A Framework for the Optimal Design of Instructor/Operator Stations in Flight Simulators

Training is an important and critical function in the manpower development process in organizations. In this regard, the development of cost-effective training programs contributes significantly to the overall operational effectiveness within the resource restrictions for manpower development. The current research is a step in this direction, and contributes to the development of efficient training systems. The training process is conceptualized using a systems approach and a framework for developing cost-effective training programs is developed. Using this approach, a decision support for the optimal design of instructor/operator stations (IOS) in flight simulators is developed. The IOS is a critical component of a flight simulator and the system developed in this research enables a designer to evaluate various IOS design configurations and choose a cost-effective configuration for implementation. The system encapsulates the knowledge on the design problem, its parameters and the associated data assessed from a group of experts in flight simulation. Hence, this system is an expert system that brings together the collective experience of a group of experts in addressing the design problem. The system has been developed on an IBM PC/AT, and field tested with the design engineers at the Army Research Institute (ARI). Their overall response to this system has been very favorable. The design approach, a taxonomy of the design parameters, the optimization model and the system characteristics are presented. Avenues of future investigation identified from this study are also presented.