Pilots are voicing complaints as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport pushes to revise requirements related to the airline transport pilot license (ATPL). The draft includes a plan to require separate training at a specialized training organization and an exam to obtain an ATPL, and pilots are opposing it, saying it is a decision that only adds unnecessary expense.
According to the aviation industry on the 8th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) is pushing to revise the ATPL requirements ahead of the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), scheduled for Dec. 2. The ATPL is a higher-level license than the private pilot license (PPL) and commercial pilot license (CPL), and pilots at civilian airlines must obtain it to be promoted to captain.
Until now, pilots who obtained a CPL joined civilian airlines, were put into actual flying, met requirements such as flight time (1,500 hours or more), and then obtained the ATPL through written and oral exams. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) plans to include training and exams at an approved training organization (ATO) in this process.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) says that in the United States and Europe, ATPL-related training is already being conducted through ATOs, and that the USOAP requires pilots to demonstrate piloting proficiency through a practical flight test, so it is necessary to codify ATPL-related systems to align with international trends.
To that end, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) plans to designate ATOs so pilots can receive training there not only in flight theory but also in aircraft systems, operation, and aerodynamics, and take exams. The operating expense for this is known to amount to 97 million won per pilot.
Pilots are speaking out in opposition to this policy by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT). They say MOLIT is pushing the ATPL revision too rigidly without considering domestic circumstances, only increasing unnecessary training and burdens.
In the United States and Europe, the ATPL is a qualification obtained by propeller-aircraft pilots to operate large jets, whereas domestic pilots have built experience operating large jets after joining civilian airlines, making it unnecessary to undergo training again through an ATO.
In particular, in terms of expense, they note it could be a heavy burden on young pilots who must obtain the license. Until now, passing only the written and oral exams was enough to obtain the ATPL, but adding a mandatory separate training requirement raises the likelihood that ATO operating expense will be passed on to pilots, they argue.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) plans to move forward after meetings with the industry, as implementing rules are needed for the ATPL revision. A MOLIT official said, "The revision of ATPL acquisition requirements has not yet been finalized," adding, "We will meet with pilots this month to gather related opinions."