No matter the nature of the mission most frequently flown by your flight crews, training in a full-flight simulator makes sense. Consider the following points:
Safety
Effective and comprehensive training involves reviewing and practicing normal procedures, and more importantly, abnormal and emergency procedures. The margin for error while practicing these procedures in the aircraft is slight. In a full-flight simulator the potential danger is removed. Emergency and abnormal procedures can be practiced under a broad variety of weather and environmental conditions without risk in the simulator. Not so in the aircraft.
Effectiveness of Training
When training is done in-aircraft, the trainee and the instructor must pretend certain conditions exist. In the simulator abnormal and emergency events happen just as they would in the actual aircraft. No need to pretend. No need to substitute imagination for reality. Procedures can be practiced repeatedly without delays from air traffic, weather conditions or ATC. The trainee and instructor can focus on the task at hand without distraction. The training in a simulator is more comprehensive and thorough than it could ever be in the actual aircraft. More effective training can be accomplished in a single simulator period than could be done in ten hours of flight time.
Aircraft Availability
Why take your aircraft out of service to support training flights?
You operate the aircraft to complete your primary missions … not to conduct training. Even slight damage to your aircraft sustained during training can take the aircraft out of service while repairs are completed.
Liability Exposure
Comprehensive in-aircraft training creates
unnecessary exposure to incidents and accidents.
This activity subjects your aircraft and crew to risk
which in turn generates potential liability for the
aircraft operator. Simulator-based training provides
a safe, focused and realistic training environment. Better training – no risk.
Wear and Tear on the Aircraft
Routine operation of any aircraft generates the need for routine maintenance. In the training mode, the aircraft is easily subjected to excessive wear creating the need for additional maintenance and servicing. Hard landings, engine and system exceedences along with other training-related incidents can reduce the useful life of your aircraft and cause premature component replacement.
Costs
When all costs are considered, simulator training is the better value. Direct operating costs, additional maintenance requirements, unnecessary risk exposure and time lost to air traffic or weather considerations all inflate the true cost of in-aircraft training. One accident/incident in the aircraft can easily cost much more than an entire year’s worth of simulator training.
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For good reasons, the world’s best business, commercial, government and military flight operations depend on simulator-based training to keep their flight crews at the peak of proficiency.
The best safety device in any aircraft is a well-trained crew.
