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Flight training is a complex and responsible training process for pilot and requires experienced specialists, good organization and quality control of flight activity. Its main purpose is to create highly qualified personnel with long-term professional skills in the techniques of piloting, aircraft flying and the combat use of aircraft. Assessment is an important part of the training process for young cadets. It determines the extent to which trainees have been able to perceive, learn and comprehend their new flying activity and their ability to apply the acquired knowledge in tense conditions. Assessment is directly related to the quality of the flight training, and the it should show the trainees the mistakes they have made and encourage them to upgrade their knowledge and skills. The trainees should be well versed in the assessment methodology and understand its purpose, otherwise the grades obtained will not be an indicator of their ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This paper aims to present the analysis of introduction of single engine turbo-prop aeroplane class in terms of certification specifications and flight crew licensing regulations.Design/methodology/approach Following the results of flight testing and additional performance and sizing calculations, the proposed class was placed among the existing aeroplane taxonomy in terms of performance, flight loads, mass penalty, fuel economy and several other factors. Concerning small air transport initiative, the new class was tried to be placed as a starting point in commercial pilot career.Findings The paper points the potential market for single engine turbopropeller aeroplanes and lists today obstacles in wider introduction. Therefore, remarks about required change of regulations and requirements for design process, as well as for crew licensing, are underlined.Practical implications The results of the study would be helpful in preliminary design of a new low-power turboprop aeroplane, as well as during tailoring the certification specifications.Originality/value The approach presented in this paper is a detailed extension of an original idea presented by author for the first time during Clean Sky/small air transport workshop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In short, we must value critical thinking as a core combat capability and measure it. It requires the same degree of training, monitoring, and validation that flying qualification demands. The Air Force would never allow a nonqualified aviator to pilot an aircraft. The risk to individual life and equipment is too great. Similarly, we must ask, why would we be less stringent about larger situations of uncertainty that could introduce risk to thousands? In areas that demand verified critical thinking skill, why would we turn to one’s intuitive judgment that may be susceptible to unmitigated cognitive error? President John F. Kennedy once said, “Too often we. . . enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.”15 As scientific studies have shown, intuitive judgment is flawed. Institutionalizing a culture of critical thinking will complement expert intuition by mitigating cognitive error and bias. In doing so, the Air Force will step toward a process that rewards true skill through measurement, accountability, feedback, and improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In visual flight, student pilots learn to control an aircraft by visual reference to the natural horizon and to the cockpit instruments. During real flight, they practice the processing of three-dimensional spatial information and the procedures for controlling the aircraft. Currently the simulator training for ab initio pilots is restricted to radio navigation procedures. However, the instructional potential of flight simulators could be better exploited because their use is independent of visual meteorological conditions, they are cost-effective and emission free. This study investigated the effect of combined real and simulator training on performance and skill acquisition of flight students during real flight. An evaluation study was employed with 61 ab initio flight students in a pre- and posttest design. Real flight tests were performed before and after the simulator training. Results show that trainees' flight performance in the aircraft was significantly better in post-test than in pre-test. The performance in post-test correlated significantly with performance in the simulator. These findings show that simulator training improved trainees' performance during real flight. The student pilots could generalize the skills for visual flight control across a variety of cockpit designs. The use of generic flight simulators could be extended to training basic flight skills such as the processing of three-dimensional spatial information, and the procedures to control the aircraft by reference to the natural horizon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Over the past 10-15 yr, considerable research has occurred for the development, testing, and fielding of real-time Datalink weather products for general aviation (GA) pilots to use before and during flight. As is the case with the implementation of most new technologies, work is needed to ensure that the users (in this case, the pilots) understand both the capabilities and limitations of the new technologies as well as how to use the new systems to improve their task performance. The purpose of this study was to replicate and extend a previous study on training pilots how and when to use these new weather technologies. METHOD: This field study used a quasi-experimental design (pre- vs. post-test with a control group). There were 91 GA pilots from the Midwest, Northeastern, and Southeastern