The Covid-19 pandemic has forced airlines to do a lot of new and unusual things, including how they handle passenger and crew health and safety, flying phantom routes to keep permits alive, and now flying A380s as flight simulators for pilot training.
That’s the case for South Korea’s Asiana Airlines, which owns six of the huge (and thirsty) four-engine super-jumbos. As with most countries, Korea’s aviation regulations provide that pilots must prove their proficiency for a particular plane every 90 days.
That requalification can usually be done on an aircraft-specific flight simulator, but in Asiana’s case, the nearest A380 simulator is located in Thailand, and Korean pilots would rather not go there just now, thanks. As a result, Asiana is using its actual planes to meet the requirements of one flight every 90 days, including three take-offs, approaches and landings, including one on instrument flight rules.
Some countries, including the U.S., have allowed pilots extra time before their certificates lapse; the U.S. has extended certification by 90 days.
