That Illusive Proficiency

tspitzmiller

Wednesday, March 30, 2022 at 06:53 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The article emphasizes the significant value of flight simulators and training devices for pilot proficiency and training, supported by the author's extensive personal experience.
A key innovation presented was "Redbird Pro," an AI-driven system that assesses individual pilot proficiency, identifies weaker skill areas, and creates personalized training plans to enhance performance and mitigate risks like loss-of-control.
Insights from the event also highlighted the importance of improving pilot decision-making, specifically by understanding and avoiding "plan-continuation bias" and encouraging consideration of multiple options in critical situations, particularly for general aviation pilots.

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Simulators first made a believer of me when I got a Pacer Mk II in 1978. In 10 years, I put over 1000 hours on it. It augmented my Cessna 172 so faithfully that I successfully moved 15 pilots through their instrument rating and completed 40 IPCs with its help. An FAA authorization allowed 15 hours to be logged in the MK II towards the rating. Of course, they’re now called training devices and there are different capabilities that allow you to log time depending on how it’s used.

I recently attended the two-day Redbird Migration 2022 session at the Aerospace Center for Excellence (which in itself is a fascinating venue) in Lakeland, Florida. I was overwhelmed by the presentations filled with useful information about how these devices can help pilots train and improve their proficiency. For the FBO (most of the attendees), it demonstrated how sims increase the value of their training.