Andrew Doyle/LONDON
Aero International (Regional)is offering to supply flight crew and pilot-training packages to airlines which buy Avro regional jets, following the success of a ground-breaking project with Sabena.
The regional-aircraft manufacturer developed its "bespoke training system" after Delta Air Transport (DAT), Sabena's regional subsidiary, found it could not locate enough flight crews when it introduced the Avro RJ85 in November 1995. The problem was compounded by the fact that deliveries were progressing at the rate of one aircraft a month, each of which required 4.5 crews to become fully operational.
AI(R) subsequently agreed to supply contract pilots and training captains to allow DAT to avoid delaying the introduction of the RJ85. These were selected and employed by AI(R), from candidates identified on its behalf by Parc Aviation of Ireland.
John Davies, director of Avro training and flight-operations support at AI(R), says that the DAT project is "-an example of our more comprehensive approach to customer support. In this case, the customer wanted contract pilots and high-quality management [of pilots], plus in-depth training".
Three training captains and 40 contract pilots are now working at the Belgian carrier, out of a total of 130 RJ85 pilots. DAT is operating 13 RJ85s, with one RJ85 and nine RJ100s still to be delivered. The contract pilots are replaced "-as soon as a Belgian captain becomes available to fill the seat", says Davies. All of the AI(R) pilots, most of whom are from the UK, are scheduled to have been replaced by the end of 1998.
AI(R) is discussing its training and flight-support package with several prospective and existing Avro RJ operators. "We intend to develop this product further soon," says Davies. "One important result is improved dispatch reliability because the contract staff are carefully selected, trained and managed," he claims.
Source: Flight International
