Pathway to Pilot Competence

Pathway to Pilot Competence

The Pathway to Pilot Competence e-learning course is completely free. It will be delivered to you via a Learning Management System (LMS) in the APC website.

The course has been broken into 4 modules:

  1. Human Factors & Limitations
  2. Crew Resource Management (CRM)
  3. Threat and Error Management (TEM)
  4. Pilot Competencies (ICAO/EASA)

The content has been developed by APC training experts and is at Airline Pilot standard. This course will give you great insight into the human aspects of being a great Airline Pilot.

Regular workshops will be held to support the e-learning course. These online Webinars are a great resource as they are given by the course developers, and it is a great opportunity ask questions if you need clarification about any module.

Once you have completed the course, you will receive a course completion certificate that will appear in your APC profile.

FAQ - Pathway to Pilot Competencies

  • Why should I learn about Pilot Competencies and the other subject matter in this course?

    Because it will help you get a job! There are 9 fundamental Pilot competencies that International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) & all major National Aviation Authorities have identified, described and accepted. These Competencies are knowledge, abilities and skills that you will have to know and reproduce during your Airline Pilot training and testing for the entirety of your career. In the short term, you will need to be able to be able to discuss all of these Competencies at any Flying School or Airline selection process for a Professional Pilot training course or an Airline Pilot job. You will not pass any Airline Pilot selection process if you don’t have a thorough understanding of these Competencies.

  • What are the 9 Pilot Competencies?
    • Application of knowledge
    • Application of procedures
    • Communication
    • Flight path management – automatic
    • Flight path management – Manual
    • Leadership and teamwork
    • Problem solving and decision making
    • Situation awareness
    • Workload management
  • What are Human Factors?

    Human Factors is concerned with the application of what we know about human beings, their abilities, characteristics, and limitations, to the design of equipment they use, environments in which the function and jobs they perform. It is clear that this topic is essential knowledge for an Airline Pilot.

  • What is Threat and Error Management?

    The concept of Threat and Error Management is crucial to modern aviation. Flight crew must recognise, regardless of rank or experience, that threats exist, and can manifest at any time and take many different forms. Pilots must actively manage each flight by seeking to prepare to deal with possible threats and errors, and when they occur, repair any degraded safety margin and recover to safe operations. This philosophy, when used in parallel with SOPs will avoid undesired aircraft states, enhancing safety.

  • What is CRM?

    Crew Resource Management (CRM) is the effective utilisation of all available resources, including crew members, aircraft systems, supporting facilities and persons, to achieve safe and efficient operation. Knowledge of, and the ability to apply its concepts in day to day flight operations is an essential aspect to being a safe and effective Airline Pilot.

  • Airline Orientation Training - Why should I learn about the different departments in an Airline? Why do I need to know this if I am the Pilot of an aircraft?

    Every Airline is a remarkable combination of a very wide and diverse set of people who have different skills, knowledge, qualifications and roles. All these different groups and functions must combine efficiently so that aircraft take off and land safely with enough passengers to pay the bills and allow the Airline to make some money.

    The Pilot’s role is oriented towards safety and passenger care. In order for the aircraft which the Pilots' operate to take off and land safely, the flightcrew must know where they fit into the Airline’s system of operations. They must know about the company culture (every Airline has a different company culture), Cabin Crew, Ground Crew, flight operations, engineering, Check-in personnel, HR department, and more.

    Pilots must understand how those other departments operate, what their contribution to the Airline is, what pressures they are under are and how, as a Pilot, you can help your colleagues in these departments do their job so that you can do yours.