Building a socio-cognitive evaluation framework to develop enhanced aviation training concepts for gen Y and gen Z pilot trainees

The commercial aircraft cockpit typifies an experienced human operating a semiautomated complex system. Aviation training programs seek to take trainees through evidence-based training programs that mimic the training of expert pilots. These trainees find it challenging to translate tablet-based training materials to the necessary behavioral and motor learning that facilitates the development of competencies using a flight simulator. This chapter describes the evaluation strategy that explicitly considers the social, cognitive, and technology aspects of the human, in a training system being prepared to train in a flight simulator. An understanding of cultural and generational differences along with the cognitive aspects, which include cognitive neuroscience and psychology, will shed light on the trainee so that effective training interventions can be designed. Many of these interventions will take advantage of the digital genre, including gamified learning along with augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).