MAX Pilot Training Update
Boeing 737 MAX pilots will get increased ground training on the aircraft’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) but won’t drill the anti-stall software in the sim according to updated training requirements under consideration by the FAA. The Boeing 737 MAX Flight Standardization Board (FSB) has sent draft recommendations to the agency saying “MCAS ground training must address system description, functionality, associated failure conditions, and flight crew alerting. These items must be included in initial, upgrade, transition, differences, and recurrent training.” To this point, there was no requirement for pilots to be trained on MCAS, which is an anti-stall system designed to push the nose of the aircraft down. In fact, many MAX pilots were unaware that it had been added to the aircraft to combat an increased tendency for the plane to pitch up because of the revised placement of the larger and more powerful LEAP engines.
Cirrus Expands Training
Cirrus is expanding its flight training services and its resources are available to all pilots, not just Cirrus owners. Cirrus Approach covers the gamut of training on the company’s platforms, including the VisionJet, but much of it applies to flying in general and Cirrus spokesman Ben Kowalski told attendees at Aero Friedrichshafen that anyone is welcome to take advantage of it. “[The program] has over 25 individual courses and hours and hours of content that anyone can access, both Cirrus owners and operators or anyone in aviation,” Kowalski said. For those transitioning to a Cirrus, the company offers the Embark program.