United States who participated in a 2-h short course or a control activity. The lecture-based short course covered radar basics, Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD), NEXRAD specifics/ limitations, thunderstorm basics, radar products, and decision making. RESULTS: The pilots who participated in the course earned higher knowledge test scores, improved at applying the concepts in paper-based flight scenarios, had higher self-efficacy in post-training assessments as compared to pre-training assessments, and also performed better than did control subjects on post-test knowledge and skills assessments. DISCUSSION: GA pilots lack knowledge about real-time Datalink weather technology. This study indicates that a relatively short training program was effective for fostering Datalink weather-related knowledge and skills in GA pilots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study undertook a survey of University Aviation Association (UAA) member institutions to determine the composition of the simulation fleet available to UAA institutions. Additionally, this survey asked about the financial and cultural impacts of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) January 2, 2014 policy change that altered the creditable training conducted in Aviation Training Devices (ATDs). The survey found that there is a plethora of training devices in use by UAA member institutions and that 62% of respondents will have to change the way they conduct training, and 48% will spend more than $20,000 to bring their institutions in compliance with the policy. Furthermore, 66% of respondents expect that their students will be charged an additional $1000 or more to complete their training because of the policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current paper focuses on the topic of the early schools of piloting due to the fact that, on the one side, on the 1st of April, 2015, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of "Henri Coanda" Air Force Academy of Brasov -- the successor of the Romanian military aeronautical education, and on the other side, in our opinion, knowledge of traditions of the military piloting school stands for a necessity when forming and professionally training military pilots. The history of the Romanian piloting school represents the foundation of the local military aeronautical education, both at present and for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the use of continuous mathematical models of an aircraft in an aircraft simulator is described. The models are of lower degree and less time-consuming for calculation. Computer implementation of the models capable to work faster and more accurately and efficiently is also described. The suggested approach allows to achieve the required precision at accelerated simulation speed using the continuous mathematical models of an aircraft. Frequency of the computation of continuous mathematical models of an aircraft is higher, reaching up to 200 times per second. The main focus of the paper is designing continuous mathematical models of an aircraft, their simulation and visualization in aircraft simulators. Current mathematical models of a control of objects motion are based on aircraft aerodynamics. In our approach, these models have impact on the quality and completeness of simulation process and are crucial for computer modeling and visualization of equations of the continuous mathematical models of an aircraft. In the paper, creating continuous mathematical models of an aircraft and the way of visualization of simulation results are described in detail. The main aim of computer simulation of continuous mathematical models of an aircraft is pilots training. Aircraft simulator plays a key role in the process of pilots training; it enables pilots to control the aircraft and its equipment. Standard computer with a graphic processing unit for the visualization results from continuous mathematical models of an aircraft can be utilized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article outlines a method for selecting pilot candidates forab initioflight training at a North American flight training unit (FTU) serving the Chinese market. Over the past 4 years the FTU has developed and implemented a ground-school-based method of assessment and selection for Chinese candidates. The method was developed in response to the lack of reliable and affordable assessment materials available for flight training candidates whose first language was other than English. Development, implementation, and the effects of assessment on the early hours of Canadian ground school are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an entirely new developed intelligent system for high precision adaptive assessments of the aircraft piloting abilities. Integrated optimization components for these abilities provide the basis in the decision-making process concerning the pilots' hierarchy and admittance in the flight training specific programs. The system is built as a complex and parametric set of tools, with hierarchical set of specific flying stimulus, weighted in the pilot's performances, acting as the basis of the assessment process. The subjects fly in virtual environment, where they receive specific visual, sound and tactile information, in a cockpit specific form. A set of basic and generic tasks is developed for building more complex scenarios, focusing on a stimulus category at one time (visual, flight, navigation, environment integration). Also, a multi-stream data acquisition system (data integration in simulated flight, physiological data and behavior data) is implemented. The data in the intelligent system is stored in relational structured databases: basic scenario database, complex scenario database, subjects' database and results