Sponsors: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) NASA New York City Research Initiative (NYCRI) Contributors: P.I. - Jeffrey DeCarlo Co-P.I. - Isabel Martin NYCRI Apprentice - Natalia Hubbard Project Concern: i.e., Safety and the Target Trainee The role of airside management and inspection is an important and consequential one. Duties included in this field are specific but fall within a wide range of responsibilities. Employees are required to be thoroughly familiar with the airport environment. Within these particular areas, the employees must be at all times attentive to the areas they facilitate. Not only that, but the employees also have to be aware of normal, abnormal and emergency procedures. The airport environment is dynamic and it is therefore vital that the employee be knowledgeable and apply precautionary tactics sensibly. In an airport, the failure to follow procedures appropriately can result in grave outcomes. Such procedures vary from applying basic radio phraseology to identifying airport hazards, e.g. wildlife or terrorist threats. Why This is Important: VAST² + NGATS = Safety In the opinion of VAST² advocates, the training of airside personnel will be improved with virtual reality simulation. Currently, airside maintenance positions have the highest turnover rates. Furthermore, airside employees receive only minimal academic classroom training and rely mostly on on-the- job (OJT) training with a senior employee. In essence, the training emphasis for new employees is primarily OJT with limited standardization and no guarantee of the thoroughness or effectiveness of the training. The old paradigm for airport training needs to be changed, and the goal of VAST² is to provide airports with a new methodology and the tools to address the current and future training needs of airports. With VAST², airports will be ready for the challenges posed by the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NGATS). About VAST² Today: VAST² is being designed using Raytheon’s FIRSTplus™ Air Traffic Control simulation technology as the base system. This product was designed to meet the needs of airport training and is fully suited to address: Procedural Position Training Airport Familiarization Airport and Runway Utilization Analysis Airport Construction and Design Radio/Telephone Phraseology Training Runway Incursion Training Emergency Event Training -Cited from FIRSTplus Technical Highlights For more specific details and graphics, the programs currently employed include Vega Prime, Multigen-Paradigm, Autocad and Photoshop. History of VAST²: Summer 06 NYCRI research project by Matthew Jurgielewicz Compilation of data on Airport safety Analysis and break-down of airport risk-factors Explanation of ARFF Review of Airport Emergency Plan Clarification of Airport Operations and Procedures Objectives of VAST²: To provide an effective, standardized, site-specific format for training curricula to be developed and delivered via 3D fully interactive simulation. To define expectations required of trainee by means of Trainer/Supervisor evaluations. To represent thoroughly and accurately each lesson’s training objectives and visual environment. To outline a training syllabus applicable for the mapping, modeling and simulating of specific areas. To address the FAA requirements and safety responsibilities of: Recent Accomplishments and Plans for the Immediate Future: Accomplishments: Creation of storyboards for lesson outlines Detailed analysis of lesson format Ongoing investigation of software capabilities Plans: Formation of images for airport simulation Finalization of storyboard format and design Development of lesson activities in complete detail “Bring to Life” the fully integrated and interactive simulation to improve situational awareness (SA) of all airport stakeholders Abstract: As the Airport strives to adapt to a modernizing world, its needs and concerns also evolve. This inevitable process demands close attention, since changes relate not only to procedure, but public safety as well. While the airport industry has made major advancements in technology and policy, little has been altered in the field of airport training. The objective of VAST² is to produce an innovative training tool not yet used in the airport industry. Its focus is on adequately and promptly addressing issues formerly overlooked. These issues include: Airside risk reduction A nonexistent standardized airside training format Inconsistent training methods Enhanced instruction at less Total Cost for: 1.New employees 2.Recurrent trainees 3.Airfield movement area drivers 1.New hire employees 2.Initial and recurrent training and certification 3.Airfield driver’s training; movement areas and non- movement areas Cited from: VAST_2_FAR_139_Training_Outline_ Heidi Benaman Specifics Simulated: Lesson 5.0 – Familiarization with driving airport perimeter/fence-line Lesson 6.0 – Familiarization with wildlife program Lesson 7.0 – Familiarization with driving gate and ramp areas Lesson 8.0 – Familiarization with driving in the movement areas including proper communication Lesson 9.0 – Perform FAR 139 self inspections Lesson 11.0 – Familiarization with FAR Part 77 Lesson 12.0 – Familiarization with airport emergency response plans