As presented at the APATS conference this year there is a global concern regarding the decay of manual flight skills on today’s highly automated flight decks and how this affects flight safety.
Of particular note was the observation that this decay was, mostly, independent of flying experience, and that steps should be taken at initial and recurrent pilot training to establish and maintain these skills.
Airlines need pilots who are Jet experienced and ready for type rating and line training, the reality is that many pilots graduate from flight school without sufficient Jet experience.
This often becomes apparent during line training and causes training delays and added costs.
Jet Type Rating courses are adapted from manufacturer-designed courses, which are, in turn, concentrated enough in content to favour pilots whose previous airline experience has allowed them to develop the speed and workflow patterns (motor programs) central to airline operation. Continue reading
APATS 2013 brought an interesting set of presentations. In this series, we will summarize the most notable presentations from the perspective of the state of aviation training in Asia.
In the first installment, we review Capt. (ret.) John Bent’s (ICAO) presentation concerning the imminent pilot shortage: APATS 2013 Bangkok: The imminent Pilot shortage – Capt. (ret) John Bent – ICAO Capt. (ret) John Bent, gave a presentation on the imminent pilot shortages, especially in Asia. Although Capt. Bent clearly stated that projections are only projections and can be thwarted by unexpected events, his conclusions were enough to sound ‘a gentle wake-up call’.
Below a summary of the key points: Continue reading
The video Airbus A320 simulator green pump hydraulics Failure procedure demonstrates the procedure on the MPS A320 fixed base flight simulator, in this case a hydraulics failure. Continue reading
Is motion in flight simulators effective in pilot training? Full motion flight simulators (FFS) are much more expensive than fixed base flight simulators (FBS). Many smaller airlines and many flight training organizations (FTO’s) do not have the means to invest in a Full Flight Simulator.
The development of enhanced visual systems and motion cueing on fixed base flight simulators have triggered several studies to see what effects full motion flight simulators have in different stages of pilot training. Continue reading
The MPS A320 Simulator has obtained EASA FTD Level 1 approval (European Aviation Safety Agency), having previously gained FNPTII/MCC certification in May. EASA is responsible for certifying all types of flight training devices in Europe.
The MPS A320 Simulator is a type specific FBS and features a full cockpit that is an exact replica of the A320 cockpit. The visual is a collimated, 200×40 degree wrap around Level D system and all moving flight controls have calibrated A320 control loading (force feedback). Continue reading
Peter John Davison authored a document describing the evolution of motion in flight simulators.
Click here to download the entire document: Motion in Flight Simulators. A story of Evolution