How Simulator Motion Affects Pilot Training and Evaluation

The Effect of Simulator Motion on Pilot Training and Evaluation

Abstract

Airline pilot training has experienced numerous changes in recent years in response to the changes in the aviation sector. These changes have witnessed the increased use of simulator motion in pilot training and evaluation initiatives. The proposed study will examine the impact of simulator training on pilot training and evaluation in relation to the dynamically changing airline industry. A qualitative case study research approach will be employed for the proposed study in which data will be collected from a sample of between 15-20 participants. Study participants will be identified from a target population of pilot training personnel and pilots using purposive or judgmental sampling technique. Data will be collected using semi-structured interviews that will be conducted on phone because of the geographical spread of the target participants. The data will be analyzed using thematic analysis technique, which will help identify emerging themes and patterns in data. The proposed study is expected to demonstrate the simulator motion is essential in pilot training and supports skill transfer. However, aviation authorities need to find alternative cost-effective solutions to meet current pilot training needs because simulator motion has minimal effects on the effectiveness of pilot training and evaluation programs.

Keywords: simulator motion, airline pilot training and evaluation, skill transfer, training needs.

Summary

Airline pilot training has experienced numerous changes in recent years in response to the changes in the aviation sector. These changes have witnessed the increased use of simulator motion in pilot training and evaluation initiatives. Changes in the aviation sector have impacted training needs and evaluation as airlines need to ensure that their training programs reflect the dynamically changing environment. While simulator motion is increasing used in pilot training and evaluation, there is a lack of evidence on it reflects the changing airline environment and evolving pilot training needs.

The proposed study seeks to examine the effect of simulator motion on pilot training and evaluation in relation to the evolving training and evaluation needs in the aviation sector. A qualitative case study research approach will be employed for the proposed study since it will help in collection of rich data in naturally occurring contexts. Data will be collected from a sample of between 15-20 participants from a target population of pilot training personnel and pilots. The target population will be identified from the contact information provided in the websites of major airlines in the United States. Semi-structured interviews conducted on phone will be used to collect data, which will be analyzed using thematic analysis technique.

The proposed study is expected to demonstrate that simulator motion is an important component of pilot training programs as it provide practical skills on flight operations and control. Secondly, it is expected to demonstrate that simulator motion enhances skill transfer by providing an opportunity for pilots to develop knowledge and experience that is applicable to real flight. Third, the proposed study will show that simulator motion does not adequately prepare pilots for the changing needs in the aviation sector. Finally, the proposed research will show that simulator motion has very little impact on the effectiveness of pilot training programs.

Introduction

Airline pilot training programs are characterized by numerous unprecedented challenges including changing demographics of the new-hire population. Managers of these programs have been forced to develop or identify ways of addressing these problems. This has in turn contributed to a dramatic decrease in the entry-level requirements of the largest airlines. As the largest airlines have decreased their entry-level requirements for new hires, smaller airlines have experienced greater pressure. The largest airlines have decreased their requirements for flight hours and past experience, which has made smaller airlines lower their requirement to bare minimums. These changes have impacted training needs and evaluation as airlines need to ensure that their training programs reflect the dynamically changing environment. Simulator motion is one of the approaches used in pilot training and evaluation. However, its impact on pilot training and evaluation in relation to the changing aviation environment is relatively unknown. The proposed study seeks to examine the effect of simulator motion on pilot training and evaluation in relation to the evolving training and evaluation needs in the aviation sector.

Background Information

Pilot training and evaluation has experienced tremendous changes in recent years as the aviation sector continues to evolve. Over the past few decades, the aviation sector has witnessed changing demographics of the new-hire population and high turnover among pilots leaving for positions with the largest airlines (Longridge et al., 2001). These factors have had significant implications for the content and design of pilot training. In addition, these recent trends have contributed to the emergence of new pilot training and evaluation needs. Airline pilot training programs are characterized by new demands and need to meet the significantly lowered entry-level requirements for new hires. Additional airline pilot hiring challenges include increased pay, higher demand for pilots, increasing cost of initial pilot training, and probable low returns on investment (Valenta, 2018). These challenges have been exacerbated by the increased growth of the airline industry, which generates additional demands on pilot training and evaluation. As a result, managers of airline pilot training programs face the need to ensure that pilot training and evaluation for current and new-hire pilot populations reflect the dynamically changing environment. They need to ensure that these programs reflect the evolving changes in aircraft systems, corporate culture, and flight procedures.

Simulator motion has remained one of the critical components in pilot training and evaluation programs or measures. The growth of simulator motion to become the status-quo in high-fidelity flight simulation is attributable to the evolution of flight simulation since the late 1950s and early 1960s (Vaden, 2002). Simulator motion not only allows pilots to sit-in and use the same cockpit layout as the real one but also enables them to feel the motion of the aircraft as well. Simulator motion systems for flight training are based on the idea that the training environment should be of the highest fidelity possible in order to achieve the best possible pilot training and evaluation. Therefore, the incorporation of this component in pilot training and evaluation is seen as an essential means to achieve the greatest possible skill transfer.

