Sustainable Aviation: How Pilot Training Can Support the Industry’s Decarbonization Goals
In this blog, we explore how sustainable aviation practices can be woven into pilot simulator training and real-world operations.
After exploring the foundations, misconceptions, and operational realities of Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA), The Training Standard podcast reaches its first series’ finale with the question many decision-makers are now asking:
In Episode 5, Bryan Roseveare, Training Manager at Simaero South Africa, and Cédric Coffignal, Training Manager at Simaero France and CBTA Subject Matter Expert, shift the conversation from theory to strategy.
This final discussion is aimed squarely at airline leaders, Heads of Training, Chief Pilots, and executives who are evaluating what CBTA means not just pedagogically, but operationally and financially.
Because while CBTA is often discussed as a training philosophy, it is also becoming a strategic business decision.
For now, yes.
As Cédric explains, CBTA is still officially optional in most countries, with only a small number of exceptions. But that does not mean the industry is standing still. ICAO’s publication of the PANS-TRG (Doc 9868) in 2020 helped define the framework, followed by IATA white papers on EBT and CBTA implementation. Airbus, Boeing, and other major industry players are also pushing the conversation forward.
Cédric’s view is not necessarily that CBTA will become mandatory in the near term, but that it will become the new internal training standard.
That matters because the real risk for airlines is not immediate non-compliance. It is gradual isolation.
As more operators, regulators, OEMs, and training organizations work within shared data-driven training frameworks, airlines that stay fully in legacy systems may find themselves increasingly disconnected from the direction of the industry.
Data sits at the center of the CBTA model.
This is not only about what happens during a simulator session. It is about connecting training to operational reality. Today, airlines already collect data through systems such as Flight Data Monitoring (FDM), Safety Management Systems (SMS), recurrent training, and ATO feedback. The problem is that these sources often remain isolated from one another.
CBTA changes that.
By correlating and analyzing these data sets together, airlines can identify trends, understand root causes, and apply the right training at the right time.
For example, if an airline sees a growing number of go-arounds caused by unstable approaches, CBTA helps go beyond the symptom.
This creates a continuous improvement loop. Internally, it allows airlines to adjust training more precisely. Externally, it supports collaboration with regulators, manufacturers, and the wider industry. Ultimately, it becomes a proactive safety tool rather than a reactive one.
Implementing CBTA requires investment. There is instructor training, course redesign, software development, and change management.
But the return is clear.
First, as Cédric says, the main return is flight safety, and safety has no price.
Second, there are practical operational gains. In initial training, traditional type rating may prepare pilots to begin line training, but not always to become operationally effective as early as possible. Some airlines still require 50, 55, or even 60 sectors before line check release.
CBTA changes the objective. Instead of preparing pilots only to pass a training phase, it prepares them for the actual job they are about to perform. That can reduce the number of sectors required before release, improve the use of instructor resources, and make pilots productive first officers earlier.
The same logic applies to recurrent training.
So while the safety case remains primary, the business case is also strong.
Cédric’s answer is balanced: yes and no.
On one hand, legacy systems can be easier to pass. Candidates often know what to expect, can prepare for specific events, and may achieve a higher short-term success rate.
On the other hand, that predictability can allow some pilots to move forward without demonstrating the broader competencies truly needed for the role.
CBTA changes that by assessing competencies rather than task memorization. That may initially lead to higher attrition during screening or upgrade, but it also means airlines spend less time and money training people who are likely to fail later.
Over time, that creates a more reliable pipeline for both recruitment and command upgrade. The result is not necessarily faster progression in every case, but more dependable progression.
There is no single starting point.
The right first step depends on the organization: airline or ATO, legacy or mixed environment, starting from scratch or building on existing foundations.
For Cédric, the best place to begin is with a gap analysis:
From there, the roadmap becomes clearer, with defined steps, resources, and deliverables.
Importantly, some airlines may already be closer to CBTA than they think. Good training leaders have often introduced elements of CBTA over time without formally calling it that. In those cases, the transition is not a complete reset, but a matter of adding structure, framework, and common language.
At Simaero, our focus is not just on delivering training, but on helping the industry navigate a fundamental shift in training philosophy. Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA) is not a trend; it’s an evolution, and one we are actively supporting alongside our partners.
We work closely with airlines to understand their operational realities, constraints, and long-term goals. This allows us to design and deliver training solutions that are not only compliant with emerging industry guidance, but also practical, scalable, and aligned with day-to-day operations.
We also recognise that CBTA is still evolving. Regulatory frameworks continue to develop, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. That’s why flexibility is central to how we operate. By combining our technical expertise, global network, and hands-on industry experience, we help our partners adapt with confidence as requirements and expectations continue to shift.
CBTA is not just a training method. It is a safety management tool that prepares crews for the unexpected, not just the rehearsed.
That is what makes it strategically important.
The transition may still be optional today, but the direction of travel is clear. For airlines, training organizations, and aviation leaders, the question is no longer whether CBTA matters. It is how soon they want to be ready for it.
Listen to Episode 5 on your preferred podcast platform and leave your comments to continue the conversation.
Simaero is a world-leading provider of pilot training on full-flight simulators and simulation engineering solutions. In global aviation, change is a constant. We promise to be a straightforward and continual presence in the complex training requirements of international airlines and pilots. With five training centres strategically located in France (headquarters), South Africa, China and India, Simaero trains over 5,000 pilots every year from 250+ civil and military carriers and 80+ countries. Our simulator fleet and training solutions cover the main commercial aircraft types, including Airbus, Boeing, ATR, and Embraer.
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