An Application of High Fidelity FTDs for Ab Initio Pilot Training: The Way Ahead

Abstract

Decreases in simulation costs and increases in aircraft training costs led to the need for further investigation into the application of simulation-based training. Researchers conducted an eighteen-month study using ab initio student pilots as participants. This study applied a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved, Part 142, flight-training curriculum that included 60% flight training device (FTD) use. Researchers identified five causal factors that warranted further investigation. The causal factors identified were visual fidelity, procedural similarity, dynamic flight environment, difficulty of task, and visual scanning and response. These causal factors have the potential to affect transfer of training (ToT) from simulated flight to aircraft flight. Steps are being taken to optimize training while considering the causal factors.

Research Recommendations from the Airplane Simulation Transfer Literature

“…Ten studies relate to training proficiency. This category includes five studies on VFR or IFR training (McDermott, 2005;Reweti, 2014;Reweti et al, 2017;Taylor et al, 2004;Taylor et al, 2005); three studies on ab initio pilot training (Macchiarella et al, 2006(Macchiarella et al, , 2008McLean et al, 2016;Roessingh, 2005); one study on CRM training (Nullmeyer et al, 2006); and one study on skill decay and re-acquisition training (Svensson et al, 2013). Eight studies investigate motion (Bürki-Cohen & Go, 2005;Bürki-Cohen et al, 2007;Grundy et al, 2016;Mulder et al, 2013;Nieuwenhuizen et al, 2013;Pool et al, 2016;Sparko et al, 2010;Zaal et al, 2015).…”

“…(See Table B2 for the complete data set.) Macchiarella et al (2006Macchiarella et al ( , 2008 reported 52 participants but only collected data from 38. dc Svensson et al (2013) reported 51 participants but only 6 participants in the transfer study.…”

“…Furthermore, all levels of these devices were effective for training purposes, and treatment groups outperformed those in the control groups when training proficiency or abnormal/unexpected events were examined (Koglbauer, 2016;McDermott, 2005;Reweti et al, 2017;Taylor et al, 2004Taylor et al, , 2005. In a few studies, the experimental groups achieved the training performance objectives in fewer flight hours and iterations than the control groups (McLean et al, 2016;Macchiarella et al, 2006Macchiarella et al, , 2008).…”

“…Baldwin, Ford, and Blume (2009). In Transfer of Training 1988-2008 Review and New Agenda for Future Research (see also Baldwin, Ford, & Blume, 2017), the authors review 140 journal articles focused on training transfer that cited their original review (Baldwin & Ford, 1988) Consequently, they argue strongly for a moratorium on these types of transfer studies (pp. 1079-1082).…”

“…For example, Carretta and Dunlap (1998) propose linking multiple simulators to create a multi-craft virtual reality environment for complex scenario-based, real-time flight training in the military. Macchiarella et al (2008) and Reweti (2014) propose researching the use of VAT and VATSIM in collegiate flight training curriculums. Reweti (2014) also recommends laying an opaque graphic on the terrain display of the simulator so students can more easily distinguish airspace boundaries.…”