ARTICLE 11  TRAINING

A.        GENERAL

 

1.     Training shall be required of all Pilots as determined by the Company and shall be, at a minimum, provided in accordance with FAA regulations.  This shall include, but is not limited to, the following:

a.     Required Checks or Exams

b.     Initial Training

c.     Upgrade Training

d.     Transition Training

e.     Recurrent Training

f.      Re-qualification Training

g.     Differences Training

h.     Specialized Training

i.      Other Training required by the Company or Regulations

2.     Airport and Route Qualification Training shall be excluded from the provisions of  this Article.

3.     The provisions of Article 11. (except F. Training Failures) apply to Pilots in their probationary period.

4.     The Company shall establish such training policies as are necessary to insure compliance with this Agreement and to accomplish the necessary training requirements of the Company.

5.     A Training Committee comprised of representatives of the Company and Representatives of the Association shall be established.  The Training Committee shall meet quarterly unless the parties mutually agree otherwise.  It is the intent of the parties to this Agreement that this Training Committee shall provide the Pilots with the opportunity to consult with and make recommendations to the Company on training policies, training programs, or changes thereto, prior to implementation by the Company. The parties agree that the Training Committee shall be notified any time an individual Pilot is having training difficulties or is scheduled for other than a routine check. If requested by the Pilot, an EWA Pilot representative of the Association may be present in the cockpit as an observer on any check other than a routine check.

6.     A trainee may request and be granted one (1) simulator or aircraft instructor change at a Pilot’s request. Such request must be expressed to the Director of Training verbally by the Pilot and then confirmed as soon as possible in writing, stating the reason or reasons therefor. Additionally, one change of a Line Check Airman performing supervised operating experience shall be granted provided the trainee so requests. Such request must be expressed to the Director of Training verbally by the Pilot and then confirmed as soon as possible in writing, stating the reason or reasons therefor. Probationary Pilots will be granted a change at the Company’s option.

7.     Training courses will be conducted at locations and in equipment approved by the FAA and the Company.  At a minimum the equipment will be of a level and serviceability to provide a Pilot the ability to perform the required training syllabus procedures and/or maneuvers. No Pilot will be required to take a Proficiency Check in a simulator that is not functioning so as to simulate the flight and operating characteristics of the represented aircraft.

8.     During certification events there shall be no simultaneous training at any other Pilot station (Captain, First Officer, PFE/Second Officer).

9.     A Pilot shall be advised of any unsatisfactory report prepared during any phase of his training program, and shall at his request be provided a copy of any such report.

10.   No Pilot employed by the Company shall be required to pay for transition,  upgrade, recurrent, or special training or checking required by the Company.

11.   If a standby or reserve Pilot is assigned to a flight simulator period as a fill in Pilot and such assignment is in addition to his regularly assigned semi-annual PT and PC periods, the Company will not grade such Pilot during such assignment or require that he participate in the oral portion of the examination. Fill in pilot assignments may be offered to Regular Line Holders on their days off, but they will not be required to accept them.

12.   A fully qualified crew complement of Captain, First Officer, and PFE/Second Officer where required whose name appears on the EWA Pilots System Seniority List shall be utilized in accordance with EWA Standard Operating Procedures during flight simulator proficiency checks.

13.   If a Pilot’s performance on a proficiency check in the flight simulator is considered unsatisfactory, the Company may provide the opportunity to take a proficiency check, without prejudice in an aircraft in which he is currently qualified.

14.   No Pilot shall be evaluated on a maneuver during a proficiency check that is not prescribed in the Company’s proficiency check procedure as approved by the FAA.

15.   Any voluntary training will not be evaluated or recorded by the Company (this includes any synthetic training device logs).

16.   Line checks will be performed as follows:

a.     Pilots will be checked on their own trip unless with Pilot concurrence other arrangements are made.

b.     All Article 12., and 25., limitations shall apply to this assignment.

17.   Check Airman/Line Check Airman

a.     All checking of Pilots on the EWA Seniority List in an airplane (other than initial flight training conducted by factory, manufacturer, or contract training in the event of the addition of a new type aircraft) shall be performed by Pilots on such list.

b.     Check Airmen shall be selected from Pilots on the EWA System Seniority List with a minimum of one (1) year line experience with EWA. For the purposes of this paragraph, one (1) year line experience is defined as six hundred sixty (660) hours of revenue flying with EWA.

c.     Specific exemptions to the requirements of Paragraph 17.a. and b. (above) may be mutually agreed upon by the Company and the Training Committee.

18.   Simulator Instructors

a.     Non-Seniority list instructors for Captain and First Officer training shall meet the following requirements:  

1.     ATP Certificate.

2.     Qualified in accordance with FAA regulations to provide simulator instructions on the aircraft on which they will instruct.

