Is Ab Initio Flight Attendant Training a Viable Option

1
Is Ab Initio Flight Attendant Training a
Viable Option?
2
Training costs are necessary, an expense that
reduces the profit margin.

• Typically the correlation is not made between
  training expenses vs. mitigation / eradication of
  costs due to accidents or incidents.

3
Agenda

• Define Ab Initio
• Define how Ab initio applies to FA training
• Sample structure
• Benefits
• Disadvantages
• Options for utilization
• Define potential cost savings

4
Exactly what does Ab Initio mean?

• Latin
• ab means from
• initio is an ablative of initium which
• means beginning
• Wests Encyclopedia of Law

5
Historically

• Recruiting Expanses
• Drug Tests
• Alcohol Tests
• Background Checks
• Administrative Costs
• Processing
• Applications
• Invitation Letters
• Employee Paperwork
• Pre-Training Study Materials

Airlines make the initial investment!
6
What purpose might Ab Initio Training Serve?

• Provides an opportunity to evaluate a potential
  new-hire flight attendants aptitude and level of
  skill proficiency as it relates to the
  responsibilities required of this
  multi-disciplined duty position.

7
Ab Initio Course Structure

• 25 hrs of eLearning 21 hrs of practicum

8
Ab Initio Course

• Time Conversion
• Aviation Terminology
• Anti-Drug Policies
• Aircraft/Aviation Orientation
• Weather Conditions
• Cabin Cockpit Emergency Equipment
• Principles Ditching Equipment
• Basic Principles of Evacuation
• Decompression
• Aircraft Fires
• First Aid / CPR / AED
• Previous Aircraft Accidents/Incidents
• HAZMAT

e-Learning
9
Ab Inition CoursePracticum
Theoretical comprehension, correlation,
application decision-making
10
Ab Initio CoursePracticum

• Validation Exam
• GS Emergency Drills
• Protective Breathing Equipment
• Hand Fire Extinguisher
• Oxygen Systems (Excluding aircraft system)
• Flotation Device Drill
• Ditching Drill
• AED Drill
• CPR Drill

11
Evaluation of intangibles
12
What are the benefits?

• Operator
• Distance Learning
• Basic knowledge understanding aviation
• Propensity to successfully complete training
• Reduction of pre-training costs
• Selection Pool of Serious Candidates

• Candidate
• Matches expectation?
• Do I want to pursue this profession?
• Can I complete the training?

13
Dis-advantages

• Still have failures
• May not affect attrition rates

14
Okay, whos going to pay for this?
Options

• Candidate pays for their ab initio training
• Prospective employer sponsors the candidate
  through the practicum
• Candidate is sponsored through complete Ab Initio
  course

15
Will it really affect my bottom line?

• Recruiting Expanses ???
• Administrative Costs ???
• Processing
• Applications
• Invitation Letters
• Employee Paperwork
• Pre-Training Study Materials
• Drug Tests - 35pp
• Alcohol Tests - 25pp
• Background Checks - 75pp
• Other travel, hotel, per diem, etc

16
Summary

• The Latin term ab initio means from the beginning
  and in aviation, it refers to the very first
  stage of training.
• Why not explore a method that has been reasonably
  effective for pilot training?
• It could mean substantial savings to our training
  budget!