Educating aviation professionals: A comparison of the multi-crew pilot licence and the traditional commercial pilot licence

In this article, the authors review two different approaches to pilot training to produce entry level airline flight crew. They outline the aeronautical experience required to gain a commercial pilot licence (CPL) and the aeronautical experience to gain a multi-crew pilot licence (MPL). The authors also discuss the competencies required by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) for applicants of the commercial pilot licence and the multi-crew pilot licence. The most obvious differences between the two licences is the amount of solo or pilot in command, flight experience required and the detail of the prescribed competencies. There is also a lack of detailed competencies that a multi-crew pilot licence holder must be able to achieve. Further, there is no explanation as to how a multi-crew pilot licence holder can satisfy the requirements of a command instrument rating and, therefore, be able to qualify as an applicant for an air transport pilot licence (ATPL). It is, thus, not clear how a multi-crew pilot licence holder can transition from first officer to captain in the airline. © 2017 WIETE.