Problem Statement

Motion systems are traditionally viewed as essential components for flight training, especially in fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft (Vaden, 2002). The necessity of these systems in pilot training and evaluation is evident in the fact that real-world flight tasks include motion stimuli. Motion stimuli in real-world flight tasks need to the interpreted accurately in order for the pilot to make accurate control inputs. This necessity implies that simulator motion plays an essential role in pilot training programs. Simulator motion is continually integrated into these programs as it gives pilots the opportunity to experience what they would during a real flight. Through simulation, pilots use the same cockpit layouts as they would in real flight and experience motion stimuli. During this process, pilots learn how to interpret flight tasks accurately and make proper control inputs. While simulator motion has been viewed as an important component of pilot training and evaluation, its impact on skill transfer remains debatable to date. Additionally, there is a lack of sound scientific data on the link between some key training device attributes and their impact on the transfer of performance to and from the airplane (Go, Burki-Cohen & Soja, 2000). Currently, there is a lack of adequate scientific data on how simulator motion enhances the ability of airline pilot training programs to meet training needs in the evolving and dynamically changing airline environment. There is a lack of evidence on how simulator motion in pilot training programs reflects the changing airline environment in terms of corporate culture, flight procedures, or aircraft systems.

Research Question

The proposed study seeks to answer the following research question:

What is the effect of simulator motion on pilot training and evaluation in relation to the changing human resource needs in the aviation sector?

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the proposed study is to examine the impact of simulator motion on pilot training and evaluation in relation to the evolving pilot training and evaluation needs in the aviation sector. Through this, the proposed study seeks to enhance understanding of whether simulator training remains a critical component of modern pilot training programs or measures. The proposed study will provide insights of the extent to which simulator motion meets the current pilot training and evaluation needs.

Significance of the Study

The aviation industry is constantly evolving as air transport is increasingly a fast and reliable means of transport for both passengers and freight (Valenta, 2018). This growth has generated new demands on pilot training and evaluation by contributing to a higher demand for pilots. However, pilot training and evaluation has been characterized by increasing costs of training and concerns on whether it meets the desired needs. Therefore, determination of the effect of current training procedures and programs in meeting the desired needs is critical towards improving the effectiveness of existing training programs. The proposed study will help address this by examining the effect of simulator motion on pilot training and evaluation. In this case, the proposed study will highlight the effect of this pilot training approach on current training needs in the airline industry. Through this, the proposed study seeks to address one of the major debates or concerns in the airline industry relating to the use of simulator motion in flight training. It will provide insights into the extent to which simulator motion promotes skill transfer and help meet training needs in the evolving aviation industry.

Objectives of the Study

The proposed study seeks to accomplish the following research objectives…

1. To examine the necessity of simulator motion as a component of pilot training and evaluation.

2. To determine the extent to which simulator motion promoting skill transfer for current and new-hire pilot populations.

3. To examine how simulator motion impacts pilot training and evaluation with regards to the changing needs in the aviation sector.

4. To determine the effect of simulator motion on the effectiveness of training programs.

Research Methodology

Creswell (2014) states that one of the key components to achieving the purpose and objectives of a study is the use of an appropriate research design or methodology. Research designs are usually determined based on the nature of the phenomenon under investigation or the research issue. Quantitative research methodologies are employed in studies that seek to examine cause and effect relationships or test hypotheses. Such studies involve the collection of quantitative data, which is analyzed through statistical techniques. On the contrary, qualitative research methodologies are employed in studies that are exploratory, descriptive, or explanatory in nature. These studies involve the collection and analysis of qualitative data to help answer the research question or address the research issue. Qualitative research approaches are suitable for studies that seek to answer how, what, and why questions.

Research Design

As previously indicated, the purpose of this proposed study is to examine the effect of simulator motion on pilot training and evaluation with regards to the changing training needs in the aviation industry. This implies that the phenomenon under investigation in the proposed study is exploratory or descriptive in nature. Therefore, a qualitative research design is the most suitable research methodology for the proposed study. The proposed research will employ a qualitative research approach to examine how simulator motion impacts pilot training and evaluation. The exploration will be carried out on the premise that simulator training is a commonly utilized equipment or technology pilot training and evaluation. In this regard, this equipment or technology is designed to replicate a real-world flight situation for training purposes (Nahlinder et al., 2009). Using a qualitative research approach, the proposed study will examine the pedagogical or training benefit of this equipment or technology.

