For years the South Africa groundschool for professional flight training has operated an unnecessary two tier system that is well known to all who have endured it together with the repetitions and duplications that are inherent in this flawed and outmoded manner of academic training.
There may be a case for saying that those who wish to operate within an environment that requires just a CPL need only study for that level of knowledge. But many make the mistake of limiting their career path and subsequently pursue further opportunities where an ATPL is a requirement.
So back to groundschool they go if indeed they attend a groundschool at all.
Many are the pilots who have begged, stolen or borrowed a third generation photocopied, dog-eared, tatty set of notes from a fellow pilot friend and locked themselves away whilst they studied the contents therein. This is not the best way to acquire the knowledge base that the modern pilot needs to have in order to operate his coveted aircraft type. And yes I know there are many pilots who have (because of lack of funds or time) gone down the self study route but I wonder if it remains the optimum path now.
The JAA system offers a better model but make no mistake; it is not without its own group of well qualified critics who find it dated and cumbersome in places. However the premise of insisting that aspiring professional pilots attend a formal course of academic training of a specified duration is the right way to go and has already proven itself countless times over. And here I speak of the UK training programme (historically South Africa took its lead from the UK in many respects anyway). High calibre graduates from the UK’s JAA integrated (as well as modular) courses have all attended the ATPL groundschool and by passed the time wasting hoop that CPL and ATPL students in South Africa are still required to jump through.
If you feel that the investment in groundschool is a waste of time then you are welcome to remain in the Stone Age. But I know of countless students from the JAA system who secured their first jets jobs on some serious metal on the strength of having undergone the thorough and extensive groundschool that is a fundamental part of pilot training in the UK. Moreover many UK airlines are insisting that graduate pilots who attend interviews are able to demonstrate an average pass mark of 85% and NO failures, (the odd exam dropped due to illness or other mitigating circumstances is overcome by a comprehensive report from the groundschool together with individual reports from each lecturer).
With a sound track record in the flying training, the newly qualified pilots can and do look forward to flying a B737, A320, ATR 72 etc as their first job and remember these are ladies and gentlemen with little more than 250 hours fresh out of flight school often then getting their command within three to four years and enjoying the remuneration levels that are commensurate with that achievement. Captains on the B737 under the age of 30 are quite a common occurrence.
It is vital that today’s pilots in South Africa now embark on a structured, formal course of academic training that requires a minimum level of attendance. And if this means 750 hours in a class then so be it.
Remember too that within an ATPL are the privileges of the CPL so why doesn’t the South African CAA offer a choice and for those who wish to ‘fast track’ their training without compromising the quality let students study for and write the ATPL exams and be done with it. I’ve taught the groundschool of both syllabi so I speak from experience.