database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of this paper is to provide the latest developments in high level integrating of two different sides of pilots' performances improving. First one focuses on the assessment of the contribution of the vertical component of the virtual flight in the performance optimizing process. The other one is oriented to model the contribution of physiological profiling data in performance improvement. This goal is a complex one, meaning that two different approaches need to be considered: one concerning the dedicated system able to carry out the all the tasks required by performances improving and other in charged with modeling the data showing the contribution of the vertical component of the virtual flight assisted by physiological data in performance improving process. The main source for all acquired and processed data is an entirely new specially designed expert system for high precision assessments of aircraft piloting abilities. It is based on a multi-stream data acquisition and processing system, able to integrate the simulated flight environment with virtual flights and physiological and behavior data. As a direct result of these integrated improving processes, new models of the piloting abilities are implemented. Even more, a solid basis for the decision-making process for setting the pilots' and candidates' hierarchy for admittance to specific flight training programs is provided. Data analyzed and results emerge from the system recorded performance parameters based on measuring the differences between vertical components of the ideal trajectories according to assigned missions and the real trajectories in simulated flights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the key elements to NextGen is the transition from the current ground- based radar monitoring system to a satellite-based system using the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast System (ADS-B). The FAA has set a mandate which requires all aircraft to be ADS-B equipped by the year 2020 in order to continue operating in the National Airspace System. However, the FAA has not set forth any training requirements for aviation instructors or designated examiners. This study looked at how ADS-B is currently being taught among aviation educators across the United States and how important this training is to current aviation curriculum. With the information collected, it was determined that only a minimal amount of ADS-B training is currently taking place across the country, and the training that is taking place is non-standardized and limited due to the perception that ADS-B is only to be used as a traffic advisory tool. There was significant difference in the perceived importance of ADS-B, t(73) = -2.79, p < .01 between the flight instructor group and the group containing mostly professors and administrators. Also, a significant difference was found in the comparison of perceived importance and institution, t(73) = -3.11, p < .01. There was no significance found when comparing the perceived importance of ADS-B training to the number of years a respondent had worked as an aviation educator, F(1,73) = .44, p = .508 or the number of hours a respondent had received ADS-B training, F(1,60) = .15, p = .699. There was also no significant difference in the perceived importance of ADS-B training dependent upon if participants operated in a geographic location that had ADS-B coverage, t(73) = -1.88, p = .063. Several factors were discovered as to why there seems to be no current urgency among aviation educators to train their students in this new technology. In addition, recommended steps the FAA could take in order to help aviation educators with the ADS-B training process were suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aviation industry is rapidly adopting mobile technology through the use of electronic flight bags (EFBs) in cockpits. In addition to EFB charts and manuals, mobile devices can deliver instructional content to facilitate mobile learning (m-learning). However, m-learning is still in its infancy, and little work has been done to explore how people learn through this technology. This article explores how the features of mobile devices may facilitate new aviation instructional approaches, as well as a blended learning instructional design model that incorporates snap-courses. Snap-courses are short, 5-minute segments of training that are designed to be distributed over several weeks or months. Snap-courses may be well suited to a mobile learning context and facilitate long-term retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the findings of a phenomenological study of instructor pilot first-hand experiences when conducting training for collegiate flight students in a jet aircraft. While jet training has been conducted in simulators in the past, this was one of the first instances of training in an actual aircraft. A total of 22 students completed training in a very light jet aircraft during the spring semester of their junior year at the subject university. A group of four instructors conducted both simulator and flight training with the students. Surveys were used to collect data from instructors longitudinally throughout the length of the 16-week semester. At the conclusion of the training period, participants completed a structured interview. The results of those interviews suggested that students excelled in areas such as avionics programming, use of standardized operating procedures, and checklist usage. Students were challenged by the increased operating speeds of the jet aircraft, descent planning, and lesson preparedness. The instructors offered suggestions to enhance the course and provided a summary of the lessons learned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]