Best Practice – Pilot Refresher Training

The survey among the GA pilots in Europe carried out in 2007 established that although the level of navigation and communication skills acquired by student pilots during initial training raises some concerns, it is the apparent gradual diminishing of the skills of “low-hours” pilots which requires consideration and adequate measures.

• Pilots should consider undertaking refresher training on a regular basis to boost skills and abilities.
• Refresher training should be undertaken by low-hours pilots to maintain skill levels.
• Further training should be undertaken when using new equipment.(e.g. GPS or Mode S transponders)
• Pilots not based at flying clubs should consider belonging to at least one GA representative group to help them keep up to date with new regulations, airspace changes, safety risks and other news through the organisation’s newsletters and magazines.

Cost – Attendance and fees for refresher seminars, refresher DVDs or annual subscription charges.

Examples

There are a number of commercial products for pilot training (such as Rust Remover for Pilots in the UK and Flying In the Alps ebook in Switzerland) already available in various countries and these could be endorsed by ANSPs if they were considered to be beneficial in reducing infringement risk. Organisations such as AOPA and GASCO have written excellent safety articles on airspace infringements in their magazines and some carry details on their websites. In the UK, GASCO hosts a safety website dedicated to reducing the infringement risk and now runs Safety evenings for the CAA. AOPA, GASCO and other more specific organisations for microlights, ballooning, gliders et al, all produce newsletters or magazines for their members to enable them to keep up-to-date and enhance their flying skills and safety.