ABSTRACT
Flight simulators are recently becoming an important part of pilot training. The integration of flight simulators into aviators’ trainings marked a significant shift in pilot training methods. Nevertheless, flight simulators are still rarely used in initial pilot trainings, e.g. when obtaining personal pilot licence or ultralight pilot licence. The incorporation of simulation technologies into this kind of trainings has the potential of enhancing the acquisition of correct skills and procedures while increasing the number of flight hours, and potentially reducing training costs when compared to real flights. The major part of the submitted article therefore aims at the evaluation of efficiency of the use of flight simulators in practicing basic piloting techniques. Training progress of a sample of pilots undergoing a training at a flight simulator was examined in order to set an optimum training duration. The examined parameters were piloting precision and psychophysiological condition of pilots. In regard to the estimation of the optimum training duration, financial efficiency of the use of flight simulators was evaluated with the main emphasis on the so called 3E principle. The results show that an effective duration of pilot trainings using flight simulators is 11 training hours, with the major objective of acquiring basic piloting techniques. The results also suggest that increasing the requirements for initial pilot training by a mandatory flight simulator exercises as a part of the training would create business opportunity of operating such training devices. Based on the performed calculations it was concluded that pursuit of business of operating flight simulators may prove beneficial considering the economy, safety as well as the actual education.
