Simulators are not Airplanes

Training is only as good as the teacher. When using a sim, even solid instruction can be unnecessarily inefficient (expensive), defeating the simulators major advantage.

Editorial Staff

Wednesday, October 15, 2014 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Ineffective simulator instruction, often due to instructors failing to focus on specific student needs or utilize the sim's features efficiently, can negate its cost-saving advantages.
Effective instructors should pre-plan specific learning tasks, efficiently position students for repetitive practice, and actively probe for individual weaknesses.
Trainers should leverage simulator capabilities like pause and repositioning, allow students to experience the consequences of bad decisions, and avoid teaching it like a traditional airplane lesson.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Training is only as good as the teacher. When using a sim, even solid instruction can be unnecessarily inefficient (expensive), defeating the simulator’s major advantage.

For example, one CFII started each lesson on the ground, going through the start-up, taxi and takeoff. But, this student was well versed in ground procedures and just needed some VOR work. He paid for a lot of wasted time. Another CFI wasn’t sure how to reposition his student to repetitively practice procedure turns, so he vectored him all over the imaginary skies.