MPL programme going full steam ahead in Singapore

[fatcadet]

Singapore look set to embrace MPL programme with Tigerair taking the lead and now SIA follows suit. Captain Mok Hin Choon, president of Air Line Pilots Association Singapore, calling it a step in the right direction, he said; "It makes sense to get trainees accustomed to teamwork and the dynamics of two man operations instead of a focus on solo flying, the relevance of which in commercial operations may be questionable".
More time in flight simulators to equip trainees with interpersonal and communication skills, give better preparation to operate in a multiple crew environment, experts say.
Surprising, Singapore was one of the 20 countries that involved in ICAO mpl setup took such long time to put MPL into practice.

[lilflyboy262...2]

Yes, it is always good to train reliance on the second crew member and not decision making abilities that come about during solo flight.... Not relevant at all....

[wonderland]

MPL is just a cheaper curriculum to the FTO, period.

[ElitePilot]

Cheaper curriculum but I heard the MPL costs more than CPL route maybe someone can confirm?

[lizhien]

Hmm.. I suppose no changes to hiring of cadets?

[wonderland]

Cheaper to runi, but I can charge the students more, now which business minded person won't get wet for that.

[fatcadet]

If SIA follows Tigerair pay to fly for its recruiting of pilot. The cost will be somewhere around US$180,000 for cadet selected.

[Stallone]

MPL programme always includes type rating.. Otherwise it'll just be a PPL.. Thus the higher cost than a CPL/IR

[smiling monkey]

I think you'll find that the higher costs is due to using a level D simulator for the MPL as opposed to a Cessna 172 and Baron B58 for CPL/IR. A level D sim would be in the order of $1200 per hour to operate compared with $650 an hour for a B58 or $320 for a C172.

[lilflyboy262...2]

You could bulk train cadets in a glass cockpit turbine like a C208B for that price and then exposing them to real life pressures...

[pilotchute]

$1200 for a level D sim per hour is cost price? What nonsense. Pan Am are selling 320 ratings in a D sim for $12,000. Thats 14 hours FFS in the left seat and 14 in the right. That's not including fixed base sim of 8 hours also. That price also includes ground school.

The D sim in the USA would be around $500 an hour cost price.

MPL is a licence to print money for the FTO.

[smiling monkey]

$1200 for a level D sim per hour is cost price? What nonsense. Pan Am are selling 320 ratings in a D sim for $12,000.

Well, that explains it. I'm talking about a level D simulators hired out by high caliber training providers, and not the cheapest you can get out there on the market. Qantas charges $1499 (https://www.qantasshop.com.au/product-378-New__Flight_Simulator_Experience) per hour for their 744 level D simulator. I know the airline I fly for charges about the same for a level D sim as well.

[MainDude]

Depends on where the sim is standing, and who is servicing it. There is a vast difference between building rentals and the hourly cost of maintenance engineers in Singapore vs. USA... It's not a straightforward comparison.

There is however something wrong with the S$1200. I'm guessing that's for a shared 4 hour block session including instructor, i.e. S$2400 total for a pair of students. = about US$1920 or US$480 per hour. That's about 20% more compared to what I paid to use Lufthansa's B737/A320 simulator in Frankfurt.

[fatcadet]

In 2013 Apats convention in Bangkok Capt (ret) John Bent ICAO in his address on how mpl could reduce lead time to train a new generation of pilots from 15 years to around 5 years, if selection is rigorous how mpl training could streamlines pilots supply to airlines.

read: www.mplsimkkulatorsolutions.com

[lilflyboy262...2]

So Smiling monkey, the cost of the Sim is not actually the sim cost but the cost of the instructors?
Because if both are level D sims and do the same job then the only difference I can see is the instructor.
Or does the Qantas sim include a flight attendant too?

[fatcadet]

Sorry website should be Airbus A320 Boeing 737 Flight simulators Asia-MPL Simulator solutions (http://www.mplsimulatorsolutions.com)

[mkfmbos]

horrible idea and proven on the line everyday with hard landings and go-arounds….and tired captains

[lingdee]

MPL is a new cash cow for TRTO since it's shorter period of time for cadets to checked out and to profit from each pilot and earn from the next one quickly.

Retired Captains or those with medical problems are happy too since they get jobs as sim instructors.

Singapore has become the biggest pay to fly market in Asia where candidates are willing to pay more than 200k to become a pilot.

[Sky Dancer]

Has anyone here actually flown with a MPL candidate ? Well I had the chance to fly with two of them and believe me they were nowhere near what I consider pilots. I am quite sure that they lacked the skill to save an aircraft in a tight situation if left to themselves. CRM is good but it does not inculcate the feeling of responsibility as a pilot which will come only when you have flown an aircraft alone in reasonably challenging conditions. That gives you the skill and the mind set of a true pilot. Group dynamics depend a lot on a persons mental make up. If you have a good candidate and train him in the right mould with high standards , you will have a right candidate who can save the day for you. I am just wondering how many body bags do we need before ICAO and the national regulators wake up and realize that we need a proper training system instead of allowing mediocrity to get into the system and make things worse.

[CodyBlade]

Touche.

I am sick of being Single pilots Ops and instructor during work.

[wonderland]

We can thank STAA and CAE for that.