The Airline Pilot Club (APC), founded by former Ryanair Head of Training Captain Andy O’Shea, has hosted the second edition of its “Let’s Talk About Your Future” seminar at Barcelona Flight School. The event brings together student pilots, instructors, training-organisation leaders and airline representatives for a practical examination of how competency-based training is reshaping the pathway to the airline flight deck.
The half‑day event focused on how Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA) and Evidence‑Based Training (EBT) are influencing pilot development from ab‑initio instruction through to line operations. APC described the seminar as a response to the growing need for stronger alignment between flight training organisations and airline expectations.
Three presentations formed the core of the programme, each addressing a key stage in a pilot’s professional journey. The first, “The Good News / Bad News of CBTA & EBT,” examined how modern training frameworks are changing regulatory, airline and instructor expectations, while also highlighting the challenges of implementation.
A second session, “From ATO to Airline: Building a Continuous Competency Thread,” explored how structured competency data can be carried forward throughout a pilot’s career. Speakers discussed how such continuity could help close the long‑recognised information gap between initial flight training and airline operations, offering a more complete and defensible picture of a pilot’s competencies.
The final presentation, “From Student to Commander: Data‑Driven Career Development,” looked at how continuous professional development data can support targeted training and assessment at each career stage, from student pilot through to command.
A panel discussion and career‑preparation session followed, giving cadets the opportunity to engage directly with industry professionals on recruitment expectations, airline competency standards and current hiring priorities. Attendees noted the practical, industry‑focused approach, distinguishing the seminar from more traditional pilot career events.
Cedric Paillard, CEO of The Airline Pilot Club, said the objective was to create meaningful dialogue between those training pilots and those employing them.
“The aviation industry talks a lot about the pilot shortage and safety standards. We wanted to do something practical about it — bring the people who train pilots and the people who hire them into the same room with the cadets who are working to join them,” Paillard said. “Competency‑based training is the future, and it starts here: giving aspiring pilots a clear, evidence‑based path to the flight deck.”
Barcelona Flight School also emphasised the value of hosting the event at its Sabadell base. “Connecting our students directly with industry leaders and training‑technology providers like APC gives them a more complete understanding of what it takes to succeed — not just in the exam room, but in a professional aviation career,” a school spokesperson said.
“Let’s Talk About Your Future” forms part of APC’s wider initiative to support pilot career development and raise global training standards. The organisation has indicated that a further company announcement is planned later this month.
