Best Evidence for the FAA Industry Training Standards (FITS) Program for Pilot Training in the TAAWayne A. Dornan, Paul CraigSteve Gossett, Wendy Beckman
Middle Tennessee State UniversityMurfreesboro, TNContact:[email protected]
Definition of a TAAIntegrated cockpit system consisting of a primary flight display, amultifunction display including an instrument-certified Global Positioning System (GPS) with traffic and terrain graphics, and a fully integrated autopilot.
FITS Group: 16 MTSU students began their flight training in glass in DA-40 aircraft using the FAA-approved training program in August 2004
Traditional Round (Archival): 19 students who had taken their Private and Instrument flight training at MTSU
Bottlenecks: Additional time required to complete a lesson beyond syllabus requirements
Setbacks: Repeated lessons
Setbacks Comparison
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SAFER L933 setbacks/13 students = 2.53
Trad L923 setbacks/16 students = 1.43
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Our data indicates that FITS trained pilots have fewer setbacks over the entire VFR/IFR training
But what was the determining factor?
TAA or FITS
Second Phase Fall 2005TAA with traditional syllabus
Traditional Glass: 11 students (7 have finished) who had taken their Instrument flight training at MTSU using a traditional syllabus in a TAA (glass cockpit)
Traditional Round: 19 students who had taken their Private and Instrument flight training at MTSU
Identified BottlenecksTraditional/Round DialsSyllabus Hours
Identified SetbacksFITSTRADITIONAL ROUNDTRADITIONAL GLASS*** = significantly different from traditional groups, p < 0.05048121620MEAN NUMBER OF SETBACKSIFR TRAINING***
One of our FITS students passed her combined Private / Instrument check ride with a total of 55 airplane hours !
IF WE ARE GOING TO BE CERTIFICATING PILOTS WITH FEWER HOURS
WHAT KIND OF PILOTS WILL THEY BE ?
NTSB REPORT:2005 Accidents Released March 2006GA Crash Stats Rise Significantly For 2005.AVweb, March 20, 2006
Accidents End of Downward TrendAssociated Press, March 20, 2006
The increase in accident statistics is disappointing .NTSB Acting Chairman Mark Rosenker
PHASE THREE THE EFFECTS OF A FITS TRAINING PROGRAM THAT EMPHASIZES SCENARIO BASED FLYING ON PILOT DECISION MAKING SKILLS
METHODOLOGY16 Students enrolled in the FITS group7 Students enrolled in the Traditional / Glass Group24 Pilots who completed their Instrument training within 6 months / Traditional Round
METHOLODOLOGY All groups were administered pencil and paper tests following the completion of their flight training
Personal IFR Comfort Questionnaire How comfortable are you to fly alone in the IFR environment? How comfortable are you to fly alone in IMC ? How comfortable are you to shoot an ILS approach to minimums ? What are your personal minimums ?
Responses1 = Not comfortable 2 = Somewhat comfortable3 = Comfortable4 = Very comfortable5 = Absolutely comfortable, no problem!
RESULTSNot Comfortable Flying Alone in the IFR EnvironmentTraditional Round 18 %Traditional Glass 0 %FITS 0 %
RESULTSNot Comfortable Flying Alone in IMCTraditional Round 38 %Traditional Glass 0 %FITS 14 %
RESULTSNot Comfortable Shooting an ILS to minimumsTraditional Round16 %Traditional Glass0 %FITS0 %
RESULTSWould You Feel Comfortable Using a GPS When Flying IMC? Traditional Round: Yes (48 %) Traditional Glass: Yes (100 %)FITS = Yes (100 %)
Mean Self-Reported VisibilityFITSTRADITIONAL ROUNDTRADITIONAL GLASS*** = significantly different from all other groups, p < 0.05012345STATUTE MILESIFR TRAINING******
Mean Self-Reported CeilingFITSTRADITIONAL ROUNDTRADITIONAL GLASS*** = significantly different from all other groups, p < 0.05050010001500200025003000ALTITUDE IN FEETIFR TRAINING******
RESULTSWhat are your personal minimums ? Visibility: Never thought about it !
Traditional Round68 %Traditional Glass60 %FITS18 %
SUMMARYOur results indicate that pilots have fewer setbacks over the entire VFR/IFR training using the FITS syllabus Our results suggest that the FITS training, and not the aircraft, makes the differenceFITS trained pilots are: More comfortable with their IFR skillsMore comfortable with their automationMore conservative with IFR decision making
QUESTIONS
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