Evidence-Based Training: The Modern Approach to Pilot Training

DALLAS — Visiting the simulator is a regular part of any pilot's career. These fantastic devices enable pilots to receive training on a new aircraft type and undergo recurrent training throughout their careers.

The aircraft of today have flight decks that are unrecognizable from decades ago. Much has been transformed, from enhanced automation to more sophisticated systems and precise information presentation to pilots. The simulators that are used today also bear a much closer resemblance to the flight deck and the external environment.

Despite such advancements, one thing remained static for many years: how pilots were trained. Flight crews typically undergo recurrent training once every six months, generally performed in a simulator. The historical roots of recurrent training were focused on demonstrating tasks, such as critical maneuvers, attributed to aircraft incidents and accidents.

Traditional Perspectives

For some time, this training method proved to be successful. However, approximately 15 years ago, the industry began to question the relevance of this training methodology. A reassessment was made in the following years to redefine how today's pilots should be trained.

Upgrading aircraft hardware undoubtedly enhances safety but also introduces additional possible malfunctions and failures due to increased complexity. Developing training scenarios for every fresh invention in each simulator session is not feasible. The result was that, over time, the effectiveness of pilot training was gradually diminishing.

During the beginning of the last decade, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) played a crucial role in introducing an entirely new approach to training called Evidence-Based Training (EBT). Although IATA is a prominent global airline organization, it does not have regulatory authority from a training perspective. This is significant since the push to reform the training system stems from a grassroots approach, with airlines triggering change.

The Concept

So, what is EBT? It was created based on an industry consensus to reduce accidents by reviewing recurrent and initial training for airline pilots. Traditionally, pilot training requirements were primarily based on the evidence of how pilots' actions contributed to accidents involving early-generation aircraft. It was believed that routine exposure to "worst-case" events during training was considered sufficient to mitigate such risks. Adding additional events, which were gradually added, created a crowded list of training requirements, which amounted to a "tick box" approach to training.

Rather than requiring pilots to prove that they can handle a series of tasks, this fresh approach involves evaluating crew performance during scenario-based events and using them to develop and assess crew across a range of defined competencies. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) defines competency as "the combination of knowledge, skills, and attitudes which are required to perform a task to a prescribed standard under a certain condition.” Previous conventional approaches to training often only assessed technical skills and a pilot's knowledge.

In another departure from tradition, EBT aims to reduce testing to only the necessary drills mandated by the regulatory bodies. During the remaining time in the simulator, the emphasis shifts to training. Under such circumstances, mistakes are not immediately considered failures, and further development training may be appropriate instead. The rationale behind this is to alleviate the anxiety that pilots may experience when they are scrutinized in test-like conditions.

The aim of this programme is to identify, develop and evaluate the competencies required to operate safely, effectively and efficiently in a commercial air transport environment, whilst addressing the most relevant threats according to evidence collected in accidents, incidents, flight operations and training.

ICAO Manual of Evidence Based Training - Doc 9995

The Nine Competencies

Nine behavioral competencies make up the 'Pilot Competencies' framework. From ones that may be obvious, such as possessing sufficient knowledge and being able to communicate effectively, the framework also encompasses less apparent traits, such as workload management and leadership and teamwork skills.

While a handful of emergency drills must be rehearsed regularly, such as the ubiquitous engine failure on takeoff, the core of EBT focuses less on what is being tested but rather on presenting crews with events to monitor and assess their performance concerning each competency. For example, a pilot may have exceptional communication abilities and impeccable manual flying skills, but a lack of knowledge will outweigh these advantages.

Mastering all competencies is critical to becoming skilled and proficient. However, various problems will require different competencies to be prioritized. A minor flight control issue would not be appropriate if an assessor wanted to evaluate a pilot's workload management skills. However, testing this competency by simulating smoke on the flight deck would be more challenging.

Competencies are believed to be transferable between different situations. If the pilot effectively manages the smoke on the flight deck, they will likely be able to apply the same skills to handle other high-pressure situations where time is critical.

Managing Underperformance

An airline can adapt training to address emerging trends, such as developing safety threats. These could, for example, be linked to a specific airport or a particular phase of flight.

There are times when human pilots may not perform as well in the simulator as they were hoping for. How does EBT address this situation? In the past, the conventional approach to training included resetting the simulator and asking the crew members to reattempt what they had difficulty with. EBT first identifies the root cause of errors before taking any corrective action.

Imagine a situation where a pilot experiences a loss of directional control while attempting to abort a takeoff, causing the aircraft to deviate from the runway centerline due to an engine failure. With EBT, the focus is now on discovering why this happened. Did the pilot apply a control input in the opposite direction needed to stay aligned with the runway? Maybe they were more concerned with the malfunctioning engine's instrumentation than monitoring the aircraft's position on the runway.

In the former scenario, it may indicate a problem with the competency involving manual aircraft handling, while in the other, it could suggest an issue with the pilot's situational awareness. Regarding training, the methods for addressing these competencies may differ, but the main goal is to ensure the pilot can maintain alignment with the runway centerline during an aborted takeoff.

EBT is gaining momentum, as Iberia became the inaugural European airline to introduce it in 2021. Getting training right is imperative to safety, and airlines and regulatory bodies have spent considerable time ensuring no stone was left unturned. After more than four years of research and development, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approved the transition to the new process for European airlines in 2020.

EBT offers a new and exciting approach to pilot training, but transitioning to it will not come without investment. It remains to be seen how many carriers will overlook the potential advantages because of the initial financial commitment involved.

Featured Image: An Airbus A330/A340 simulator at Lufthansa Aviation Training's facility in Zürich. Photo: Lufthansa Aviation Training. Article source: IATA