In our humble opinion - KSA100
What is this new aeronautical subject that we hear so much in this period in training circles? It sounds like a Russian secret code but it actually sums up what a candidate needs to have in order to get a professional pilot license.
The "K" is the "knowledge", that is the theoretical teachings that the school delivers and that the student must learn to pass the exams; the "S" are the "skills" that the student must have at the end of the course .... up to here all is right!
And what does the "A" refer to? To the "attitude" of the student towards aeronautical subjects. These attitudes are evaluated with formative assessments, mental math exercises and summative assessments. The first two groups of tests refer to progress tests on the subject addressed during a lesson or a series of lessons and on mental calculation skills. Up to now, there is nothing disconcerting for schools that must basically do what they have always done, formalizing it in a different way.
The summative tests, on the other hand, must cover the following areas: Communication Leadership and Teamwork Problem solving and decision making, Situational awareness, Workload management, Application of knowledge, Upset recovery and prevention training and resilience.
These concepts are typical of the CRM courses that airline companies offer and they are very subjective: subjective for the student being examined and for the instructor who examines him. Now: a CRM instructor needs training that lasts several months and we are not talking about a psychotherapist who takes years to achieve the skills required for this professionalism. These people certainly have a certain attitude in their turn to make these assessments or at least they are part of the work they have studied for and want to do.
So the questions arise:
- Are we sure that the flight instructors, with a daily course, can make these assessments peacefully?
- Are we sure that they too have the attitudes to verify attitudes?
- Are we sure that the school, in full conflict of interest with the student, makes an objective evaluation?
- Are we sure that legally this has a value?
- Will a student be able to appeal this rating if it were negative? And go to a competing school to get another opinion? or maybe from a psychologist?
- What power will the school have against the power of a psychologist?
According to "our humble opinion", it would be better if these assessments are made by those who really know how to do them, by professionals, objective, independent, if not even by the aeronautical authority. Why take this responsibility away from AMCs who issue first-class medical examinations and give it to schools that do not have assessment capacity?
Actually, the most serious schools will rely on external expert staff and will not leave this type of responsibility to the instructor, but in any case the conflict of interest remains.
We believe it is an excellent idea to introduce these tests, God forbid, but we believe that schools should not do them. People says that this legislation arises from problems encountered by airlines during the initial line training of new pilots. Now: if a person is not psychologically "suitable" to fly, the doctor should stop him, while if a person is not fit to fly in a scheduled company, the selectors will form him, however he could be a very good instructor, a firefighting, cargo, or air taxi pilot. Why should schools be the ones to solve this problem, which is neither their competence nor capacity?
We do not want to argue or, as always, blame the legislation, bureaucracy or authority, but in this case we think that an appropriate solution is applied to a problem identified correctly, but applied by the wrong organizations. It would take little to do something well done!
Incidentally, the “100” at the end refers only to the numbering of the theoretical subjects of the professional courses. Here, now we have said everything.
This was the second article of our column “in our modest opinion” and as always we emphasize the fact that in the aeronautical world you never stop learning, but you must also always try to improve.
Until next time.
Happy landings!
