Air Canada Cadet Program

[iflyforpie]

Air Canada announces new Cadet Training Program. --AF

Air Canada—Canada's largest regularly scheduled airline—announced today that they will be setting up a pilot training program that will take promising candidates and train them to pilot their aircraft without having any previous flight experience. Normally, Air Canada chooses pilots who already have a wide range of experience flying with other air carriers, and applicants often have to wait years until they have the necessary skills to be hired.

This comes as a move to standardize the training and experience requirements of Air Canada pilots and also as hedge against the looming pilot shortage as large numbers of pilots retire. These programs have proven successful for other airlines worldwide, including Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific.

“What we are doing is nothing new here.” say Air Canada Flight Training Operations Manager Nigel DuBois. “Instead of us relying on the industry to train our pilots, we are grabbing the bull by the horns and training them our way. That way there is no way that bad flying habits can form during a pilot's career that we then have to fix once they have enough experience to work for us.”

There are other advantages to Air Canada as well. “If we can get a pilot working for us at age 21, then by the time he has to retire he will have worked for us for 44 years—that's a huge pension contribution! Naturally since these pilots don't have as much flight time, we can save money on labour costs as well.”

Air Canada will be setting up a new elementary training division of Air Canada Flight Training to be based out of Montreal's Mirabel Airport. They will be using a mixed fleet of Diamond DA20 and DA42 propeller aircraft for initial training and Cessna Citation Mustangs to give the cadets their first jet hours.

“The beautiful thing about Mirabel is that it is close enough to our headquarters in Montreal, but it's far enough away to give our cadets that 'middle of nowhere' feeling like you get when you fly up north. Plus it has very little traffic and really long runways to help our cadets with landing.”

Potential cadets will apply on Air Canada's website. When selected—based on their high school and post-secondary transcripts, physical condition, and various other factors—the cadets receive their training free, but need to sign a promissory note should they not complete the program or leave Air Canada. They then begin their careers as 'cruise pilots', only operating the aircraft at high altitudes with no takeoffs or landings.

“Our new cadets will see how airlines operate from day one. Even in our light propeller aircraft every flight will be at least two crew and follow airline-style standard operating procedures.”

Not everyone is happy with Air Canada's announcement. This development has ALPA president Captain Barney Taft furious. “We've already seen that putting inexperienced pilots into airliners can be deadly”, citing the fatal 2009 crash of a Colgan Airlines Q400 aircraft in Buffalo NY. Pilot inexperience was deemed to be a factor. “We also have here is a program that will undercut our current pilots and shut out more experienced applicants. These cadets will receive a fraction of the salary of a regular new-hire pilot at Air Canada and unfortunately most will gladly do it.”

There are also concerns that this program might short-circuit the flight training market, leaving flight schools without a market. “That's ridiculous” says Nigel. “We don't see the flight schools complaining about the Canadian Forces taking potential business away. Not every pilot is going to be able to train with us.” He also addresses the concerns about lack of experience. "It's not like they are going to be flying the plane by themselves. That's why we have Captains on board at all times to make sure nothing goes wrong. The typical wait for a Cadet to become a Captain will be around 30 years, more than enough time to get the required experience."

The Cadet program is set to take off this September, graduating its first class two years later in April.

[KK7]

Hmmm... it is April 1st isn't it?

[FICU]

[teacher]

Frig dude you had me going, you win!!

[LegoMan]

"The typical wait for a Cadet to become a Captain will be around 30 years"

Love it!

[the_cr]

lol, I will humbly accept ridicule as I have just returned from scouring the Air Canada website for the cadet program link.

[Panama Jack]

Graduate pilots will start with Air Canada as rampies, initially in forgotten locations such as Fredericton, but eventually be relocated to Toronto before graduating to Flight Attendant . . .

[toelessjoe]

Graduate pilots will start with Air Canada as rampies, initially in forgotten locations such as Fredericton, but eventually be relocated to Toronto before graduating to Flight Attendant . . .

You sir, have clearly been to Fredericton .


- Toeless.

