LOFTwork Limited
Report on the Royal Aeronautical Society
Human Factors Group
LOFT Scenario Design Conference
17 September 1997
CAA Gatwick
To train aircrews in HF requires a different approach from most procedural skills. This is the origin of LOFT (Line Orientated Flight Training). The purpose of LOFT is to exercise a crew, as an operating unit, to handle the flight (mission), dealing with the situation as it unfolds. However this is a somewhat vague concept; although it is widely accepted that a simulated line environment combining both HF and technical skills would produce better flight crew performance, defining and implementing it raises difficult questions.
For example, how can we assess the comparative difficulty of different training scenarios? Is it possible to consistently evaluate crew performance skills such as shared decision-making? What is the unit of instruction in a scenario? Are repositions allowed or should the entire flight leg be simulated?
Originally, LOFT was assumed to need a totally realistic environment (i.e. a full-fidelity simulator in which to conduct the training.) However, for various reasons, mostly associated with cost, an alternative approach has developed based on qualifying training devices or contexts appropriate to the training content and training transfer requirements.
The most explicit exponent of this Instructional Systems approach is the ATA/FAA Advanced Qualification programme, to which most U.S. scheduled carriers are now signing up. However the CAA Advisory on Recurrent CRM also permits the use of reduced-fidelity devices under some circumstances. This is of fundamental importance for simulator manufacturers, since the whole simulation industry has grown on the assumption that greater fidelity equals greater training value.
1. The Conference
The LOFT Scenario Design conference focussed on two related aspects of LOFT: how to build scenarios to elicit crew performance in realistic conditions (simulated or not) and conducting scenarios in terms of facilitation skills and crew debrief. We were privileged to receive papers from two leading U.S. professionals in the field, namely Dr Tom Chidester and Dr Carolyn Prince.
Papers presented (in order of presentation) were:
1.1 DR TOM CHIDESTER (HUMAN FACTORS AND SAFETY MANAGER OF AMERICAN AIRLINES)
Dr. Chidester gave a brilliantly simple lecture integrating classroom technical and HF skills and problems presented during LOFTs. A key element, he says, is to feed back line operation events to classroom, maneuver training and LOFT. The example presented involved a scenario eliciting Situation Awareness during an arrival into Reno airport with the primary runway closed but still used for ILS vectors down to visual capture of the alternate.
1.2 CAPT. PADDY CARVER (CAA HEAD OF OPERATOR TRAINING STANDARDS)
presented the CAA's view on the value of HF training and how it will increase in importance in future. Clearly, there will be a dramatic, but gradual change in regulatory thinking on this subject. Instructors will need to be trained and consistently competent as Facilitators for the HF parts of pilot training. In an intriguing comment, Capt. Carver said that aircraft could be seen as part-task trainers compared to flight simulators, because some training procedures could never be carried out in an aircraft. However having accepted that the original might be lower fidelity than the copy, he did not extend the principle to other reduced fidelity devices such as table-top simulators.
1.3 CAPT. GEORGE ROBERTSON (BRITANNIA) AND CAPT. ROGER BENNISON (LEISURE INTERNATIONAL)
presented a report and active demonstration of a highly realistic and effective classroom simulated exercise dealing with a Bomb on Board warning during a flight to Tenerife. The theme of this was that role play on emergency procedures with time pressure can provide crews with a rich learning experience if properly planned and facilitated. Facilitation was particularly important during debrief. The exercise was videoed by Concurrent (see below).
1.4 DR. NEIL JOHNSON (AER LINGUS LINE PILOT AND AEROSPACE PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH GROUP, TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN)
showed that pilots from light plane CPL/ATPL training could be brought up to speed on heavy jet commercial SOPs without use of a type-specific simulator, using various classroom training aids and tabletop simulators running Microsoft Flight Simulator 4. Neil reported that the graduates of this ab-initio pilot training were ready to go straight into a typical type conversion course with no further time on type, and that the total cost of implementation was recovered in less than a year with a 20% decrease in ongoing transition training costs.
1.5 DR CAROLYN PRINCE (U.S. NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER FOR TRAINING SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT)
provided academic research results to underpin the whole subject of HF training and how low technical fidelity has been shown to have good training transfer, provided the task fidelity is appropriate. The value of low-fidelity training is its ability to incorporate key CRM skill dimensions into scenarios based on current operational data, e.g. critical incident reviews, mishap analysis, SME observation and crew surveys, and to make this readily available for crew practice without the usual full flight simulator constraints of cost, mobility and access time.
1.6 DR NEIL JOHNSON
returned to discuss experiential learning and the role of LOFT scenarios in creating opportunities for error and structured reflection. Pointing to the crucial importance of the LOFT debrief phase, he cited Thomas Nagel: "To acquire a more objective understanding of some aspect of life or the world, we step back from it and form a new conception of it..."
1.7 TWO SHORT SESSIONS, IN WHICH MANUFACTURERS PRESENTED AN INDUSTRY VIEW OF LOFT
Mr. Peter Nutt of Concurrent Computers gave a short presentation on their Deja-Vu digital debrief acquisition and replay system showing how well it supports debrief. The product certainly demonstrates that Concurrent has woken up to the need to focus on crew behaviour generally rather than simply on the simulator hardware interface.
Kip Caudrey (CAE Montreal Flight Test Group) then gave pictures and some words on CAE's IOS changes over recent years.
1.8 DR PHIL SMITH (RAES - HF GROUP ACCREDITATION FOCUS GROUP)
reported on recent work by the RAeS HF Group on the development of a facilitator competency baseline to ensure adequate inter-rater consistency for CRM and LOFT assessments. Although LOFTs are not formally assessed at the moment, the lack of objective standards for HF instruction and facilitation is perceived to be a significant limiting factor in HF training effectiveness for UK aircrew at present.
2. Conclusion
The conference was an outstanding success, particularly for those who believe that training is more than sitting in simulators. The overall outcome of this one event moves the aviation industry one step further towards training equipment which starts with the training need rather than a replica of the vehicle.
The RAeS HF Group is determined that the miniconferences will be accessible to any bona fide HF practitioners, including small operators and G.A. training staff. At a cash cost of £15 per day including a buffet lunch, this conference series also represents exceptional value for money and should continue to be well-supported by the industry.
Copyright © 1996-2005 by Neil C. Krey unless otherwise indicated.
Non-commercial reproduction rights granted if the following notice is included:
"Source: Neil Krey's CRM Developers Forum, http://www.crm-devel.org"