In 1990, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) introduced the alternate pilot qualification known as the Advanced Qualification Program (AQP). Since its introduction, many airlines have adopted AQP into their training methodology, favoring its use of data analytics and flexibility. Over 90% of large Part 121 carriers (1,000+ pilots) and 100% of medium-sized Part 121 carriers (501-999 pilots) currently train under AQP, with more than 90% of U.S. airline pilots training under the program overall.

What is AQP?

The Advanced Qualification Program is a training methodology that moves away from rigid, time-based training structures and adopts a proficiency-based approach. AQP is a voluntary program, offered as an alternative means of compliance with the traditional training and checking requirements under 14 CFR Parts 121 and 135. AQP allows airlines to customize their training programs based on real-world operational data, ensuring that pilots and crew members are well-equipped to handle complex flight scenarios.

Instead of adhering to a standardized training curriculum, AQP utilizes data analytics and risk-based training to focus on areas where pilots may need the most improvement. This system enhances learning efficiency and reduces unnecessary training redundancies while maintaining the highest safety standards.

Consider recurrent training on an engine failure procedure. Under traditional, time-based training rules, every pilot completes the same fixed number of training hours on this procedure at set intervals, regardless of how quickly they've mastered it or how much difficulty they had the last time it came up in a simulator session. Under AQP, that same training is shaped by data. If performance data shows pilots are consistently struggling with a specific phase of that procedure, additional scenario-based training is targeted there, while pilots who have already demonstrated proficiency in other areas can move on.

While AQP is best known for pilot training, the FAA's program extends to the full range of operations personnel involved in flight safety. Flight attendants, aircraft dispatchers, instructors, and evaluators can all be qualified under AQP, each with their own indoctrination, qualification, and continuing qualification curricula tailored to their specific duty position. This matters because a breakdown in coordination between any of these roles, not just pilot error, can compromise safety. By extending the same proficiency-based, data-driven training model across every operational role rather than pilots alone, AQP treats crew and support personnel as a connected system whose performance depends on each other, not a collection of individually trained specialists.

Five Phases of AQP

Building or refining an AQP program follows five structured phases defined by the FAA, the same process whether a carrier is adopting AQP for the first time or updating an existing program. The Application phase requires an airline to formally declare the scope of its proposed program, identifying which crew positions and curricula will operate under AQP. The Instructional Systems Design (ISD) phase involves a detailed analysis of job tasks to determine what pilots actually need to master. From there, the airline develops its Curriculum, including qualification standards and detailed curriculum outlines. The Implementation and Operations phase puts the program into practice, and the final phase involves ongoing Data Reporting, with airlines submitting monthly data tables and periodic reviews to the FAA. Each phase must be approved before the next begins, giving airlines a clear, documented path to a fully operational program.

Key Benefits of AQP

The implementation of AQP provides the following benefits to airlines:

• Improved Safety: By focusing on real-world challenges and risk mitigation strategies, pilots are better prepared to handle emergencies, since training is shaped around the specific hazards they're statistically most likely to encounter.
• Operational Efficiency: Airlines can tailor training to their specific fleet, crew base, and operating environment, reducing unnecessary time and costs associated with a standardized curriculum that doesn't reflect their actual needs.
• Higher Proficiency Levels: The competency-based approach ensures pilots achieve mastery in critical areas before progressing, rather than advancing simply because a set number of training hours has been completed.
• Reduced Training Fatigue: Traditional training can lead to burnout when pilots repeat drills for skills they've already mastered. AQP's proficiency-based structure lets pilots move past material they've demonstrated competency in, which helps sustain focus and morale over the course of a training cycle.
• Leveraging Data: Data-informed and data-driven program improvement allows trainees to spend more time focusing on aspects of their training they are less proficient in, continuously refining the curriculum itself based on real performance trends.

ProDIGIQ’s AQP Solution: SIROS

ProDIGIQ’s AQP software, SIROS is a centralized online portal that cohesively manages all elements of AQP. It features all of the tools necessary to manage AQP training, including the curriculum database, electronic forms, reports, and scheduling modules. Key benefits of SIROS include:

• Configurability: ProDIGIQ understands that every airline manages AQP differently. Therefore, it built a system that allows for a high level of configurability, ensuring that the solution is the right fit for every airline.
• User-Friendly Design: The intuitiveness of the system allows for users to quickly familiarize themselves with the system, enabling them to focus on their training, rather than on how to navigate the system
• Adaptability: As changes are made to the curriculum, SIROS will automatically trigger updates to electronic forms in real time, eliminating duplication of efforts.
• Automated Notifications: Automated alerts are automatically sent to users based on qualification expiration and renewals.

Conclusion

The Advanced Qualification Program represents a paradigm shift in airline training, moving away from rigid, outdated models and embracing a flexible, data-driven approach. With a solution like SIROS for managing the different aspects of AQP processes, airlines can focus on what matters most: developing pilots and flight crews who are not just trained, but truly proficient.