ASL Airlines Australia employed and promoted pilots earlier than the prescribed minimum experience hours without additional controls in place to manage the risk of lower experienced pilots on the flight deck.
The additional controls introduced by the operator for the employment, promotion and rostering of pilots were considered positive actions to address the risks involved with inexperienced pilots.
Response by ASL Airlines Australia
The upgrade or fleet transfer requirement of minimum of 500 hours on a company type, or as deemed appropriate by the Director of Flight Operations contained in OM-A – Operations Manual has been amended to minimum of 500 hours on a company type, or similar type in terms of MTOW as deemed appropriate by the Director of Flight Operations, Head of Training and Checking and Director of Safety.
The Inexperienced Flight Crew section contained in OM-A – Operations Manual has been amended to include Flight crew who are CTL will not have their 'inexperienced status' removed without a review of the candidates progress by the Director of Flight Operations or Head of Training and Checking. This review will be conducted after the minimum 100 hours and 10 sectors is completed.
The Planned Supervised Line Flying sectors for Captains – No Jet Experience listed in the OM-D – Training and Checking Manual have been increased from 30 to 36 sectors
The Planned Supervised Line Flying sectors for First Officers – No Jet Experience listed in the OM-D – Training and Checking Manual have been increased from 30 to 36 sectors
The Supervised Line Flying and Line Check section in OM-D – Training and Checking Manual has been amended from The Fleet Training Manager may review a candidate’s experience at the planning stage, and may elect to plan less, or more sectors than in the table above to The Fleet Training Manager will review a candidate’s experience at the planning stage, and may elect to plan less, or more sectors than in the table above
'Green' Roster group added to allow tracking of green status and avoid inadvertent rostering of green on green
A policy has been developed and incorporated into OM-A – Operations Manual that states the Captain must conduct the approach and landing with visibility within 1,000 m and cloud within 100 ft of the minima unless the PIC is a company approved training or check pilot.
