Japan: More flexible training for pilots planned to speed captain qualifications

The government plans to allow airlines to organise their own training programs for captains to address the shortage of pilots in the country amid the rise of budget airlines, a transport ministry source said Wednesday. It would be the first major change to the training system since it was put in place in 1958. Under the current system, captains are trained under a uniformed framework designated by the state. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism envisions revising regulations under the aviation law and commencing the acceptance of applications from airlines as early as next spring, the source said. As the state would need to verify the airlines’ training programs, it would likely take two to three years to implement the new system, according to the source. The current training framework would also be maintained. Airlines will be required to report to authorities on their training every year to ensure safety, the source said. Under the current system, it usually takes about 10 to 15 years to be certified as a captain by the transport ministry, as candidates must obtain the “airline transport pilot rating” first by taking mandatory courses and flight training for a certain period of time, as well as in-house training based on state regulations to further test their knowledge and skills. The new system will not specify a time period for obtaining licenses if candidates train in operational procedures and pilot handling skills within companies, according to the source, allowing for captains to be trained more quickly. It will also allow airlines to take a more flexible approach in training captains so any weaknesses can be overcome by focusing on specific areas.<br/>