The qualitative research design to be employed in the proposed study is case study research. Rashid et al. (2019) define qualitative case study research as an approach that enables investigators to carry out extensive exploration of intricate phenomena within a particular context. This research approach helps in exploring an issue within a certain context using different sources of data. When employed in a study, the researcher conducts the exploration through various lenses in order to identify multiple facets of the research issue.

For the proposed study, a qualitative case study approach will help explore the effect of simulator motion of pilot training and evaluation within its naturally occurring context. Through this, the research will obtain rich data and descriptions of the issue. Rich data and descriptions of the issue will be obtained by exploring the phenomenon within its naturally occurring context. A qualitative case study research design is appropriate for the proposed study because understanding the research issue requires exploration within its naturally occurring context. This will provide the premise for a better understanding of the use of simulator motion as training equipment or technology in the aviation sector. Moreover, the qualitative case study approach for the proposed study was chosen because the intervention (simulator motion) has no clear, single set of outcomes in relation to pilot training and evaluation (Baxter & jack, 2008).

Sampling and Sample Size

The proposed qualitative case study research will be carried out on a group of personnel in pilot recruiting and pilots in the largest airlines in the United States. In this regard, the target population for the proposed research is professionals working in personnel recruiting as well as pilots in major airlines in the United States. This is an appropriate target population for the proposed research since the aviation industry has recently witnessed an increase in the number of pilots leaving for positions in major airlines (Longridge et al., 2001). Additionally, the population represents an ideal target population for the proposed research because of their first-hand experiences in pilot training and evaluation. The target population is appropriately positioned to provide rich data and descriptions on pilot training and evaluation in relation to the use of simulator motion.

A suitable sample size from the target population will be selected using the purposive or judgmental sampling technique. Purposeful sampling is an approach that is commonly employed in qualitative studies and used to identify information-rich cases to include in a study (Creswell, 2014). Using purposeful sampling, the research will incorporate information-rich cases on the issue of simulation motion in pilot training and evaluation. In essence, though this approach, subjects who are knowledgeable about the phenomenon under investigation will be identified and included in the proposed research. This is a suitable sampling technique for the proposed study since it will enable the research to obtain direct input from subjects who are familiar with the research issue.

Using this sampling approach, the researcher will identify a group of between 15 and 20 personnel in pilot recruiting or pilots in major airlines in the United States. The sample size will be identified through contacting the major airlines directly or by contacting pilot recruiting personnel listed on the airlines’ websites. After obtaining the contacts of the potential study participants, the research will send an email to each contact. The email will comprise information regarding an overview of the proposed study, its purpose and objectives, and a request to consider participating in the study. It will also include information regarding the data collection procedures and notification that the responses would be anonymous. Through this process, the researcher hopes to achieve a response rate of at least 80% from the targeted participants, which will be a satisfactory rate for the research.

Data Collection

Data for the proposed study will be carried out using semi-structured interviews, which will be indicated in the email. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted on phone because of the diverse geographical spread of the targeted participants. Semi-structured interviews are suitable for the proposed since they will allow specific and probing questions on the phenomenon under investigation (Lutte, 2018). The semi-structured interviews will comprise 10 questions that will be developed based on a review of existing literature on the phenomenon under investigation. The researcher will develop and utilize an interview guide to help ensure that each participant will be asked the same questions. This is critical to ensure that the study findings are based on similar questions or datasets. The open-ended questions will target different specific content areas including the use of simulator motion as training equipment, current pilot training and evaluation needs, impact of simulator motion on pilot training and evaluation, and effectiveness of simulator motion in pilot training and evaluation.

The validity of the data collection instrument will be enhanced using two different approaches. First, the researcher will seek the input of a qualified researcher with experience in qualitative methods. The researcher will enlist the support of his professor to critically review and examine the initial interview draft. Secondly, study participants will be included in the process of developing the research questions by asking them to review the questions prior to commencement of the data collection process.

After a final draft of interview questions is developed, the semi-structured interviews will be conducted for a period of four weeks. Each interview will last for a period not exceeding 45 minutes and recorded in order to create transcripts for analysis. Interview transcripts will be generated for a period of three weeks and shared with participants to review for accuracy.

Results

The data obtained from the semi-structured interviews will be analyzed using the thematic analysis technique. Thematic analysis is a commonly used data analysis technique in qualitative studies and involves examining the dataset for common themes or patterns (Creswell, 2014). Using this data analysis technique, the researcher will examine the dataset for emerging themes or patterns. In this regard, responses from study participants will be examined for commonalities or similarities, which will be grouped into different themes or patterns. The commonalities or similarities in the dataset will be coded into different groups of themes or patterns, which will then be analyzed to identify a final set of themes. The coding or grouping of the emerging themes will be carried out based on the objectives of the proposed study. The emerging themes or patterns from this process will be used to answer the research question and achieve the purpose and objectives of the proposed study.