[Hawkerflyer]

Got me. I to looked at the website. Well played.

[all_ramped_up]

Thankfully I saw the date stamp on that one...

Would be nice if Big Red had a training program like Lufthansa though.

[cj555]

http://www.airgeorgian.ca/recruitment-p ... ogram.html

[newcomer]

Well,I heard that the Jazz groundschool that started on Monday had 4 college grads out of 10 people (40%!!!)...so we're getting there,step by step.

[Inverted2]

Well the lower you make the experience requirements, the easier it is to justify paying pathetic wages. Maybe by 2020 newhires will be making minumum wage, who knows.
I won't be the least bit surprised to see the number of accidents increase though.

[fish4life]

Favourite line was the mirabel being far enough away to give the "up north feeling"

[Chaxterium]

I won't be the least bit surprised to see the number of accidents increase though.

Isn't that the debate though? I believe cadet programs are rather common in Europe and I don't believe their accident rates are appreciably higher than ours. We like to hang onto our the belief that paying our dues by working our way up the ladder creates better and safer pilots but it's not the way things are done in Europe and they seem to be doing ok. Our system may arguably create better and more rounded pilots but cadet programs are designed to do one thing; teach cadets how to fly an airliner and aside from a few glaring omissions, they seem to do it quite well.

Notwithstanding the above I do think our system is better. It may take a longer time to get to the airlines but it's a hell of a ride getting there. Certainly makes for some great stories to tell the grandkids one day.

When I finished flight school if someone had told me I could fly for Jazz right away I would have jumped at the opportunity but looking back on my career now I wouldn't change a thing. I'm glad it wasn't an option.

Cheers,
Chax

[jschnurr]

http://www.airgeorgian.ca/recruitment-p ... ogram.html

The cost of this course is approximately US$60,000 and is to be paid for by the candidate.

[Panama Jack]

The cost of this course is approximately US$60,000 and is to be paid for by the candidate.

[/quote]


Not a "bad" deal, when you consider it probably costs in excess of $45,000 to go zero time to an unemployed Comm/multi-IFR pilot in Canada these days.

Here the package includes a 1900 Type Rating, a job, a career path, and probably no tossing bags or building out-houses for Mom & Pop Flying Service in Fort Upchuck, Manitoba. I'd probably push my kid towards it if they really weren't disgusted by what daddy does and still wanted to be a pilot.

[anonymity]

Well, I just went to my old clubs website and the bare minimum assuming no extra time required is, 52339.84 for CMIFR.
The above cadet program includes living expenses for a year and a type rating on a 1900, 60,000.00 sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

[iflyforpie]

I don't know what's more sad.... somebody digging up an April Fools joke thread I wrote two years ago in January... or that the Air Georgian Cadet program pretty much embodies the spirit of that April Fools joke with humourless intent.

[x15]

I won't be the least bit surprised to see the number of accidents increase though.

Isn't that the debate though? I believe cadet programs are rather common in Europe and I don't believe their accident rates are appreciably higher than ours. We like to hang onto our the belief that paying our dues by working our way up the ladder creates better and safer pilots but it's not the way things are done in Europe and they seem to be doing ok. Our system may arguably create better and more rounded pilots but cadet programs are designed to do one thing; teach cadets how to fly an airliner and aside from a few glaring omissions, they seem to do it quite well.

Notwithstanding the above I do think our system is better. It may take a longer time to get to the airlines but it's a hell of a ride getting there. Certainly makes for some great stories to tell the grandkids one day.

When I finished flight school if someone had told me I could fly for Jazz right away I would have jumped at the opportunity but looking back on my career now I wouldn't change a thing. I'm glad it wasn't an option.

Cheers,
Chax

+1.

[RB211]

I don't know what's more sad.... somebody digging up an April Fools joke thread I wrote two years ago in January... or that the Air Georgian Cadet program pretty much embodies the spirit of that April Fools joke with humourless intent.

What is so 'sad' about this cadet program?

If I was starting out again, I would definitely look at it. Since I am going to spend the money on my licenses anyway, it would be great to have a decent starting job when done.

