The Changing Role of the Pilot

The 2018 National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS) was held August 15-18 at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University at Daytona Beach. Chuck Weirauch reports.

TheSymposium drew fewer attendees than in past years but even so, the eventfeatured more than 40 presentations and covered the usual wide range of topics,from pilot training to aviation cybersecurity. The theme of the 31styear of the event was “The Changing Role of the Pilot.”

EarlWeener, Member of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), was one ofthe keynote speakers at the 2018 NTAS. He cited In-flight Loss of Control (LOC)as the leading factor of fatal accidents in general aviation, personal flying,instructional flying, business aviation and world-wide commercial jetoperations through 2008 to 2017, and discussed the efforts of the industry-wideLoss of Control Working Group. To help reduce the number of such inflightaccidents, Weener recommended a change in a flight departments safety culturemanagement system, from the reactive and forensic “whack-a-mole” management torisk-based and predictive risk management. And everyone in the organizationmust be responsible for safety, not just the safety department, he added.

Otherkeynote speakers included Robert Joslin, the FAA’s Chief Scientific &Technical Advisor for Flight Deck Technology. He stressed the need to adaptexisting training methods, or developing new ones that can safely and effectively interact with both current and newcockpit technologies. Crystal Maguire, executive director for theAviation Technician Education Council (ATEC), cited a recent organization report that found that aviationindustry mechanics are retiring faster than they are being replaced. To helpmeet this challenge, ATEC is encouraging aviation community involvement in thedevelopment of new regulatory standards, facilitating employer-employeepartnerships, and enhancing access to mechanic testing. Captain SteveDickson, senior vice president of Flight Operations of Delta Air Lines alsoprovided a keynote presentation.

Pilot Training

Inaddition to these topics, NTAS presenters covered a number of views, methodsand approaches to ab initio and advanced pilot training. For example: ERAUAssistant Professor of Aeronautical Science, Robert Thomas, outlined a studythat validated the use of computer-based scenario training as a viable meansfor pilots to remain instrument current. Matthew Furedy of the AviationUniversity of Central Missouri discussed FAA Aeronautical Decision-Makingtraining and how to help pilots recognize hazardous attitudes that may affecttheir decision-making process. Twelve ERAU assistant professors participated ina panel entitled Personal Safety Culture: A New Measure for General AviationPilots.

Mixed Reality

Theapplication of virtual and mixed reality technology in aviation training wasone of the major topics on the first day of the NTAS. Lori Brown, AssociateProfessor and researcher at Western Michigan University’s College of Aviation,described the Microsoft HoloLens-based JetXplore mixed reality applications shehas developed and incorporated into the WMU aviation curriculum for cockpitinstrumentation familiarization, flight procedures and maintenance training.ERAU’s Stephanie Fussell described a new state-of-the-art VR laboratory at the university for the furtherdevelopment of VR flight and maintenance training as a proof-of-concept testbed. Lulu Sun at ERAU described a study focused on improving air trafficcontroller training at the FAA Academy and Collegiate Training InitiativeSchools through virtual reality applications.

UAS Training & Operations

This topic was covered from several differentperspectives. ERAU’s Tom Haritos discussed the use of simulation to traincomplex UAS command and control tasks. Scott Burgess told the NTAS audiencethat with advanced UAS training, those small aircraft could be employed to helpinvestigate aircraft crashes in remote areas. Ryan Wallace and others focusedon how UAS operator behavior could lead to the UAS causing interference withaviation operations in controlled airspace. Phillip Craiger and Gary Kesslertold how small UAS (sUAS) are susceptible to cyber-attacks. Hackers can takeover their control and fly them into controlled airspace, crashing them tocause damage to installations and equipment, they pointed out.

The importance of UAS and aircraft maintenancewas also discussed, both from a training and airworthiness perspective, as thetwo topics are related. The goal of the paper presented by Bettina Mrusek,Patti Clark and Kristy Kiernan called for the establishment of a formal, scheduledmaintenance program for sUAS operators. Raymond Thompson of Western MichiganUniversity described a scenario-based education program for large aircraftmaintenance developed at WMU.

Pilot Shortage

The pilot shortage and the means to help improvethe flow of qualified candidates through the pilot pipeline was yet anothermajor topic discussed at the 2018 NTAS. Suzanne Kearns of the University ofWaterloo recommended that aviation academia look at the pilot shortage from theviewpoint of sustainable development. This approach will provide a way tobetter understand the origins of the pilot shortage, and to help systematicallydevelop sustainable solutions to the problem. In summary, Lindsey Van Beusekom,representing the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), stated that all aviationprofessionals have a role in maintaining the pilot supply ecosystem. They alsoshould help strengthen the system by promoting the pilot career path andgetting involved in mentoring programs, she summed up.

Nearly all of the 2018 NTAS proceedings can be accessed at https://commons.erau.edu/ntas/2018/presentations

Published in CAT issue 6/2018