Flight supervision and pilot training standards: a study of international aviation regulations

Abstract

This paper analyzes variations in pilot training and licensing policies across four major organizations: the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) of Indonesia. The main issue here is the impact of contradictory training pathway requirements, flight hours, simulator requirements, language proficiency requirements, and instructor qualification requirements on aviation safety, license transferability, and the construction of the pilot training system in Indonesia. This study employs a qualitative research design, combining a systematic literature review with regulatory comparative analysis. The findings demonstrate that the prescriptive and competency-based model is most prevalent in EASA, where simulation and multi-crew requirements are widely applied; whereas in the FAA, the emphasis is more on total flight experience and rules related to 1,500 hours; and in the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASR), there is minimal implementation but overall consistent with ICAO minimum. The paper finds that the country must progressively harmonize with modern ICAO, EASA, and FAA standards of good practice, prioritizing competency-based training (CBT), fatigue risk management, simulator capacity, and instructor professionalization to enhance safety performance and international recognition.