[iflyforpie]

Does the phrase 'indentured servitude' mean anything to you?

It's not just the cost of the training, it's what it locks you into.

[Panama Jack]

I am sure that some pilots would prefer the freedom of unemployment and the thrill of the job hunt.

Nothing that I read in the Air Georgian ad prevents a pilot from sticking both middle fingers in the air after 6 months and staying "I'm heading up North!"

Read it again. It sounds that if there is anybody being bonded it is the Airline- they are promising 4 years of employment (at least) and about 700 hours per year (700 X 4 = 2800 hours). And they are promising you a date with the Big Red.

However, if you decide at any time that you wanted to go off to become a movie star at Buffalo Joe's, or do the pop & chips run elsewhere, they would not stand in the way.

Does it sound structured and disciplined though? Well, yeah. You need and want that though if you are going to take promising young zero-time kids and make them well prepared for jet cockpits in a 4 year period. Militaries and other foreign airlines have similar standards.

[RB211]

Does the phrase 'indentured servitude' mean anything to you?

It's not just the cost of the training, it's what it locks you into.

Sure it does. It just doesn't apply here.

Merriam-Webster:

Definition of INDENTURED SERVANT

: a person who signs and is bound by indentures to work for another for a specified time especially in return for payment of travel expenses and maintenance

In this case, one interviews for a job and, if successful, pays for the training themselves. They are not indebted to the company.

Certainly, to gain the ultimate benefit of the scheme, one has to meet certain conditions. Call them conditions of employment. If the individual chooses, for whatever reason, to move on, that is their option.

Don't see how one is 'locked in' to anything.

[cheeky cough]

Yes, friends, as the singer said, “the times they are a changin’...” We have entered an era of Pay-For-Training/Pay-For-A-Job. But, I don’t mean the PFT where a pilot pays for his/her airline ground school and flight training. I mean the PFT practiced by US aviation universities. That’s right, our own schools are practicing PFT right before our very eyes. How?? Here are a couple examples:

1. Come to one large mid-western school in the northern plains, and participate in their highly regarded program for selected students. At the end of 4 years, find yourself assigned as an F/O in a 4-engine regional jet with a large regional airline. Yes! You! Mr./Ms. newly-minted commercial pilot. Just sign up with us, pay your money, and away you go. We taught you all you need to know... By the way, several captains with the major airline affiliated with the regional describe this situation as a “CRM nightmare”.

2. Come to a large beach-front school near the Southeastern branch of Mickey Mouse World, and get a job with a large regional. Maybe even a type-rating on their brand new BE-1900 or B-737 sims (Level D, of course). Again, pay your money, get your degree, we’ll get you “in” with a regional and you can bypass all those poor slobs that are getting real experience...

While I will be the last one to knock giving opportunities to those who have earned them, I will be the first to say “Whoa” when we get ahead of ourselves. The last thing we want to do is create a situation that “sets-up” our future pilots for failure. Let’s step back and examine what we need in this industry. We need proficient, knowledgeable, educated, well-rounded pilots. We need pilots who are well-schooled in regulatory issues, aeronautics, aerodynamics, CRM, human factors, aircraft technological advances, advanced avionics, and safety. These same pilots must also be able to fly, and be able to handle the airplane and manage its systems in all types of weather, ATC/airport congestion, and in unforeseen situations. And these pilots must be able to contribute to the success of the flight as a fully-functioning member of a two- or three-pilot crew.

