FSTD Refresher Training

 

Principles and components

The FSTD training content should always be adapted and proportionate to the operator pilot situation (refer to the Template pilot situation/training solutions).

The FSTD training is composed by the refresher session followed by the consolidation session.

The refresher session is foundational as this session has been designed to train and assess the pilot competencies in the context of pilots with limited training and operational exposure, and who need to recover the recent experience requirements (3 take-off and landings in the last 90 days). Therefore, the refresher session is optional for situation 1 but recommended when the pilots' last flight was performed several weeks ago (e.g., beyond 60 days). In this case the goal is to develop the pilot's flight path management competencies and reinforce maximum pilot confidence.

The consolidation session is a complement to the refresher session, which is necessary when the pilot had limited training or operational experience for more than 12 months or when the pilot's performance must be enhanced after the performance demonstrated during the refresher session. Therefore, the consolidation session is proposed for situation 4 and situation 5 because it is expected that the refresher session will not be enough to recover competence and confidence in those cases. Moreover, the consolidation session is always an option after any refresher session where a remedial training is needed.

Refresher session

The refresher session has been designed considering the following assumptions:

• The pilots' licenses are valid (extended or non-extended).
• The flight crew composition is two pilots. If there is only one pilot to be trained, the instructor acts as pilot from one of the pilot seats.
• The pilots may have lost partially or totally their recent experience (3 takes-off and 3 landings in the last 90 days).
• The pilots had limited training or operational experience in the last 4 to 12 months.
• The pilots' documentation is up to date and the operator has provided the pilots with the necessary policy and operational procedure knowledge refresher.
• The pilots have received the training program sufficiently in advance to prepare the session.
• The training session is conducted in an FSTD approved by the NAA to conduct recurrent training and checking.
• The AOC and the ATO have criteria based on previous global competence and experience to define the pilot population eligible to this session (e.g., pilot is not under remedial training).
• The AOC and the ATO design the session with some spare time to allow for the instructor to adapt to the pilots' needs. For example, the instructor further develops pilot competencies or the pilot requests to train specific events to gain confidence.

The global training objective of this refresher session is the following:

• The pilots must be able to conduct normal and abnormal operations in accordance with the performance standard defined by the AOC or the ATO, in an FSTD approved by the NAA for recurrent training and checking, under realistic conditions that are representative of the nature and the complexity of their operational and environmental context.

The detailed training objectives of this refresher session are the following:

• The pilots must be able to conduct normal SOPs in an operational context in accordance with the performance standard under real time operational conditions.

• The pilots must be able to perform abnormal SOPs including emergency procedures in operational context, in accordance with the performance standard under operational conditions. At least one of the abnormal procedures should have an impact on aircraft performance.

• The pilots must be able to manage the flight path manually and with automation, in accordance with the performance standard under operational conditions, including a combination of precision and non-precision approach, and visual approach.

Note: While it is difficult to measure, an outcome of the training should be to ensure that pilots are confident in their abilities to re-commence operations.

For additional guidance on developing the training objectives of the knowledge part of the FSTD training refresher using CBTA methodology, see HERE.