Cascais (Lisbon) — Navigating the transition to modern competency frameworks requires more than just regulatory knowledge; it requires a strategic roadmap.

At the recent Halldale EATS Head of Training round-table event, Empower.aero co-founder Captain Andy Mitchell took center seat to lead the dedicated EBT/CBTA Implementation table. The session drew immense interest from across the aviation spectrum, with representatives from major airlines, ATOs, business jet operators and National Competent Authorities (NCAs) eager to align on best practices under his expert guidance.

Snakes, Ladders, and Competency Frameworks

Taking inspiration from the famous Casino Estoril next door—widely regarded as Ian Fleming's muse for Casino Royale—Andy delivered a highly facilitative masterclass. But instead of focusing on high-stakes gambling, he mapped the EBT/CBTA journey using a different game of chance: Snakes & Ladders.

Through this engaging analogy, Andy demonstrated that successfully implementing competency-based programs doesn't have to rely on luck. With the right strategy, training departments can actively seek out the "ladders" (strategies that accelerate implementation to regulatory minimums) while actively avoiding the "snakes" (common pitfalls that prolong approval timelines and escalate costs significantly).

  • Interactive Discovery: Participants collaboratively identified operational "snakes and ladders" by drawing on their own unique departmental experiences.
  • Expert Facilitation: Andy guided the room through overcoming common industry misconceptions, ensuring every operator left with actionable best practices.
  • Getting the odds in your favour: Andy culminated the session in showing how a weighed dice allows you to improve your odds in Snakes & Ladders - like how expert guidance signifcantly improves your odds in successful EBT/CBTA roll-out.
"Just fantastic! You have to be at an extreme expert level to break down something so complex into something that appears simple... and fun!"

— Representative, UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)

The success of this round-table underscores Empower.aero's commitment to demystifying the regulatory landscape and empowering training departments to take confident, autonomous control of their EBT and CBTA rollouts.