MPL .......Good Idea or Not

[magicmick]

Probably a question directed to those of you who are already professional pilots, obviously most people who have researched commercial pilot training are aware of the new Multi Pilot Licence which is almost upon us and requires less actual flying training in aircraft, relying more on simulator hours and multi crew training in a simulator and a type rating included. I understand that some airlines (Lufthansa in particular) have pressed the ICAO for such a course to be developed. I was wondering whether any pilots out there are aware as to how British airlines and cargo operators feel about this course, are they bothered or is the MPL better regarded than the fATPL? Obviously on the face of it the airlines may well welcome a course that relies heavily on multi crew operation. Any genuine advice and insight would be gratefully recieved and ultimately help me make a very expensive and life changing decision.

[mcgoo]

theres some more links to threads in here!

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=224000

[BEagle]

After much consideration, the only clear cost advantage I can see in the MPL is that it would allow LH to retire their fleet of Piper Cheyennes.

Apart from that, it will probably be a lot more expensive than the fATPL due to the cost of approved simulators and, particularly, the SFI(A)s needed to man the things. Also, the MPL course won't be a generic course of training; each individual MPL course will be specific to an individual airline - and students on the course will have to have passed selection for that airline as I understand it.

The MPL is supposed, according to Fergus Woods, to be 'an opportunity for airlines to become involved in flight training'.......:rolleyes:

Does anyone really see that happening?

[Con-Trail]

Considering that an MPL holder is not able to be PIC I think there will always be a need for ATPL holders. I guess this move is probably to get in line with i.e. China, where there is a serious demand for pilots. Appearantly the Chinese don't see an airline pilot as a prefered profession. This scheme will offer them a temporary right-hand seat. That way they hope to have an easier job recruiting low hour FO's.

What the benefit would be for Western Europe...I don't know.

I might be completely off-track with this thing so I stand corrected...

C-T

[RVR800]

In principle if one wants to be an airline pilot at the end of a course then doing a course on airliners is preferable because thats what you'll be doing...

Its a horses for courses thing....

If the airlines have issues with the content of the course they can always modify it. One supposes that the 'student' will if current trends are anything to go by be required to stump up for any 'sponsored' training