To ensure it gets the right people into the role, Air New Zealand works closely with its Preferred Flight Training Organisations (PFTOs) who are training their future pilots.

The Airline Integration Course (AIC), which was designed by Air New Zealand, has been running since 2013, providing trainee pilots with a detailed introduction to the many demands of a multi-crew cockpit and the systems and operations of modern turbine powered aircraft. The course is run at the Nelson Aviation College training facility at Nelson Airport.

As a participant, you will meet with a range of Air New Zealand team members, including managers and current line pilots.  All presenters and simulator instructors have a wide range of experience with Air New Zealand.

For low-hour pilots, or those with no commercial multi-crew experience, the AIC provides excellent preparation for a candidate's first airline role. The AIC also forms an integral part of the New Zealand Diploma in Aviation - Airline Preparation Strand.

Students training at a PFTO who successfully complete the AIC are identified by Air New Zealand as a 'Preferred Pilot'.

The four week course is the final step for those completing the Airline Preparation Strand of the New Zealand Diploma in Aviation.  AIC graduates are recognised for receiving their qualifications in an environment geared towards Air New Zealand's culture, brand values and leadership traits. In addition to the technical elements of the course, Air New Zealand team members will fly in from Auckland and Christchurch to meet you.

The course will promote an awareness of the various departmental interactions of todays' professional flight crew and will give you a taste of what being an airline pilot is all about.

To view the entry criteria and selection process, please check out AIC entry requirements below.  When you have reviewed the entry criteria and decided you would like to apply, please click "Apply Now" on the button on the right.

• AIC      55 - November 11th to December 8th 2024

• AIC      56 - January 13th to February 9th 2025

The course includes the following syllabus items:

Human Factors:

·       Multi-crew roles
·       Monitoring
·       Situational awareness
·       Workload management and automation
·       Threat and error management
·       Problem solving and decision making
·       Teamwork

The Role of an Airline Pilot

·       Interpersonal skills
·       Professionalism
·       Personal integrity
·       Physical integrity (health)
·       Dealing with commercial pressures

Primary Flight Management (all phases of flight)

Use of Operational Documents

·       Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
·       Quick Reference Handbook (QRH)
·       Despatch Deviation Guide, Minimum Equipment List (DDG/MEL)
·       Route Guide
·       Normal and non-normal checklists
·       Performance calculations

Safety Management Systems

·       Operational Safety Reporting (OSR)
·       Just Culture

Advanced Aircraft Systems

·       Electronic Flight Instruments (EFIS) (depending on simulator used)
·       Flight Management Computer (FMC) and autopilot (depending on simulator used)
·       Pressurisation systems
·       Traffic Collision and Avoidance System (TCAS)
·       Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS)
·       Weather radar
·       Anti-ice systems
·       Stall warning systems

Managing Threats to Safe Flight

·       Adverse weather environment
·      Systems failures

The course uses a Pacific Simulators B737-800 simulator, which is located at the Nelson Aviation College training facility at Nelson Airport.

Students will fly five sessions as part of a PF/PM multi-person crew. These flights are not aimed at type-rating in the B737, but rather are used as real-life, scenario based training details.

The Airline Integration Course fee for self-funding domestic and international students is $15,510.00 (including GST).

NAC shall issue the PFTO, with a tax invoice for 50% of the planned training, when a student has been accepted onto an AIC, and the student has accepted the offer of place.

The remaining 50% must be paid prior to course commencing.

Students are invited to express an interest in attending the Air New Zealand Airline Integration Course. They will be provisionally accepted, with attendance on the course subject to meeting the entry criteria, prior to undertaking the course. Once the student confirms their intention to attend (at least one month prior to commencement of the course), the student will be invoiced a non-refundable deposit of 50% of the course fee.

To assist the scheduling of courses, some students may be accepted for a specific AIC, even though they do not meet all entry requirements at the time of provisional acceptance. Where a student has not met the entry criteria at the time of course commencement, and who has paid the 50% deposit, they may apply and will be granted a refund of the 50% deposit.

Students who have been provisionally accepted; who have paid the 50% deposit; have met the entrance criteria; and they withdraw from the course before its commencement or completion, will not be granted a refund except due to extenuating circumstances outside the student's control.

Any application for a refund must be in writing and accompanied by a letter of support from your training organisation. Applications are to be sent to the AIC Training Manager, email: enquiries@nelson-aviation.co.nz

Any refund under the extenuating circumstances provision will be determined by NAC. Should there be a disputed outcome, then the matter will be referred to the PFTO Marginal Applicant Committee for review.

To be eligible to participate in the AIC, applicants must meet the following entry criteria:

NZ Diploma in Aviation - Airline Preparation Strand Students

Flight Test and Exam Performance

The candidate shall have passed all CAA flight tests and theory examinations for PPL, CPL, and MEIR, and all theory examinations for ATPL, with:

• No more than one resit in any one flight test (CPL, SEIR or MEIR) and no more than two flight test resits in total.

• No more than one resit in any one theory subject at any level above PPL and no more than two resits at any level of theory above PPL.

For the purposes of these criteria, a "resit" is defined as an attempt at an exam or flight test subsequent to an initial failed attempt. A "failed attempt" does not include:

• a "did not sit" grade (given as a result of non-attendance for whatever reason)

• a failing grade as a result of impaired performance caused by sickness (a medical certificate will be required)

• a failing grade as a result of impaired performance due to extenuating circumstances outside the student's control. Such circumstances will be assessed on an individual basis

As the selection process may take place before candidates' ATPL exams, or CPL/MEIR results are known, provisional acceptance is conditional upon performance in the exams and flight tests meeting the above criteria.

A student may be eligible to attend the AIC without having met all of the entry criteria, but this will be carefully considered on a case-by-case basis.

BAv Students

Flight Test and Exam Performance

Massey University Bachelor of Aviation students are to have completed the academic component of all four compulsory PARTS (PART 1, PART 2, PART 3A, PART 3B) of the BAv in accordance with the rules and regulations of the degree, as promulgated in the University Calendar.

Massey University Students may attend AIC selection when they have become enrolled into PART3B papers and have completed Flight Exams S3FE1 and S3FE2.

AIC Selection Process

In addition to meeting the above entry criteria, candidates must successfully complete the selection process, which consists of:

Aviation Knowledge Exam

All applicants will sit an aviation knowledge exam during the selection process. The exam will cover topics pertinent to commercial aviation under instrument flight rules.

Interview

Candidates will take part in an in-person or online behavioural interview to assess non-technical competencies defined by Air New Zealand, approximately eight weeks prior to the AIC. These competencies strongly reflect those used by the airline to select pilots.



The competencies to be assessed are:

• Professionalism

• Personal maturity

• Self-awareness and integrity

• Motivation and self-management

• Communication skills

• Ability to work with others

• Leadership potential

AIC for Pilots from a Non-preferred FTO

If you are training at an FTO that is not part of the Aviation Institute Preferred FTOs, once you have completed your CPL, MEIR and ATPL theory you can apply for the AIC. To be accepted on to the AIC you will need to meet the selection criteria and successfully complete the selection process.

It is important for you to know that the AIC will be a limited-numbers course, and preference will be given to graduates of preferred FTOs. There is no guarantee you will be able to do the AIC if you have not graduated from a preferred FTO.