Scenario Based Exercises. What and Why?

By Lawrence

The Future of Flight Training

Here at SEMET aviation we are excited to bring this new form of personal piloting development to you, but understandably it is not something private pilots have had the chance to try out yet. Scenario Based Training (SBT) is becoming the new industry standard for enabling the most dynamic and productive training for aircrew, and we think it is about time you get to benefit from it too! With our simulator based in Fairoaks airport in Surrey you can step into a safe learning environment whilst also brushing up on those flying skills which may have had a chance to fade over the past few months. By the end of this post you will be equipped with a clear idea of what SBT involves and why it is becoming so popular. 

General Aviation Pilots

Private pilots are exposed to many challenging and surprising situations every time they fly, just like commercial air crew. By equipping you with this extra exposure in a controlled environment we can facilitate learning and experience growth without ever having to leave the ground. SBT revolves around a central 'scenario', which can be adapted to suit your needs.

The Scenario Itself

The scenario is created by the person running the simulator and will usually involve some sort of failure or issue. However it is primarily a tool for you to learn, so it can even be something simpler (perhaps the runway closes whilst you are in the circuit, maybe the weather deteriorates?) that causes you to have to react accordingly. The crucial difference of SBT is that the scenario can be adjusted to make sure YOU get the learning that you want. Feeling rusty after not flying during the pandemic? A scenario where you have to manually fly along some VOR radials may be the ideal ticket to getting that confidence back. Are your tracking skills progressing nicely? Well now the scenario can be adjusted to involve an instrument failure, or marginal weather. As you can see, the possibilities are vast and it is all focussed on your personal growth as an aviator. 

What are the benefits?

Why is training like this a good idea? Well of course safety is core to aviation as we all know. By using realistic, adaptable scenarios we can help increase safety in areas that otherwise may not have been paid much attention to. It is almost impossible to know exactly how you will react in a real life situation but by using your techniques in the simulator and being tasked with resolving the scenario safely, you can get the next best thing. And now we come to the real magic of SBT. The second session! After your first scenario is complete the best learning value will come from trying another scenario, and putting into practice what you’ve learned the first time around. This means a different situation but with a similar theme. 

What’s a session like?

Let's give an example of this. First time around in the simulator you were finding it difficult to prioritise your tasks, as a result the navigation got ignored for a bit too long and you end up using guard to position fix and find your way home. Before trying again you can think about and reflect on what happened, and come up with a plan to solve it. Our experienced mentors will be there with you to help, having observed and reflected on this too. Between you both you can choose a tool to help, for example using the Aviate Navigate Communicate (ANC) pneumonic more rigorously to ensure navigating doesn't get lost in the list of tasks you are trying to complete. Then you hop back in the simulator and are given a new situation to handle, which also involves tasks building up. But this time around by successfully applying ANC, you keep the aviating and navigating under control and safely find your way home (or to a diversion, who knows!).  

Theres no right or wrong answers!

At this point I must point out something important. There aren't set answers/solutions to scenarios. This is what allows them to be so useful and dynamic. The exact same scenario for one  person may end in a diversion to the nearest airport, whilst another can fly all the way home. Both could be completely acceptable and safe! It is not a test where you are trying to guess what is in the instructors mind, it is a learning tool where you can take lessons away that work for you. 

To Summarise

So there you have it, a new way to enhance your flying skills by using the SEMET simulator and the experience of our mentors to find out what a safety critical situation can really feel like, all whilst having a cup of coffee waiting for you next door! Everyone involved in aviation is constantly learning and hopefully you can now see how SBT can help you build your toolbox for dealing with the fantastic but sometimes unpredictable world of general aviation.

Book your Scenario Based Exercise sim now with one of our Senior Mentors!