How do we “create” these pilots of tomorrow? Education, flight training, and CRM training are major elements of this training. First, they need to be educated. While a 4-year degree is not a requirement to be a good pilot, the 4-year degree is the accepted standard used by Human Resource managers at most large carriers (regional and major) to screen candidates for educational accomplishments. The hiring boom that has begun may lead to a supply-and-demand situation that dictates reduction or elimination of this requirement, but don’t bet on it. “Educated” is a broad term, but should mean schooling in the subject areas that I listed as necessary for a good pilot, plus a well-rounded general education. The aviation colleges seem to do a pretty good job of educating our future pilots. The technical education offered by these schools is superb. Secondly, the pilot of tomorrow, like the pilot of today, needs real flight time and experience. The examples that follow are actual situations that have occurred at aviation colleges (large and small) that involve creative (and illegal) logging of flight time:

1. Two pilots in a Multi-engine airplane, with a CFI in back. All 3 logging PIC time.

2. Two pilots going to NIFA in a CE-150. No “hood”. Neither a CFI. Both logging PIC time.

3. Pilots logging time in a simulator/FTD as “Multi” and “Total” flight time.

4. Pilot on jump-seat of a B-727. Pilot’s father is the Captain. Dad signs off “4th in command” time in son’s logbook. Son now with regional carrier. Professor proud of his student and supports this method of gaining B-727 time.

Let’s get real folks! Pilots need to be exposed to actual flying to develop the motor skills, flow patterns, and habits that are used sub-consciously by experienced pilots. While training in simulators is known to be superior in many ways to training in an airplane, at some point, the pilot needs to get out in the real world and do some actual flying. This allows full integration and correlation of skill and knowledge in a real-time flight scenario. The result of such training and experience is the development of the “spare mental capacity” that is required to deal with the situations and contingencies that are inherent to all flights. At the commercial pilot level (new pilot), these skills are well-honed for local operations. But the pilot has very little experience in the IFR system, all weather operations, complex aircraft operations, high-density airport operations, mountain flying, etc. The new pilot will quickly find that all the “simulation” in the world cannot prepare him or her for the tasks at hand.

This rampant logging of questionable flight time hurts not only those who are scrupulously honest in logging their time accurately, but also hurts those who log this “bogus” time. Yes, flight time is one of the means used by airlines to select pilots. This is unfortunate, as flight time does not always reflect quality or breadth of experience, but it is the reality of the current hiring situation. Please, university faculty, make sure you lead the way in promoting integrity in your students’ logging of flight time. If you don’t they may fall flat on their butts when put to the test. If that test is “for real” in an airplane, people will die.

Go back and read that last sentence. If you are tempted to “pad” your logbook with meaningless time, instead of working to build quality experience, go back and read it again until you are convinced. Accidents happen in this business. They happen for a variety of reasons, but human factors (usually pilot factors) are the leading cause. When accidents happen, people die. Training and experience are two of our best defenses against these accidents. You owe it to yourself, your crew, your passengers, your airline, your family, your friends, your fellow pilots, and your profession to be proficient and qualified.

I’ll bet a few of you are wound-up by now and asking the age-old question, “Yeah, but how do I get that experience?”. We’ll get to that shortly, but please don’t try to get that experience as part of an airline crew. The First Officer is NOT a trainee. The F/O is a highly qualified pro who is, by law, qualified to perform the same tasks (with minor exceptions) as the Captain on his/her checkrides. The Captain and the F/O (and F/E, if you’re lucky enough to work with one of these increasingly rare types) are a CREW. While most F/Os lack the depth of experience of the captain (especially in the particular aircraft type), they are light-years ahead of new commercial pilots in all aspects of flying ability, knowledge and experience. The crew interact as experienced operators to create a safe and efficient flight environment. This experience that they possess did not come from attending classes, nor from CRM exercises; it came from years of flying airplanes.

Get your experience the old-fashioned way. Go out and fly as PIC in an airplane you can handle. Learn it well. Fly other airplanes. Learn their characteristics. Become a pro (this is a state of mind -- an attitude toward your profession). Flight instruction, while not involving a lot of “stick time”, will teach you more about flying than you have learned while obtaining your commercial pilot certificate. Pipeline patrol, sightseeing, aerial photography, skydiving operations (they jump, you stay in your seat), are all good for building experience. Get on with a charter operator. Fly night freight. Fly in the military. As you transition from one type to a more complex type (at a rate you can handle), you’ll build that elusive experience (which would be better measured by years, seasons and number of flights, rather than by hours).

