Multi-crew pilot licence

Lore & Background

The MPL was specified by ICAO and first included in the 10th edition of Annex 1 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Personnel Licensing), published in November 2006. Calls in the 1990s for review of pilot training led ICAO to convene a Flight Crew Licensing and Training Panel (FCLTP) in 2001, which led to the MPL concept. The licence aims to take advantage of modern flight simulators and instructional systems design (ISD), and to provide training more appropriate to the highly automated environment of the modern flight deck. Captain Dieter Harms, chairman of the management board of Lufthansa Flight Training and dubbed the 'father of the MPL', stated the MPL programme was not introduced to deal with a pilot shortage or to reduce training costs.

In EASA states, the MPL is only issued for fixed-wing aeroplanes. It is not issued by the United States or Canada. ALPA, a trade union, opposes implementation of the MPL in the United States. Foreign pilots with an MPL may fly into the United States as co-pilot on a non-US registered aircraft, but cannot operate a US-registered aircraft for a US carrier. Foreign MPL students can attend US flight schools for flight training.

The MPL training course includes a type rating for a specific jet aircraft, which can lower the total cost of training. However, MPL holders are tied to a specific airline until they reach 1,500 flight hours and are able to gain an ATPL. MPL holders are only qualified to fly as co-pilot in a multi-crew aircraft and are not able to fly solo without additional training.

Reader's Guide

The MPL represents a significant shift in airline pilot training, moving from task-based and hours-based syllabi to a competency-based approach. Its creation by ICAO in 2006 was driven by a need to better prepare pilots for the highly automated modern flight deck, leveraging flight simulators and instructional systems design. Despite its adoption in many regions, the MPL has faced criticism and implementation challenges. The European Cockpit Association (ECA) criticised it in 2013 for over-reliance on simulator training, noting less flying time in the aircraft, very limited solo flight time, and less exposure to the real environment. The ECA also stated that as of 2013 no MPL trainee had yet graduated to captain, and there was limited data on performance. Conversely, researchers Rickard Wickander and Nicklas Dahlström of Lund University School of Aviation stated as of 2014 there was 'no indication that the MPL should have any significant shortcomings in comparison with traditional airline pilot training' and noted positive feedback from host airlines. The ECA also claimed that authorities and Approved Training Organisations 'lack understanding of the competency based concept,' and Wickander and Dahlström questioned whether any training provider fully runs their training according to the competency-based approach. A notable risk of the MPL is that the course is completed in one continuous course with an Approved Training Organisation that has an agreement with a specific airline; if the airline goes bankrupt or withdraws its job offer, the licence cannot be used without further training. Examples include nine cadets made redundant in 2008 after completing the course with Sterling Airlines, and in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Easyjet terminated offers of employment to cadets midway through the course. Until 2016, EASA MPL training was not complete until the completion of line training with a specific airline, a restriction that was removed on 6 April 2016.

Did You Know?

• The MPL was created by ICAO in 2006 and first appeared in the 10th edition of Annex 1 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation.
• The MPL is not issued by the United States or Canada, and ALPA opposes its implementation in the United States.