Alteon Training boss claims enhanced realism is being used in the wrong areas
More needs to be done to improve the quality of flight simulator training, says Capt Kip Caudrey, director of simulator evaluation and standards, Asia/South Pacific, at Alteon Training Asia.
"Pilots are not necessarily receiving the best or most appropriate training," he told the Simulation Industry Association of Australia's SimTecT conference in Canberra.
Simulator visual systems had come a long way, he said, but some of the added realism was being used in the wrong areas, such as around terminals. "We should be focusing instead on detailed approaches and touchdowns."
Windshear and rain effects should be simulated using real water and wipers, he added. "The experience needs to be representative of what we are seeing in the aircraft. There's no reason why we can't have it, but we need to demand it from our suppliers."
Caudrey said database costs should be reduced through data sharing, and improved software was needed for three-dimensional clouds, for example. Standardised data-supported aircraft malfunctions were also required, he said, and communication training had to be improved for pilots from non-English-speaking countries.
Meanwhile, Alteon Training has secured Qantas low-cost operator Jetstar as a customer at its new A$45 million ($31.6 million) Brisbane training centre - a joint venture with Jetstar competitor Virgin Blue.
The centre will meet the training needs of Next Generation 737 operator Virgin Blue, as well as Boeing Business Jet operators. Alteon president Pat Gaines says talks are under way with other Asia-Pacific airlines.
EMMA KELLY / CANBERRA
Source: Flight International