While we’re on the issue of experience, let’s cut through all the crap that you hear about type ratings. At 250 hours you’ve got as much business being in command of a Citation, Beechjet, BE1900, or B-737, as you do in command of the Space Shuttle. Yup. That’s what I said. “In Command”. That means you’re “it”. You are the final authority as to the conduct of the flight. You help to create a comfortable, well-run flight-deck. You contribute. You listen. You discuss. You direct. You teach. You learn. You fly. You support. You make decisions. You handle problems. The other pilot(s) look to you for mature, seasoned, sound judgment. Sorry, but at your level, you’re just not ready. Anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is setting you up for a big fall, or just wants your money. I realize that you can probably pass the type-rating check, but that is a snap compared to what will be required of you as a captain. After all, that is what that piece of paper entitles you to do -- act as PIC of that type aircraft, with a brand-new low-experience SIC sitting next to you, a bunch of trusting souls in the back, absolutely at-minimums weather at your destination, with an alternate that is no piece of cake either, and handle anything that might go “Murphy’s way”. Don’t be fooled into thinking you are ready for that. Instead, ask yourself why your school is offering that type-rating. Could it be to draw more students? Those simulators cost MILLIONS of dollars, dollars that could be spent on an education you need and flight experience you can use (or maybe not spent at all, with lower tuition the outcome). Tell your school to put away the expensive unusable toys.

Last, but certainly not least, pilots need a solid grounding in CRM. Practice CRM techniques every time you fly. Fly with other pilots. You must be able to interact in a crew environment, and the time to start learning is now. The benefits of solid CRM programs are recognized throughout the world as contributing to a safer flying environment by maximizing the crew’s synergy. I realize this is hard to do in the situation most of you find yourselves in, but do the best you can -- it will pay off in the future. Try to fly with a single-pilot operator. Even if you don’t get much actual “stick time”, you’ll gain important experience by watching and participating. Most of these pilots would be happy to help someone else, and happy to have the extra set of eyes and ears. One last thought, attend a good CRM course.

Now, let me set the record straight. I am not a “Grinch”, nor am I an old curmudgeon. I have seen hard times, but I’ve been incredibly blessed with some very good deals in my career. I merely see us, as an industry, irresponsibly creating some very un-realistic expectations for our next generation of pilots.

To My Fellow Pilots:

Keep holding the standards high and protecting the profession. We all know that there is no easy way to succeed. Do all you can to encourage and assist these future pilots, and help them to understand that the “no easy way” method might help to save their ass someday.

To Airline Management:

Give new pilots all the breaks you can. But realize that at some point PFT brings you pilots with money (or debt) and does not bring you the best group of pilots you could get. By the way, do you advocate PFT for managers, or do they need to have an established “track record”? That’s what I thought....

To University Faculty and Administrators:

Please do not allow the lure of high student volume, or the pressure put on you by the administration to cause you to lose sight of your real job. Your job is to mold, develop, guide, encourage, teach and assist some very talented young (and not so young) pilots on their path to careers as professional pilots. They must be aware that real success is not achieved overnight. They must be well-prepared for the future. “Looking good on paper” doesn’t count. You are their link to reality. You are the industry’s link to the future.

To Future Pilots:

You are the future. Please push yourself. Don’t expect a quick route to the majors. You’re gonna work your butt off to be successful. Study hard. Study beyond the required courses. Learn everything you can about your profession, including its history. There’s a lot in our history we don’t want to repeat. Insist on being ”pushed” in your flight training. Set your standards extremely high. Be a pro. Settle in for the long haul -- you’re in a tough career, but one with many rewards. Enjoy the good breaks you’ll get in your career. Display integrity. Demand the best from yourself on every flight. Set a positive example. Learn, and never stop learning. Teach, and never stop teaching. Remember those who helped you in your training and in your career, and be sure to “pass it on” to others who will need your help someday. You’re coming into a great hiring boom, and opportunities will be there. Don’t ever give up. Good luck. God bless. Fly safe.

(Signed)

An Anonymous B747 Captain Who Cares


(not me, I have posted this a few times now, so true, the US system has arrived)
Cheeky