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Airfield management course gets more realistic simulator

  • Published
  • By Susan Griggs
  • 81st Training Wing Public Affairs
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  Another partnership between the 81st Training Support Squadron and the 334th Training Squadron has come up with a realistic, flexible new simulator for airfield management training.

"What ties the whole system together is the customized lab designed and installed by the 81st TRSS trainer development shop here at Keesler," said Tech. Sgt. Clint Harper, instructor supervisor for 334th TRS airfield management apprentice course. "They came in, surveyed our needs and concerns and came up with an outstanding state-of-the-art design that far exceeded our expectations. The design puts the instructor in the center of everything with a 360-degree view of all students."

The six new simulators and two instructor consoles, purchased from Simigon at a cost of $185,000, consist of a chassis simulating a vehicle, with a seat, steering wheel, pedals and three high resolution LED screens.

The simulators were accepted Dec. 16 and the trainer development team was responsible for installing the cubicles and equipment in time for instructors to begin introducing students to the new technology Jan. 3. Use has been scaled down somewhat as the instructors learn the software.

"As we become more proficient and create more scenarios and simulations, we'll integrate them more heavily, eventually into every block of training," Harper remarked.

"The simulators came equipped with a simulation of Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., which will be our primary training airfield, but Randolph AFB, Texas, and McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas were also included," Harper said.

"Simigon included over 100 'entities,' which are aircraft, vehicles, people, wildlife and other random objects that can be introduced as a planned part of the simulation, or thrown in on the fly to keep students on their toes."

Harper explained that the older simulators were designed to train future airfield drivers, which isn't the focus of the course.

"In our course we take 168 studends a year through the process of airfield planning, design, construction, sustainment and operations management," he remarked.

"These simulators are highly customizable and were designed by trainer development with the intent to meet our needs."

Trainers can now create simulations that compliment all course requirements, from airfield design to day-to-day airfield operations to complex emergency response situations.

"These simulators offer incredible realism," said Dale Riggins, 81st TRSS equipment resources manager.

"When you're behind the wheel, you can even feel the slide of the ice and snow."

"With the ability to deliver on-screen slides, we can add as much detail as needed to enhance our training," Harper pointed out. "We are now able to give students a hands-on application perspective, which wasn't possible before. This will also help reduce the amount of 'braindump' that students experience before reaching their first duty station."
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