Simulators - Simulator Training Key to Proficiency

In today’s world, where every airline has sophisticated airliners in its fleet, hi-fidelity simulator training is the only way to master these marvellous machines

Not too far from the international airport, Captain Vimal Roy, DGM, Business Development for Ground School and Simulators, Kingfisher Airlines, strode into a briefing room at CAE’s training centre in Bangaluru. Roy is now the General Manager, Flight Safety. Being an examiner on the Airbus A320 family of aircraft, he looked purposefully at Captain Payal Pasricha and First Officer Neeraj Thapar for whom he would be conducting line-oriented flight training (LOFT) and pilot proficiency check (PPC) sessions.

Training is an integral part of ensuring a pilot’s competence in handling a broad spectrum of challenging situations. It also ensures that the pilot follows the procedures that maximise the safety of all, in both normal and abnormal flight conditions. Decades earlier, the only means of satisfactorily training the crew, both experienced and inexperienced, was by putting them in the real aircraft sans passengers and practice challenging situations that may possibly be faced. However, there are two problems. One is the cost involved in conducting such training with a real aircraft, fuel and fees. The other is the limits within which everything has to be practised. Under no circumstances can the pilots simulate failure of all engines or practise a belly landing in the event of a landing gear failure. Pilots were merely briefed about the required emergency actions.

The other alternative is to train in approved flight simulators. Simulators are training devices which create an immersive environment for the pilots being trained, with the ability to simulate various scenarios as decided by an instructor. With immense computing power and display technology available, there has been a profound change in the regime of simulation.

Good displays, which take up immense processing power, were available some years ago. The current highest level of simulation fidelity offered is level D, which is characterised by extremely realistic visuals. The other standard features of full flight simulators include the simulation of flight forces (within a limit), realistic audio, and a fully functional setup that exactly replicates the cockpit of the aircraft it is designed for.

The advantage of a simulator is twofold. In simulator training, pilots can afford to make mistakes and try what otherwise may not be risked. This could include even a crash landing without damaging equipment or loss of life. The second advantage is the low cost involved. For level D simulators, the cost of a training session, when compared to that of a similar session in a real aircraft, can be in the ratio 1:40. The facility to ensure high standards of training for the crew at low cost is most gratifying for airlines. In the airline business, it all finally boils down to money.

Roy scribbled on the board conditions under which the pilots were to operate a normal flight from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International to Airport (IGIA) Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. He considered various situations that a crew could encounter on a normal flight such as a nose wheel steering fault, secondary control surface malfunction, or low visibility takeoff. Apart from checking the corrective actions that the pilots are expected to take when situations were encountered, technical or operational, the emphasis was laid on decision-making, as evidenced by one such scenario.

An aircraft normally commences the engine start procedure during push-back. The auxiliary power unit (APU), a third smaller engine on the aircraft, provides the necessary pneumatic pressure to start the engines. If during the starting process, the APU fails, the aircraft is left with no power source except the battery that can power only a limited number of systems. In such a situation, the aircraft would be left on the taxiway somewhat incapacitated. The two pilots were asked to respond to the situation.

“Decision-making, this is exactly what I’m talking about,” emphasised Roy, adding, “Would you keep the aircraft on the taxiway, call for the ground power unit which would take another five minutes, block the taxiway for that time and then get ready after another five minutes? Or would you prefer to get repositioned into the bay, freeing the taxiway for other aircraft, and start engines?” Sound sense resounded in the second option, which was accepted by the other two. And if the second option, the preferred one is executed, only one engine can be started in bay, before the aircraft is pushed back onto the taxiway and the second engine started. The quick reference handbook (QRH) states that the engine started must increase its compressor RPM (N2) before the air can be bled off to start the other engine. “It is your duty to tell the ground crew the distance to be kept off and vehicles to be checked for, keeping in mind the jet blast from the engine,” said Roy.

Even with more than 10,000 flying hours in her log book, Payal had something to refresh her training with, as is the case with every professional in every field. The challenge today is the increasing complexity and automation of aircraft, which although designed to make flying safer with a decreased workload for the crew, demands a deeper understanding of systems and the interaction of one system with another. It’s akin to a complex web, thanks to the Airbus A320 family (Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321), A340 family (Airbus A330/ A340) and the A380 being one of the most complex and sophisticated airliners widely used. “We get an opportunity to practise, which you wouldn’t want to or be able to do on the aircraft,” admits Payal.