French leisure carrier Corsair is participating in a consortium, led by aerospace firm Thales, which aims to develop a new methodology for evaluating pilot behaviour.
The project, known as ‘Perceval’, is a response to changes in training programmes, notably the introduction of evidence-based training.
Evidence-based training concentrates on assessing core pilot competency – rather than performance during individual events – in order to prepare cockpit crews to recognise and manage unexpected difficult situations during flight.
“One major benefit of the new approach is its focus on non-technical skills and their role in building trust,” says Thales.
French civil aviation regulator DGAC is sponsoring the programme which intends to support the evolution of pilot training.
“By bringing together all the stakeholders in the training community, the consortium will leverage this collective intelligence to reshape the future of airline pilot training and improve flight safety,” says Thales.
The consortium will also include France’s national civil aviation school ENAC, simulation specialists Simaero and AviaSim, plus the research career school ENS Paris-Saclay.
“From ab initio training to recurrent training and crew training, the consortium has all the resources needed to design, develop and test this new technological concept,” says Thales.
Thales says its own work in human factors research enables it to offer capabilities in motor skill, eye movement, and voice analysis for pilots.
