Advanced Simulation Technology inc. (ASTi) welcomes the world-renowned Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University as a customer for its Simulated Environment for Realistic ATC (SERA®) product. ASTi is supplying eight SERA cloud instances to Embry-Riddle, which powers its new courseware with ASTi technology. The Pre-flight Immersion Laboratory for Operations Training (PILOT) program focuses on aviation English, addressing a recently identified FAA concern covering the broad spectrum of aviation communication skills.
Launched in fall 2021, PILOT is an evidence-based approach that saves flight students time and money. The first group of 58 flight students reduced their first solo flight times by more than 30 percent, thanks to this first-of-its-kind general aviation flight training program.
“Students who go through our new training program are better prepared when they step into an airplane. They also have lower anxiety and greater confidence due to their experience and understanding of what to expect in the aircraft.”
—Dr. Ken Byrnes, chair of the Flight Department at Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach, Florida campus
ASTi tools are a critical element of PILOT’s virtual Air Traffic Control (ATC) lab. The Pilot Phraseology Trainer (Pilot PT™) is a web-based tool that uses in-house speech recognition and ASTi’s advanced text-to-speech system focused on aviation English. Students rehearse the fundamental elements of aviation English and standard phraseology, completing communication exchanges with multiple controllers. Now they can practice radio calls at their own pace, focusing on repetitive listening and speaking accuracy with simulated ATC.
A key differentiator of Pilot PT is ASTi’s ability to customize it based on customer input, such as the local region’s standard operating procedures and specific course requirements. Even better, students can access this innovative technology through any web-connected device—including smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers. Combine all these factors together, and you have a powerful tool that teaches students solid aviation English.
Moving on to the final stage of radio training, students enter a virtual reality flight on a flight training device, where they can test their skills with SERA. SERA’s AI entities role-play ATC, reacting to trainees throughout the flight and correcting them when they make mistakes.
SERA provides one cohesive platform for students and instructors alike. The phraseology and radio calls students learn using Pilot PT matches what they hear in a SERA flight, providing a consistent training experience. Students’ flight histories and performance metrics are in one place, which means instructors don’t need to jump between tools to collect data. Available 24/7, SERA empowers students to build confidence and competence while enhancing safety, reducing costs, and minimizing wasted time due to poor radio telephony. To learn more about this custom solution, check out ASTi’s Cloud-Based SATCE Solution.
About Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Reporters worldwide contact Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for content experts in all aspects of aviation, aviation business, aerospace, engineering and STEM-related fields. Our faculty experts specialize in unmanned and autonomous systems, security and intelligence, air traffic and airport management, astronomy, human factors psychology, meteorology, spaceflight operations, urban air mobility and much more. Visit the Embry-Riddle Newsroom for story ideas. Embry-Riddle educates 33,500+ students at its residential campuses in Daytona Beach, FL and Prescott, AZ, at approximately 125 Worldwide Campus locations and through online degree programs. U.S. News & World Report has named Embry-Riddle Worldwide the nation’s No. 1 provider of online bachelor’s degree programs.
About ASTi
ASTi is the leading supplier of communications, automated ATC and sound systems to the training and simulation industry. ASTi meets FAA, EASA and equivalent Level D qualifications with simulators around the world. Since 1989, ASTi has fielded over 11,000 systems at more than 800 installation sites in the U.S. and 49 other countries. To learn more about ASTi, please visit asti-usa.com.