A comparison of scenario based with maneuvers based TAA instrument flight training

Jon French, Michele Summers, Frank Ayers, Beth Blickensderfer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

A laboratory-controlled comparison of traditional maneuvers based training (MBT) and scenario based training (SBT) is described during the acquisition of technically advanced aircraft (TAA) instrument flight skills in a simulator. The study was conducted as part of the FAA Industry Training Standards (FITS) evaluation of SBT. All 27 participants were instrument rated pilots with less than 500 total flight hours and virtually no experience with TAA. All were randomly assigned to the MBT or SBT condition. All received 8 hours of MBT or SBT before the final posttest evaluation. The TAA simulator was a Cirrus SR20 with a Chelton primary flight display (PFD) and multi-function display (MFD) powered by Micro Soft Flight Simulator (2002). Experimentally blind expert raters scored instrument flight skills during a pre-training (pre-test) and a similar post training (posttest) data collection flights. The SBT Group performed statistically better on 5 of the 8 measures of piloting ability than the MBT for the posttest flight. In no case, did the SBT Group score worse than the MBT group. The results indicate that SBT may lead to improved piloting and navigation skills over traditional maneuvers based training for TAA flight. Although MBT is a reliable method to teach flight and has so for decades, SBT, which is recommended by the FAA Industry Training Standards (FITS) program, may be a better strategy for TAA instrument flight skill acquisition.
Original languageAmerican English
JournalInternational Symposium on Aviation Psychology
StatePublished - 2007

Keywords

  • SBT

Disciplines

  • Other Psychology

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