3.     Minimum of two thousand (2000) hours experience as a Pilot.

b.     Non-Seniority list simulator instructors for Flight Engineers shall meet the following requirements:

1.     Flight Engineer Certificate with turbo-jet rating.

2.     Minimum of one thousand (1000) hours experience as a Flight Engineer, Flight Engineer Instructor or Pilot.

3.     Qualified in accordance with FAA regulations to provide simulator instruction on the aircraft on which they will be instructing.

c.     Non-Seniority list instructors shall not perform any flight duty as a Pilot.

d.         Each active line Pilot serving as a simulator instructor will not be permitted to participate in base bids or bid lines of time during any bid period they are assigned duties as an instructor.

 

e.     Each active line Pilot serving as an instructor shall fly revenue trips so as to remain current with Company operational policies and procedures. Such line flying must be accomplished in a category where there is a category position holder who is junior to the instructor. Ferry, training, or maintenance flying will not count as flying for this paragraph.

f.      Each active line Pilot serving as a simulator instructor that returns to the line on a permanent basis may return to any category for which a more junior Pilot has been qualified and holds a bid award during the period of absence from the category. The returning Pilot shall be subject to the provisions of Article 22. appropriate to that bid award.

g.     When the Company has a need to increase Instructor or Line Check Airman staffing, the Company will post a job opening on the Bulletin Board in the Pilot Lounge area and telephone voice mail indicating the number of positions, duties, proposed work schedule, and closing date. Within thirty (30) days after the closing date, the Chief Pilot and/or Director of Training, as appropriate, shall meet and confer with the Training Committee to review the applicant’s qualifications for Instructor/Line Check Airman positions.

19.   Compensation

Training Assignments of Five (5) Days or More:

a.     When a Pilot assigned to a line of flying is assigned by the Company to training, in accordance with Paragraph C.4., below, he shall receive Minimum Guarantee.

b.     When a Pilot assigned as a standby/reserve is assigned by the Company to training, in accordance with Paragraph C.4., below, he shall receive Minimum Guarantee.

20.   All management Pilots below the Director level will maintain their currency and shall do so in accordance with this Article. This paragraph shall not apply to management Pilots who are unable to maintain medical qualification.

21.   In the event a Pilot is required by the FAA to demonstrate his proficiency the Pilot will be offered two (2) simulator warm up sessions prior to such proficiency check.

22.     The Company shall not permit line Pilots to maintain qualifications on more than one Company aircraft type.  No line Pilot will be required to fly with a dual aircraft qualified management Pilot.


B.    TRAINING CURRICULUM

The Company will establish written curricula for all courses of Pilot ground and flight training and home study courses. Pilot trainees shall be provided with a course syllabus describing their scheduled training, as well as a written summary of the grading or performance standards which they will be expected to attain.  In certain cases, training may be required before its formal inclusion in the Training Manual.  In these instances interim approval shall have been obtained from the FAA and the course syllabus established, in consultation with the Training Committee prior to its commencement.  Occasionally the Company may provide and/or require training that is not required by, or is in excess of, its FAA approved program. Advance notice of and the performance standards for such training shall be made known prior to its commencement in consultation with the Training Committee.

C.    SCHEDULING OF TRAINING

1.     Training shall be provided in accordance with the policies and procedures established by the Company.  The purpose of training is to support revenue flying.  Therefore, training schedules may be adjusted to support the flight schedule.

2.     The scheduling of all ground, simulator and flight training, with the exception of Initial Operating Experience (IOE) and Line Checks, is the responsibility of the Training Department in coordination with Crew Scheduling.  Provisions for exceptional progress through flight training per FAR 121.401 (e) may be invoked with mutual consent of the instructor and the trainee.

3.     The names of the Pilots who will be assigned to training will be provided with each bid period’s bid package.  A Pilot scheduled for a PC/PT may designate one period of consecutive days off during which he desires not to be assigned his PC/PT.  If such designation is received by the Company within forty-eight (48) hours after the schedule awards are posted for the affected bid period, the Pilot will not be assigned his PC/PT on those days, unless granting his request would cause the cancellation of a training allocation or cause him to lose his qualification.

4.     All Pilots shall be notified as far in advance as possible, but in no case less than seven (7) calendar days prior to being scheduled to receive transition or extended training of five (5) days or more.  Official notice of training assignments will be conveyed through the Pilot’s Company mailbox, voicemail or telephone.  This notification provision does not apply to line checks, additional training, rechecks, or rescheduled training. If the requirements of this paragraph have been met and if due to circumstances beyond the Company’s control (i.e., aircraft/simulator malfunction and/or non-availability of any equipment or personnel; or training failure) training must be rescheduled, a Pilot will receive at least twenty-four (24) hours notice of the rescheduled training.

