The Airbus A320 family is one of the most numerous single-aisle jet transport types in worldwide service.  With a growing global shortage of type qualified airline pilots, there has never been a better time to complete an A320 Type Rating course.

Course Content

Ground Phase

• Self-study course prior to commencement of the training at PTC Aviation’s training centre in Port Elizabeth.  This distance-learning is conducted via the PTC Aviation on-line Learning Management System (LMS) giving you 24/7 access to the courseware. You control the pace and path of your studies.  It also creates significant savings in the amount of time you need to spend at our training centre.
• Once you arrive at PTC Aviation, instructor-led workshops, Cockpit Procedural training (CPT) and a computer-based FMS emulator build on and consolidate your understanding of the self-study elements that you have completed through the LMS.
• Ground training at PTC’s modern training facility includes:
  • Type Technical tutorials
  • CPT sessions addressing normal and abnormal SOP development and MCC techniques before starting the associated simulator phase
  • Automation workshops and cockpit / FMS emulator sessions
  • Part 121 Flight Performance workshops
  • Abnormal event management workshops
  • Operational use of EFB data and Jeppesen FD
  • Type Technical systems knowledge and performance tests

Simulator Training

Simulator training is conducted in 2 phases:

1. Fixed Base Simulation (FBS) phase – 40 hours over 10 sessions
2. Full Flight Simulation (FFS) phase – 12 hours over 3 sessions (this phase is conducted in Johannesburg)

LOFT is integrated throughout all simulator training and session content includes:

• Key knowledge and handling skills development
• Airbus Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) development
• Automation management and auto-flight / flight director operation
• Normal and Non-normal Systems knowledge development.

A full session briefing and de briefing will be conducted. The session de-briefing includes a session review and a preparation for the next session.

Trainees are rostered in pairs, flying as crewmembers in realistic, real time operational scenarios that put into practice the theory learned in the classroom. Each session comprises 2 flight exercises and by exchanging roles between exercises, trainees gain experience in both the pilot flying (PF) and pilot monitoring roles (PM).

Skills Test

The 4 hour Type Rating Skill Test session is designed around a commercial air transport environment and comprises:

• 1st part: – LOE via a real time sector with some specific events.
• 2nd part: additional SPOT exercises to deal with the remaining items to be performed by the trainee in order to fully satisfy specific regulator FCL requirements.
• An SACAA Designated Flight Examiner will conduct the session.