Press Release

Japan Airlines (JAL) applies Competency-Based Training and Assessment Program (hereinafter referred as to “CBTA Program”), a new pilot training/check scheme that took effect on in April 2017 by the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB), and is preparing to introduce EBT which is being adopted worldwide.

Difference between EBT and the existing training/check system

JAL’s current pilot training/check is carried out according to the requirements based on the existing training/check system (conventional system) provided by the aviation authority in Japan. Meanwhile, once JAL’s EBT program receives the approval from JCAB, JAL will play key role to develop, implement and improve its pilot training/check system more effective and efficient with associated improvements in operational safety.

“Evidence” in EBT means the availability of data covering both training activities and flight operations of the airlines around the world. EBT encourages an airline, through comprehensive analysis of such data, to extract subjects for both the collective and individual pilot, and develop, implement and improve the training/check system effectively in order to address those issues.

The conventional system requirements are largely based on the evidence of hull losses involving jet aircraft of the early generation. Therefore it emphasizes acquiring basic maneuvering skills (technical skills), such as manual control takeoffs and landings while major equipment failure occurred.

However, in the operations of modern aircraft, pilots’ human errors cause many accidents and unsafe events triggered by inappropriate automation usages or complicated operating environments even though the aircraft and the systems are operating without malfunction. With this trend of the times the competencies required of pilots have been changing worldwide. The importance is increasing on a different kind of technical skills such as using automation system appropriately and monitoring operational conditions of aircraft, or on “non-technical skills” such as cognitive, decision and communication abilities.

In order to effectively improve the competencies necessary for actual flight operations, including both “technical skills” and “non-technical skills”, today more and more aviation authorities have introduced this new program in addition to the existing ones around the world. CBTA Program in Japan is one of them.

CBTA -Japan’s new training/check scheme that enables introduction of EBT

CBTA Program allows airlines, under the approval of the authority by fulfilling various requirements for applying the program, to be the main body for utilizing a development, implementation and improvement process called ISD (Instructional System Design) and carrying out its own training/check system, which includes EBT.

Pilot training/check schemes in Japan

JAL is introducing EBT by applying CBTA Program

For over four years JAL has already run voluntary approaches to training/check incorporating the philosophy of the data driven methods like what CBTA Program has. This has been conducted under the conventional system, though, and flexible development, implementation or improvement was limited.

Once CBTA Program is applied and EBT is introduced, on the other hand, it becomes possible for JAL to operate the training/check in effective ways fitting with its own issues, utilizing the know-how and the data accumulated in its experience so far and basing analysis of the data obtained in the actual flight operations and training/check scenes. JAL expects to improve the competencies of all its pilots, including both of the technical and non-technical skills, and contributes to safety more than ever.

JAL plans to introduce EBT to the various parts of its training/check system stage by stage coordinating with JCAB from FY2017. JAL is continuing to pursue the safest and highest quality operations from every aspect of its pilot training and check by EBT.

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