Ready for Take Off – The Flight Simulator for Team Training
Simulation Goes Up in the Air
Simulation has a long tradition in aviation. For over 100 years, replicas of aircraft cockpits have been used to teach pilots essential skills, train flight maneuvers and recreate real flight situations. These cockpit simulations enable pilots to improve their flight-technical skills as well as non-technical skills, familiarize themselves with different types of aircraft and prepare for emergency situations. The proven method of ensuring safety and efficiency to the highest degree has resulted in these trainings being mandatory in the aviation system: At 6-month intervals, these trainings must be mandatory to maintain the professional license for airline pilots. A measure that contributes significantly to ensuring that aviation continues to be one of the safest means of transportation. Through the continued development of simulation methods and technologies, this approach will continue to make an important contribution to the safe and effective training of pilots. But not only that. Flight simulators are increasingly being used in areas and professional fields that at first glance have nothing to do with aviation. But what added value does a flight simulator have for non-pilots? What can managers, physicians, scientists, and many others learn from such a simulation?
If you are looking for answers to these questions, you should pay a visit to AssekuRisk's flight simulator. AssekuRisk is a Vienna-based company that specializes in safety management consulting. In the realistically recreated cockpit of an Airbus 320, teams from industry, business, medicine, and other professions can come together to train their cooperation and communication skills in a realistic flight environment. The detailed replica of the cockpit allows participants to immerse themselves in an authentic, yet exciting, scenario and experience the challenges associated with team interaction during a flight. How are workflows divided up? Where do communication difficulties arise? Who takes on the leadership role in moments of crisis? All these parameters of a flight scenario confront the participants with challenges like those they may encounter every day in their own work environment. For a positive outcome of the simulation, it is necessary to jointly develop solution strategies to overcome these challenges. The flight simulator thus provides a scenic framework for the formation of team-oriented solution competence. And it is precisely this team-oriented solution competence that the participants take back with them into their conventional everyday working lives.
Sequence of the Simulation Training
Training in the flight simulator is conducted by experienced instructors who have been specially trained for team training. Team members are assigned distinct roles (pilot, co-pilot, flight attendant, etc.), each representing different functions and responsibilities. Before the training begins, participants receive a comprehensive briefing on simulator operation and safety protocols. And then the flight can begin. The participants take their seats in the cockpit and the instructors start the scenario. Three high-resolution screens and a professional sound system provide impressive audiovisual experiences. Each screen covers a specific viewing area of the flight environment to provide a wide field of view and give the impression of a real cockpit window. The simulator's professional sound system provides an acoustic ambience that gives participants the feeling of being in an airplane. From the sounds of the engines to the communication in the cockpit, every nuance of sound is authentically reproduced to create an immersive experience.
During the training flight, the team is confronted with situations that simulate real flight conditions. The team is required to work together to solve problems, make informed decisions and communicate effectively. Instructors may selectively introduce unforeseen events to increase stress levels and test the team's ability to handle crisis situations. This enables the team to improve their ability to react under pressure, find alternative solutions, and optimize collaboration in challenging situations. Training in the flight simulator enables participants to gain valuable experience and further develop their problem-solving and decision-making skills. Flight simulator training thus lays the foundation for improved team performance and effectiveness - including in their own work environment.
„Our flight simulator training for teams and leaders is an unforgettable experience for the participants. Especially since we can confront the participants with their own behavior because we can record them from 3 perspectives with our SIMStation system. And all this in first-class audio and video quality, with time markers for the relevant behavioral markers. Simply great. This makes training really fun for trainers, too! The support of SIMStation is also first class – just like the product itself!“
Capt. Hans Härting
CEO AssekuRisk
Recording and Debriefing of the Training
For the success of the training, it is crucial that the described experience of the flight simulation is transferred into reflection. The short-term experience of the training is to be transformed into a long-term gain in knowledge. This process is supported by a SIMStation Go, which is responsible for recording and debriefing the training. For this purpose, high-quality cameras and a room microphone are installed in the simulator, which record the simulation events in detail with video streams from several perspectives and a digital audio channel. At the same time, there is also always an instructor in the simulator who – in addition to the recording – personally observes the training. This enables the instructor to react directly to the actions of the team and to control the level of difficulty – through assistance, comments and/or unforeseen events – in a targeted manner. So, depending on the progress of the training, it can be adapted to the participants.
Well, but what is the training being recorded for then? The recorded video footage forms the basis for the final instructor-led video debriefing. This gives participants the opportunity to view their actions, decisions, and communication during the flight via video. The debriefing allows participants to watch themselves on video and objectively evaluate their performance. They can recognize their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as identify areas of improvement for the team. Instructors support this debriefing process by pointing out relevant scenes and situations and providing constructive feedback. The video debriefing thus provides a valuable opportunity to learn from experience, reflect on team behavior, and derive improvements for future missions. The SIMStation Go reinforces this opportunity for targeted evaluation, helping to improve training outcomes.
Conclusion
The flight simulator is undoubtedly an innovative tool to improve team behavior, collaboration, and communication of diverse teams. The simulator training and the video-based debriefing provide teams with the opportunity to reflect on their performance and gain valuable insights for future situations in their own jobs. With the continuous use of the flight simulator, organizations can target the skills of their teams and take their performance to a higher level. The flight simulator thus opens an innovative and effective way to prepare teams from different industries for the challenges in their work environment and increase their effectiveness.
AssekuRisk Safety Management GmbH
Wiegelestraße 2
1230 Vienna
