During the last twenty years, there has been much discussion on topic of “In aircraft” training vs. “simulator based” training. Insurance companies lead the way in this discussion. The military and airlines were the first to use full-motion simulators for training. How did this happen? The United States Military and Insurance companies saw the immediate value of simulators. In a simulator you could run almost every abnormal or emergency scenario, without risk of loss of life or loss of property, in addition to a financial savings. The results of this transition from aircraft to simulator training were tremendous. Just looking at the accident and incident data will back up this transition. Step forward to present time. Simulators have been a mainstay of the aviation training industry for many years and have provided students with an accurate replication of abnormal and emergency scenarios that have resulted in a more educated and safer pilot.

Is there still a place for “in-aircraft” training? There is more than ever. Consider the NTSB’s accident statistics for the year 2000. Most aviation fixed wing accidents occur in the Approach & Landing phase of flight. Within this category, the highest cause of accidents is “In Flight Encounter with Weather.” This is pilots, either knowingly or not, flying into bad weather in an attempt to reach it to their destination. Both aircraft and avionics manufacturers have made great strides in recent years to help pilots have the most up to date weather information in the cockpit, in an attempt to reduce this type accident. What continues to cause these accidents, if pilots have the most up to date weather information in the cockpit? A pilot’s decision making. Does a simulator help a pilot in the decision making arena? Yes and no. A simulator is a great tool for teaching pilots to prioritize. That is, what is the most important thing to accomplish at this point in time? Simulator instructors have a unique way of making abnormalities occur to test a pilot. That is, to find out where his breaking point is. But, does this really help a pilot decide whether the approach to his/her destination airport is too risky due to bad weather? Unfortunately, it does not. Most simulator sessions are going to focus on the pilot’s physical ability to fly the simulator. That is, how well he/she can fly the numbers and make a limited amount of in-direct decision making. Although this is certainly helpful, it leaves much to be desired when it comes to more in-depth decision making requirements by pilots. How do you teach in-direct decision making for pilots?

There is a way to teach pilots to make better decisions in the flying environment. A pilot that has a strong base knowledge of the aircraft, as well as the environment that he/she is flying in will always make better decisions. Why? Because a pilot who is better informed will be able to prioritize more efficiently in the cockpit, allowing him/her to point their attention where it is most needed. This may mean considering approaching weather or performance criteria for a departure. Regardless what the situation is, a well informed pilot will always outperform a lesser informed pilot. A simulator plays an important role in the training scenario. What is important to remember is that the simulator is just one role. There are three more important roles to be considered. Student background, course material and instructor interaction. These are areas where Jet Aeronautical excels. A student’s background is the first consideration upon contact with Jet Aeronautical. A strong corporate background or a lower time flight instructor can be accommodated at Jet Aeronautical. A professional presentation, along with a detailed course syllabus are also important in the training environment. All of Jet Aeronautical’s courses are taught using our own materials presented in a computerized format. Our syllabus is second to none, based on guidelines set forth in AC 61-89E. Finally, and most important to the training environment is the instructor. Instructor interaction with students is the most important factor in the flight training environment. Both from a safety and comfort point of view for the student. Jet Aeronautical’s instructors pride themselves in going the extra mile for the student. From start to finish, Jet Aeronautical will provide a safe, efficient and comfortable training environment to all students. So, we are back to Jet Aeronautical’s outlook on training. Simulator training cannot replace the “hands on” quality of “in aircraft” training that is offered at Jet Aeronautical. This is not to say that simulators are not a valuable tool in the quest for a safer pilot. They certainly are, but the instructor is what drives the learning environment. Quality of instruction will always be the most important aspect of pilot training. When you call to find out information on training facilities, ask who the instructor is. Find out their qualifications and time in aircraft they are teaching and then call JET AERONAUTICAL, where quality of instruction is of utmost importance.

Jet Aeronautical works with a number of insurance brokers that know and understand our product very well. As a matter of fact, Jet Aeronautical’s President worked with almost all of the aviation insurance brokers in Southern California, as an aviation underwriter for USAIG. Having the right insurance broker working for you makes a big difference. There are no training facilities that are approved across the board with every insurance company. A pilot’s aviation experience along with training provider syllabus and interaction is the driving force behind insurance approval of various training programs. An experienced broker that is familiar with Jet Aeronautical’s training syllabus is invaluable to the aircraft owner seeking training. If you currently have a broker and they have questions regarding Jet Aeronautical, have them call us. If you are looking for an experienced broker who is familiar with Jet Aeronautical, give us a call and we can recommend someone.

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