How to Procure a Custom Training Simulator

A training simulator is a system that tries to replicate, or simulate, the experience of operating actual equipment as closely and realistically as possible.

An engineering simulator is designed to meet an objective different than training. Often times the engineering platform is used to develop actual software and interfaces. In an engineering simulator there are rarely training scenarios which allow trainees to encounter system upsets allowing them to practice critical problem identification skills and recovery procedures.

Flight simulators are extensively used by the aviation industry for the training of pilots and other flight deck crew in both civilian and military aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has a band of simulation level certifications used to qualify simulators for training. For example, a FAA Level D certification applies to a simulator that replicates the aircraft behavior and environment to the extent that it becomes "real". This means that the simulation is so advanced it could be used to certify someone who has never flown an airplane of a certain model to fly with all of his or her flight training taking place in the simulator – a first flight can be revenue generating with passengers.

There is no formal certification body for OEM’s or end users to qualify a training product for a non aerospace applications. A requirements analysis is often the first step in defining the specifications of a training simulator. The stakeholders in the project are interviewed and contribute their requirements. These interviews may reveal requirements not previously envisaged as being within the scope of the project, and requirements may be contradictory. However, each stakeholder will have an idea of their expectation or will have visualized their requirements. This information is aggregated by the vendor (i.e. inXsol) who will organize physical or virtual joint requirement development sessions. If your entity is the training organization within a firm the simulator requirements may already be assembled.

At inXsol we assemble the requirements into a specification document which identifies the use cases which must be supportable in the scenarios. This document is paired with a prototype. Using an iterative development process the first prototype delivers a tangible platform to navigate screens or perform a limited scope of operations. It concurrently tackles how training cues can integrate with the simulation. By developing a prototype the hardware, software and interfaces are qualified early on. The prototype reduces risk and at this early stage is malleable for adjustment resulting from stakeholder feedback.

A benefit of working with inXsol is our familiarity with full flight simulators and experience with today’s technologies. What this means for you is our training simulators are full featured products allowing an instructor to create new scenarios through an authoring interface. Freeze and snapshot save features allow you to save a starting condition or pause for discussions.

Explore how inXsol Will Meet Your Requirements

To activate an on-line web conference - please contact Henry Ryng , 602-347-9575 .  We are prepared to discuss your specific needs and to show relevant demonstrations.  Please try out the live chat panel in the left margin as well.

As a specialty services firm we provide professional consultation and follow up with our solution proposal.