A MODEL FOR EVALUATION OF AVIATION SIMULATION SYSTEMS

TO COMPARE COSTS AND TRAINING EFFECTIVENESS OF DIFFERENT FIDELITY OPTIONS OF SIMULATORS AND TRAINING REGIMA, A NEED EXISTS FOR A COMPUTERIZED EXPERT SYSTEM WHICH WILL PERMIT INTERROGATION OF THE VARIOUS DETERMINERS. WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP THE "ISOPERFORMANCE" MODEL FOR USE BY FAA AND IMPLEMENT IT ON A PERSONAL COMPUTER IN A FULLY UP-AND- RUNNING SOFTWARE PROGRAM. THE KEY TO THE ISOPERFORMANCE APPROACH IS TO INVERT THE QUESTION OF JOB PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT BY SETTING A DESIRED LEVEL OF TRAINING PERFORMANCE AND DERIVING HOW IT CAN BE ATTAINED BY DIFFERENTCOMBINATIONS OF THE CHIEF DRIVERS OF AVIATION SIMULATION SYSTEMS EFFECTIVENESS: PERSONNEL APTITUDE, SIMULATION AND TRAINING CHARACTERISTICS, AND EQUIPMENT VARIATIONS. ONCE THESE COMBINATIONS HAVE BEEN DETERMINED, CHOICES AMONG THEM CAN BE MADE IN TERMS OF MAXIMUM FEASIBILITIES OR MINIMUM COSTS. THE PROGRAM WILL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENT AND SYSTEMS, PERSONNEL, AND TRAINING RESEARCH. IT LEAVES AN AUDIT TRAIL OF THE DECISION PROCESS. THIS PROPOSAL OUTLINES THE DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF THE ISOPERFORMANCE METHODOLOGY SPECIFICALLY FOR THE FAA TO PROVIDE A COMPUTERIZED DECISION AID FOR EVALUATION OF IN PLACE SYSTEMS AND FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING INVOLVING SELECTINGNEW TECHNOLOGIES AND TRAINING SYSTEMS. FOUR BROAD APPLICATIONS OF THE ISOPERFORMANCE METHODOLOGY FOR GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE INDUSTRY ARE: A MANAGEMENT DECISION AID, AN EXPERT SYSTEM FOR ORGANIZING TRAINING, MANPOWER AND EQUIPMENT APPLICATIONS, A FORMAL SYSTEM FOR CONDUCTING TRADE OFFS WHERE COST ANALYSES ARE CONDUCTED FOR EXISTING SYSTEMS, AND A WAY FOR INDUSTRY TO MEET THE FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS IN A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP).