ICE age<br>Prototype offers air traffic control students head start Published March 23, 2010 By Susan Griggs 81st Training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- The Air Force is eyeing a new weapon for its air traffic control training arsenal -- ICE. ICE stands for Intelligent Communication Environment, a computer-based program tested in the 334th Training Squadron March 1-12 in Cody Hall. The program, developed by Adacel Systems of Orlando, Fla., augments current air traffic control curricula with interactive, self-taught lessons that use speech recognition technology that enables students to learn and practice at their own pace on their own time. Clean slates. The test subjects were 20 students commonly referred to as AFIs for "awaiting further instruction." They've completed in-processing but haven't begun formal air traffic control coursework. AFIs were selected for the test because they've had no exposure to air traffic control training yet. The plan is to take this sample group and to quantify wash-back hours and elimination as they progress through training when compared to the students who haven't been exposed to ICE. "Training air traffic controllers is an expensive and lengthy process, particularly when attrition rates historically hover between 25-30 percent," said Mark Creasap, Adacel's vice president for simulation and training. "Training needs to be faster, cheaper and designed to foster retention of more candidates without lower the quality of the graduates. Supplementing simulators "High fidelity air traffic control simulators have significantly improved the quality of training, but they aren't the complete solution," Mr. Creasap continued. "Students in the early phases of air traffic control training simply don't know enough to benefit from the capabilities of the simulator -- the experience can be overwhelming." ICE augments current air traffic control curricula with interactive, self-taught lessons in a virtual environment that uses speech recognition technology and enables students to learn and practice at their own pace on their own time. Drawing on experience Mr. Creasap brings a special mix of knowledge and experience to this training arena. He served more than 17 years as an Air Force air traffic controller and then pursued a doctorate in adult education so he could refine methods to make the training process more efficient and effective. "When we have people like Airman Creasap come through the ranks and take advantage of what the Air Force has to offer, expound on it and then get out and not lose that love for the blue, that's great," said Chief Master Sgt. Edward Hassan, air traffic control career field manager, who came to Keesler from the Pentagon to get a bird's-eye view of what ICE has to offer. "The way Airmen learn today is different that when I entered this field 29 years ago," Chief Hassan recalled. "Our only study aid was an airfield diagram, and we would tape call signs or aircraft characteristics onto pennies and we'd move them around the sheet and practice our sequencing and traffic calls. From that to this? It's mind boggling -- it produces a better trainee and a better Airman." 'Net generation' "We're using the science of the 'net generation' -- they don't know what life is like without cell phones and Internet," Mr. Creasap emphasized. "A student can just walk in -- they don't have to know the system -- they just come in, they key up, they play. It took them about three seconds to learn how to maneuver every button on that screen. ICE is programmed so they can't start at the most complex level -- just like a video game, you have to earn your level by competing to beat the game." Working to win "Some work very hard, some work slower, but they all want to win," Mr. Creasap observed about the AFIs who were nearing the end of the test. "And the only way they can win is to know it. They like to compete and they can see each other's scores. There's even a little rivalry and 'trash talk' -- they're all neck-and-neck right now." Chief Master Sgt. Richard Boulanger Jr., air traffic control training superintendent in the 334th TRS, said ICE allows students to practice precise phraseology, the exact words they have to say in specific situations. "If you practice over and over again, you become more proficient -- just like in sports," Chief Boulanger explained. "So once they get into the classroom and on the actual simulators, they're going to become more confident, perform much better and ultimately our wash-back and elimination rate will decrease," Chief Boulanger pointed out. "If we invest in a product like that, we may improve our retention rates." Introducing the basics "The computer walks them through the basic terminology and provides the fundamental rote memory on what they'll be taught," Chief Hassan said. "It imprints in their brains the information they're about to learn. Once they get into the formal course, we expect them to be able to relate back to this information which will enhance their ability to remember - in a 16-week course, they are plenty of opportunities to recall." Chief Boulanger noted that the AFIs are asking questions about the scenarios they're running, and "it seems to be making them want to get in and learn more about air traffic control through some of the materials they're being exposed to, such as regulations and aircraft characteristics." Digital Airmen "By the time a young person enters the Air Force, they've experienced every form of technology out there," said Staff Sgt. Scott Hanna, one of Keesler's air traffic control instructors. "I think there's no better way to train these digital Airmen than with digital training aids, things commonly found in gaming consoles that are tailored to our career field. "What ICE does from an instructional standpoint is to teach them visually through repetition and instant performance feedback," he added. "We have a very complex career field with lots of technicalities, legal jargon and terms. The majority of these students really want to learn -- they want the feedback, they want to know how to improve, how to excel, how to earn their paycheck." The throughput of students drives the number of instructors, so training officials hope that by reducing the attrition rate, the number of instructors can be reduced and critically-needed air traffic controllers can return to the field. The AFIs who've been working with ICE are enthusiastic about what they're learning. "The program definitely helps -- I don't think we're going to be like deer in the headlights when we get to the classroom," said Airman Basic Devon Curtis from Ohio. "You see what you're doing, you know how aircraft appear on the score -- taxiing, departures, arrivals, phraseology. I've talked to other students, and they're jealous that they don't have this resource. If I have any questions, I can type in what I want - turbulence, separations, what aircraft is heavier - and the answers are right there." Airman 1st Class Jessica Dillon, who hails from New Jersey, is certain that ICE experience is going to be an advantage when she starts her course. "We'll have already gone through the phraseology and we'll have it in the back of our minds," she commented. "We learn more of the 'why' we're learning it it will click better and we'll be able to pick things up better and faster." Airman Basic Christina Patterson came to the Air Force from Colorado where she'd never seen a tower or radar. "ICE has really connected the dots for me," Airman Patterson remarked. "I'll be able to walk into a simulator room and be comfortable and be able to point stuff out. This has given me a basic foundation to build on -- we're getting familiar with the terminology, we have a general idea about vectoring -- I came in not knowing my planes, but I can identify them much better now." "I love what we do and have great passion for this career field -- I've lived it and breathed it for 29 years," Chief Hassan emphasized. "I want to see our training move to the next level."