Small Operators Share Keys to Finding Training Slots

Industry demand for simulator-based training to keep crews current often stretches service providers to their limits these days. And nowhere is that pressure felt more than in small flight departments.

Operators that are dealing with this issue recommend a mixture of patience, persistence and flexibility. “We were told we wouldn’t get any [simulator] slots if we didn’t book a year in advance, so we booked two years in advance,” said Dave Keys, chief pilot at a Florida-based, one-aircraft operator.

Altogether, the four-airplane fleet used by technology provider Jack Henry at its aviation base in Southwestern Missouri operates nearly 2,200 hours each year. Pilot training requires many annual trips to access training resources. The service providers “might have equipment or simulators, but they may not have a training center examiner (TCE) at the end of the training,” said Jack Henry Chief Pilot Michael Whannel. “The training providers are going through the same level of industry churn as flight departments. But where a flight department might absorb the loss of an individual, those training providers find it much more difficult to backfill those instructor positions.”

“There have been challenges with instructor availability caused by both pilot and instructor attrition,” said John Billington, CAE senior director of sales for the Americas for business aviation and helicopter training. “Simulator capacity right now is not typically the bottleneck. It’s the instructors.”

Although at one point it took CAE approximately 18 months to find a new TCE, Billington said, the company is doing everything it can to lessen the pain. “We dual-qualify the examiners where possible to be able to teach on at least two aircraft types,” Billington said. “We’ve been able to stabilize our instructor contingent and increased our examiners 50% over what we had last year.”

The key to capturing the most desired training slots “begins with flight department managers planning further ahead and not holding on to reservations they may not need,” Billington advises.

However, pilots need to be flexible, too. “If you need an initial, it may not be the very next class,” he said. “We may have to work on the schedule and come back to the customer with some alternative dates.”

CAE often faces tougher challenges finding available slots for in-production aircraft – but not always. “I had a customer call me for a [Bombardier] Global 7500 recurrent – one of our busier platforms – and we were able to get them in within a few weeks.”

Because CAE offers training facilities in multiple countries, its global network could be the solution for a flight crew that’s squeezed on time. But Billington warned, “We don’t have FAA approval in every program we offer overseas.” And don’t forget about the less popular late-night slots. That’s where flexibility comes in.

“Don’t be afraid to ask your sales representative for alternative solutions if what is provided doesn’t work for you, because we can sometimes get a little more creative even though a program is full,” Billington said. “But really, it’s all about making sure we have dialog and communication with customers that’s most important.”

Review NBAA Domestic Operations Committee resources for small flight departments at nbaa.org/sfd.