5.         A Pilot may waive any or all of the time limits described in Paragraph 4. (above).

6.         During formal classroom and crew training sessions (including any synthetic training devices or aircraft), a Pilot shall not be on duty for more than eight (8) hours exclusive of a one (1) hour lunch break in any one (1) calendar day.  Formal classroom and crew training sessions (excluding crew training sessions designed as briefings immediately prior to simulator or cockpit procedure trainer periods) shall begin no earlier than 0600 and terminate no later than 2400.  Consecutive training sessions will not be scheduled less than twelve (12) hours apart.

7.     In no circumstances shall a classroom training period be scheduled to exceed ten (10) hours. Any of Paragraphs C.6 or C.7 may be waived in unusual circumstances with the concurrence of the Director of Training, instructor and trainees involved.

8.     Simulator training is usually conducted in four (4) hour sessions with a fifteen (15) minute break mid-session.  Normally, pre-briefings shall not exceed one (1) hour and post event critiques shall not exceed thirty (30) minutes.  Whenever possible, simulator training sessions shall not be scheduled less than twelve (12) hours apart.

9.     Instructors will not be scheduled for over four (4) hours of simulator training per day except in unusual circumstances.

10.   The minimum rest period between any two (2) training duty assignments, or between any training assignment and any line assignment, shall be eight (8) hours free of all duty. A Pilot will not be assigned to training, or deadhead to or from training, on December 25th.

D.    INITIAL, TRANSITION, AND UPGRADE TRAINING PROGRESSION

1.     The Progression of Initial, Transition, and Upgrade Training is normally composed of five (5) phases:

a.     Ground School

b.     Cockpit Procedures Training (CPT)

c.     Flight Simulator

d.     Airplane (if necessary)

e.     Initial Operating Experience (IOE)

These five (5) phases constitute one training cycle.

2.     All training will be conducted in accordance with the applicable Aircraft Operating Manual, Volume 1 and the FAA approved Training Manual.

3.     An instructor’s recommendation is not required prior to the first phase check in a simulator training phase, if all prescribed training hours and all additional training hours have been utilized prior to such phase check.

4.     If a first phase check/qualification event in a simulator training phase is unsuccessful, the recommendation of the Director of Flight Training, or his designee, is required for the second check/qualification event in that phase.

5.     The recommendation of the Director of Flight Training or his designee is required prior to any phase check/qualification event in aircraft training or Initial Operating Experience (IOE) regardless of whether additional training time has been utilized.

6.     A Pilot may elect to withdraw from training at any time.  If his withdrawal is not accomplished as provided in Paragraph 7 (below), this withdrawal shall constitute a training cycle failure and shall be addressed as provided in Article 11.Paragraph G. (below).

7.     If a Pilot withdraws from a training cycle with the written approval of the Director of Flight Operations, or his designee, that Pilot will return to his current crew position and shall incur no training freeze.  The Pilot’s withdrawal shall not constitute a training cycle failure.

8.     Due to the possibility of a training cycle failure or withdrawal from training, a Pilot’s previous base bid and crew position will be held open until he successfully completes his training cycle, or sixty (60) days, whichever is longer.

E.    PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Performance standards shall be established by the Company and set forth in its policies and procedures.  All Pilots must successfully complete required training to the established performance standards prior to being assigned flight duty. A written examination will be administered to each Pilot at the completion of classroom instruction during the ground training phase of Initial, Transition, Upgrade and Re-qualification Training.  A minimum score of eighty percent (80%) is required for continuation of training. The oral examination will be graded as satisfactory (S) or unsatisfactory (U).  Specific areas of Flight and Simulator Training will be graded as either satisfactory (S) or unsatisfactory (U).

F.    TRAINING FAILURES

Every effort will be made to train the Pilot to proficiency. In cases where the Pilot’s ability to successfully complete a training program is in doubt, the decision to offer additional instruction or terminate training (which will constitute a Training Failure) shall be made by the Director of Training, after consultation with the instructor(s) involved, the Chief Pilot/Chief Flight Engineer and the Training Committee. A Pilot’s failure to complete a training cycle will constitute a Training Failure and the following will apply:

 

1.     Transition and Upgrade

a.     After a first Training Failure in an aircraft type or crew position, a Pilot will return to his most recent aircraft type or crew position and will be frozen in that aircraft type or crew position for two (2) years from the date of his failure. The Pilot shall be re-qualified (if necessary) and returned to his former domicile.

b.     After a second Training Failure in an aircraft type or crew position, a Pilot will return to his most recent aircraft type or crew position and will be frozen in that aircraft type or crew position for two (2) years from the date of his failure.  The Pilot shall be re-qualified (if needed) and returned to his former domicile.

