimately safety. We also hope that our experience with bringing a new technology like SATCE to market will pave the way for other innovative tech to follow.

Micah White is a seasoned technology leader with over 25 years of experience in R&D. Currently serving as VP of Research and Development at CGS and Product Manager for Cicero, an AI-driven tool focused on soft-skills development, Micah is at the forefront of innovation. His expertise spans augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and AI integration, where he has pioneered immersive solutions to enhance learning and human interaction. His awards include Brandon Hall technology and M.U.S.E Innovation awards.  An XR patent holder, Micah’s visionary work continues to shape the future of AI-powered training tools, driving both industry growth and individual success.

Cabin Crew Training Conference
Day 2 – Thursday 7th November – Session 7

Unruly Passengers … AI Saves the Day

In this presentation, I will showcase how CGS Immersive collaborated with Scoot Airlines to transform their flight attendant training by incorporating AI-driven soft skills tools. Using the AI-enabled Cicero platform, we developed immersive, real-world scenarios to train attendants on handling unruly passengers through conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, and de-escalation techniques. The training’s effectiveness was validated using the LEAP (Listen, Empathize, Ask, Paraphrase ) method, ensuring measurable improvements in trainee performance. This innovative approach boosted confidence, enhanced response times, and elevated the overall customer service experience, contributing to a safer and more professional environment for Scoot Airlines.

My name is Veronica Žunić and I am part English, Greek and Malawian born in Africa. I completed my primary education in Greece and then my secondary education in Malawi. I commenced my aviation career in the late 80’s by working several jobs to self sponsor myself through flight training.

I spent ten years flying in Africa for Air Malawi on the HS748, DO228, ATR42 and B737. I then moved to Taiwan where I spent four years flying the ATR72 before moving to Vietnam where I spent eighteen and a half years flying for Vietnam Airlines on the ATR72, A320/1 and A330.

I moved in to training on the Airbus in 2008 and have been actively involved in all aspects of training since then.

I trained to become an aviation english language assessor and assessor trainer and ran an assessment centre under UK CAA approval. I have a lot of experience in assessing Aviation English and conducted many assessments in Asia, on pilots with varying Aviation English levels.

I hold a Master’s Degree in Aviation Management and I lead a great team of instructors and examiners who work for Salient Aero.

Outside of work, I enjoy exercising, reading books and spending time with my family.

I am very passionate about the role that Native English speakers play in aviation language and feel that we need to highlight several important safety related aspects.

Having recently tried to learn Croatian, I fully identify and empathise with non-native English speakers and the challenges that they face in trying to communicate in a foreign language. As a Native English speaker I believe that I can support their journey and help improve safety by educating the aviation population on the importance of speech rate, simple language and the correct use of standard radio telephony and standard callouts.

Pilot Training Conference
Day 1 – Wednesday 6th November – Session 4

The Role of Native English Speakers in Safe, Efficient, Radiotelephony

In this presentation, we will explore the critical role of Native English speakers (NEs) in maintaining safe and efficient radiotelephony, summarizing insights from the June 2024 White Paper by the aircrew training Policy Group (atPG).

Key topics of the White Paper:

1. Formal testing of NE’s and the removal of the lifetime pass for ‘expert – Level 6’ candidates. Acknowledging that language proficiency does not automatically mean communicative proficiency.
2. Advanced communicator training for NEs. Successful communication is a shared responsibility and everyone (including NEs) needs to pay their part.
3. Enhancement of the Communication observable Behaviours (CoM oBs) for pilots, instructors, ATCOs and AMTEMs. Further standardisation is required with a greater focus on language and radiotelephony.
4. Data collection and analysis from aviation events where ‘Communication Breakdown’ is a factor. Highlighting the under-reporting of incidents related to communication and arguing for a greater recognition of communication’s crucial role in aviation safety.

Additional issues for investigation:

• STE (Simplified Technical English) is a subset of English (with its own 1000-word dictionary) used to write Aviation Manuals. could this be used as a template to create a similar subset for spoken plain Aviation English?
• ‘Don’t tell Me, show Me’. Radiotelephony Manuals currently tell us what to say but typically don’t show us how to say it (accent, speed of delivery, pausing, emphasising key information, etc).

Recommendations:
• Publish examples of speech (from both native and non-native English speakers) which are considered ‘intelligible to the aeronautical community’.
• Embed audio files into Radiotelephony Manuals or include them in supporting guidance materials.

• Should Standard Phraseology testing be combined with Language Proficiency testing?
• There are many English language proficiency tests – how can we ensure that different tests produce similar results?