ABSTRACT
Pilot training is an important and ongoing concern. Pilots working for major carriers often switch aircraft type (e.g., Boeing 757 to Airbus A320) and cockpit position, such as first officer to captain). They transition from traditional “steam-gauge” to state-of-the-art “glass-cockpit” airplanes and thus require extensive transition training to learn to operate new computer-based navigation and auto flight systems. Enhancements to existing aircraft, for example, glass-cockpit upgrades to older Boeing 727s, require training that extends significantly beyond the training that is currently provided. For example, one U.S. carrier plans to enhance its current fleet of DC-10 aircraft by adding MD-11 flight management systems (FMS) and associated displays to each DC-10, thereby creating a “MD-10” hybrid.
