In the wake of the pilot shortage, the US Air Force (USAF) launched the Pilot Training Transformation (PTT) initiative—an ongoing exploration of new methods and technology applications in the Undergraduate Pilot Training curricula that proposes to decrease training time by over half (Lewis, Thompson, & Smith, 2019). A key aspect of the approach includes more frequent use of low-cost simulators; however, with flight-time being one of the strongest predictors of student pilot training outcomes (Trent & Aguilar, 2020), it is vital to ensure that the tradeoff between live and simulated flight results in pilots of at least equal—if not higher—quality than the legacy curricula. This paper contrasts the performance of graduates of the legacy curricula versus the revised PTT curricula across three training platforms: T-6, T-1, and T-38. Over 200 students were assigned to either the legacy or PTT curricula and after completing their respective curriculum, each flew a flight profile in a flight simulator. A specialized rating form, different from the standard training evaluation form, was developed to assess proficiency across a variety of skills to be demonstrated during mission planning, mission execution, and post-flight debrief. A cadre of Instructor Pilots were systematically trained to use the rating form to assess skills including basic aircraft control, task management, and overall proficiency. Preliminary analyses of the T-6 data suggest that student performance in the revised PTT curricula was significantly better than the performance of students enrolled in the legacy curricula across most outcomes while analyses of the T-1 data primarily show no significant differences between the students in the legacy and revised curricula. Full analyses across all platforms will be discussed. Lessons learned and best practices from this project will inform the development of future curricula and advance the training of the next generation of USAF pilots.
Keywords
AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITY (AR/VR),FLIGHT SIMULATION
Additional Keywords
Pilot Training, Training Evaluation