CBTA software for aviation operators

What is CBTA (competency-based training and assessment)?

CBTA is a regulator-recognised training method in which pilots are assessed against a defined set of competencies and their observable behaviours, instead of only whether a specific manoeuvre was passed. ICAO defines nine core competencies for pilots: application of knowledge, application of procedures and compliance, communication, aeroplane flight-path management (manual), aeroplane flight-path management (automation), leadership and teamwork, problem solving and decision making, situation awareness and management of information, and workload management.

Under CBTA, an instructor or examiner grades each competency against evidence gathered during the event, records observable behaviours, and captures a narrative explaining the grade. This produces a far richer training record than a manoeuvre checklist — one that shows why a pilot performed as they did and where targeted development will have the most effect.

What does CBTA software do?

CBTA software replaces paper forms and spreadsheets with a structured system that enforces the competency framework, captures grades and remarks at the point of assessment, and turns every completed event into analysable data. Good CBTA software should cover the full loop:

• Framework management — the competencies, observable behaviours and grading scales your regulator requires, editable per operator.
• Point-of-assessment capture — instructors grade in the cockpit or simulator, ideally offline, without waiting to return to a desk.
• Structured narratives — written remarks tied to specific competencies and phases of flight, not free-floating comments.
• Sign-off and audit — tamper-evident report exports and a complete audit trail of who did what and when.
• Analytics — aggregate competency data to find fleet-wide trends, instructor variation and emerging training needs.

How Waypoint delivers CBTA

Waypoint ships the EASA, UK CAA and ICAO competency sets out of the box, so a new operator can run compliant CBTA without building a framework from scratch. Instructors grade on an offline-first iPad app designed for the flight deck and simulator; grades and remarks sync automatically when a connection returns. Training managers configure frameworks, grading policies and report templates from a desktop portal, and every report produces a branded, tamper-evident PDF with a full audit trail.

Authority	Region	Key frameworks Waypoint models
EASA	European Union	Part-FCL and Part-ORO competency-based training, LPC/OPC, type rating, recurrent training
UK CAA	United Kingdom	Retained EASA (Part-FCL / Part-ORO) rules, LPC/OPC, line checks
ICAO	Worldwide baseline	Doc 9995 (Evidence-Based Training), Doc 9868 (PANS-TRG), the nine core competencies
GCC authorities (GCAA, GACA, QCAA, and others)	Middle East	ICAO-aligned CBTA/EBT frameworks with operator-specific overlays

CBTA software vs spreadsheets and generic LMS platforms

Capability	Spreadsheets	Generic LMS	Waypoint
Regulator competency frameworks built in	No	Rarely	Yes — EASA, UK CAA, ICAO
Offline cockpit / simulator capture	No	No	Yes — offline-first iPad
Competency grades linked to narratives	Manual	Limited	Yes — structured
Tamper-evident, audit-trailed exports	No	Partial	Yes
Fleet-wide competency analytics	Manual	Generic	Yes — purpose-built

Who uses CBTA software?

CBTA software is used by airlines, business and private jet operators, helicopter operators, and Approved Training Organisations (ATOs) that need to demonstrate competency-based training to their regulator. Waypoint is multi-tenant and white-label, and the generic ICAO competency set ships ready to use, so smaller operators can adopt it without a large IT project. See the tailored pages for airlines, business aviation, helicopter operators and ATOs.