FAA failing to ensure pilots’ manual flying skills are updated
Sunday, 12 Jan, 2016
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The government is failing to ensure commercial pilots have sufficient skills to operate increasingly complex automate systems in cockpits.
A report by the Transportation Department says the automated nature of flying means pilots generally only use their manual flying skills for takeoffs and landings.
DOT inspectors found two airlines actively discouraged their pilots from flying manually.
"The opportunities pilots have during live operations to maintain proficiency in manual flight are limited and likely to diminish," said the Transportation Department’s internal watchdog.
"While the FAA has taken steps to emphasize the importance of pilots’ manual flying and monitoring skills, the agency can and should do more to ensure that carriers are sufficiently training their pilots on these skills," the report stated.
The FAA issued a directive in 2013 for airlines to increase manual flight hours in both training and operational duty, but the agency has not ensured this has been carried out, the report said.
The FAA has also been lax on oversight of training programs which cover monitoring of the flight path and automated systems.
"Because FAA hasn’t determined how carriers should implement the new requirements or evaluated whether pilots’ manual flying time has increased, the agency is missing important opportunities to ensure that pilots maintain skills needed," the report continued.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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