Common Type Rating approved for A350 XWB and A330 pilot training

Airlines and pilots will both benefit from the Common Type Rating pilot training on the A350 XWB and A330 jetliners, further extending Airbus’ concept of flight operational commonality between its fly-by-wire aircraft families.The new regulatory approval means that pilots who are qualified and current on the A330 can already commence their preparations to take the A350 XWB’s controls by undergoing “differences training” only. Enabling a significant reduction of costs for airlines, the differences training does not necessitate the use of a ground-based full-flight-simulator, and allows a 65% reduction in pilot training time – to only eight days – versus a standard transition course. Additionally, it facilitates the creation of a pool of pilots who can fly both the A330 and A350 XWB in a single-fleet flying (SFF) concept for increased scheduling flexibility and mobility.