Tue, Mar 18, 2008
School Offers New Course To Reduce Pilot Error
General aviation pilots now have access to better and more
convenient training, thanks to a new program launched Monday by the
Commercial Aviation Management program at the University of Western
Ontario.
Online Single-Pilot Resource Management (OSRM) is a web-based
tool developed at the university which adapts commercial pilot
training techniques to the needs of general aviation pilots and
makes this training available via an online course.
The vast majority of general aviation accidents are caused by
pilot error. This sobering statistic motivated Suzanne Kearns, an
aviation professor at Western to create OSRM. Her program stands
out because after designing it she set out to scientifically test
the effectiveness of the training using a randomized trial.
"Effective training requires rigor. I wanted to prove that this
adaptation of commercial Crew Resource Management techniques to
single-pilot aviation had real benefits for those pilots who
complete the course," said Kearns.
Kearns randomly divided a group of pilots. One group completed
the online course, then the trained group and the control group
were tested in a high-fidelity Cessna 172 simulator. The pilots who
completed OSRM training demonstrated significantly better
situational awareness than those who did not complete training.
"My goal in designing this training program was to make the
benefits of resource management training available to the general
aviation pilot: the pilot who loves flying and wants to be safe,
but doesn’t have the time or money to travel to a training
facility," says Kearns.
For individual pilots, the OSRM course costs $49.99 CND ($50.71
US) and takes about 90 minutes to complete. It is available online
at the FMI link below; flight schools can purchase access for their
students at a discounted rate.
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