Fractional ownership provider NetJets has launched the Advanced Qualification Program to customize pilot training based on human factors.

It includes methods for developing aircraft-specific content in training used by crewmembers and dispatchers. 

NetJets is the first private operator to receive FAA approval for the program. The objective is to provide training to enhance professional qualifications that surpass current standards, NetJets says.  

The program will begin with the Citation Sovereign and Latitude, then roll out to other aircraft models every three months until the entire fleet is covered, the company says. 

“We are thrilled to be the first private aviation company to receive support from the FAA under this new program,” said Alan Bobo, NetJets chief operating officer. “The standards for safety have always been the top priority for NetJets, and we look forward to continuing to evolve and succeed with AQP.”

NetJets transition to a human-factors training approach began in 2007 in order to leverage the experiences and resources from commercial airlines, it said. AQP will test pilots’ knowledge and reactions to real-world flight scenarios, which are often based on information obtained from NetJets’ Flight Operations Quality Assurance inflight data recorders, it said.

The company also began an Air Carrier Designated Examiner program with NetJets-dedicated FAA inspectors who are overseeing the training and checking, it said.

The new programming replaces general regulations and programmed hours with fleet-specific, proficiency-based training and evaluation taken from a detailed job task analysis. 

“These tasks include crew resource management, aeronautical decision making, judgment and overall professionalism,” NetJets says. 

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigations have found that human factors remain a source of risk in accident prevention. Improving human performance is central to improving overall safety, NetJets notes.