c.         After a third Training Failure for upgrading training, a Pilot will have no further opportunity for upgrade training. After a third Training Failure for transition training, a Pilot will have no further opportunity for transition training in the aircraft in which the third failure occurred. However, if a Pilot that has had a third failure is a successful bidder on a different type aircraft, he will be allowed to hold that bid after the freeze in Paragraph F.1.b.
                                                                                                 

2.     Proficiency Check

a.     First Failure: Following the first failure of a Proficiency Check, in an aircraft type or crew position, a Pilot will be given one(1) additional two-hour flight simulator training period and a recheck.

b.     Second Failure: Upon failure to re-qualify on the second Proficiency Check in an aircraft type or crew position, the Director of Training and the Chief Pilot/Chief Flight Engineer, after consultation with the Training Committee, will determine what action is to be taken by the Company.

3.     Line Check

a.     First Failure: Following a Pilot’s first Line Check failure in an aircraft type or crew position, the amount and type of additional training will be determined after a discussion among the Pilot, the Check Airman involved, the Director of Training and the Chief Pilot/Chief Flight Engineer.

b.     Second Failure: Upon failure to re-qualify on the second Line Check in an aircraft type or crew position, the Director of Training and the Chief Pilot/Chief Flight Engineer, after consultation with the Training Committee, will determine what action is to be taken by the Company.

4.     Ground Training

        Home Study:

 

Failure to return the Home Study exam(s) by the scheduled date, or achieve a score of eighty percent (80%), will result in the Training Department contacting the Pilot in order to verify a new date by which the Pilot must satisfactorily complete the Home Study exam.  This new date shall not be more than fifteen (15) days from the original date.  Failure to return the Home Study exam(s), or achieve a score of eighty percent (80%), by the established date will result in the Pilot’s removal from line operations and pay status until a full three-day Recurrent Training Program is satisfactorily completed.

5.     Ground Training Phase Failures

a.     A written examination if required must be successfully completed prior to receiving an oral examination.  If a Pilot fails a required written examination, he shall be re-trained and re-tested.  A Pilot who fails the second written examination in that cycle shall remain in his current crew position and shall incur a training cycle failure.

b.     If a Pilot fails the first oral examination in a training cycle, he shall be re-trained and if recommended by an instructor be re-tested.  A Pilot who fails the second oral examination in that cycle shall remain in his current crew position and shall incur a training cycle failure.

c.     If a Pilot is not recommended by his instructor for his second oral examination another instructor shall examine the Pilot and determine whether he should be recommended for that examination.  If the second instructor concurs with the first instructor’s decision not to recommend the Pilot for examination he shall remain in his current crew position, and shall incur a training cycle failure.

6.     Training Cycle Failure

A Pilot shall incur a training cycle failure if he:

a.     Fails a second written examination in ground training; or

b.     Is not recommended for a second oral examination in ground training; or

c.     Fails to satisfactorily complete a required simulator aircraft or IOE training phase including the additional training authorized by the Training Manual for that phase regardless of whether a phase check/qualification event is administered; or

d.     Fails two (2) phase checks/qualification events within the same simulator, aircraft, or IOE training phase; or

e.     Withdraws from training phase without the approval of the Director of Flight Operations, or his designee.

G.    CREW STATUS

1.     A Pilot who is subject to a crew status freeze in accordance with Article 11. shall be released from that freeze if he is involuntarily excessed or furloughed from the crew status in which he is frozen or can no longer hold that crew status due to legal restrictions.

2.     Notwithstanding other provisions of Article 11., a Pilot may be assigned or awarded a crew status that he is otherwise “permanently ineligible” to hold if that crew status is the only crew status he could hold.

3.     Nothing herein shall restrict deviation from the rules by mutual agreement between the Pilot and the Company where such deviation will aid or benefit the Pilot in completing any training requirement.

4.     All Pilots assigned to equipment domiciles with International scheduled over water flying shall, at their option, be over water and LRN/GPS qualified within six (6) months of such assignment.

5.     Performance evaluations in a simulator or an aircraft will only be performed by Company personnel that are qualified FAA designated Check Airmen.
      

H.    TRAVEL

When training is conducted at a location other than a Pilot’s base, transportation will be provided by the Company from the base to the training site and return to base, or to the scheduled departure point if returning to line flying.  Travel to and from training will be conducted in accordance with Article 8. Deadheading. Pilots shall wear appropriate attire or their uniforms when traveling on Company business on an industry travel pass.

I.      EXPENSES

Pilots will be provided lodging when attending training. Pilots will be eligible for Per Diem while attending training at a location other than their base. Per Diem will begin upon a Pilot’s initiation of travel to training and terminate upon completion of travel following training.  Per Diem accrual for recurrent training starts at class time if training is conducted at a Pilot’s base. Hotels utilized for training will have laundry facilities.