Denis Manson, Aviation Consultant, Ten Hammers
Denis Manson has four decades in the aviation industry as an aircraft maintenance engineer and as a technical training professional, with experience across flight and ground operations in large and small aviation organisations.
Denis is a strong advocate for new technology and digital methods for vocational education and especially those resources targeting the New Generation of Aviation Professionals. He has spoken on these subjects at a number of Australian and International conferences.
Denis has a keen interest in Human Factors for aviation and other safety-critical industries, having designed and delivered Human Factors training in a number of roles. He is currently involved in the design and development of a digital training environment for English language training and other soft skills.
Denis’ current role is as Aviation Consultant to a start-up digital media company Ten Hammers, based in Australia.
His current research at the University of Newcastle is investigating the ethical and educational considerations of using artificial intelligence and virtual training spaces for aviation Human Factors training.
Cabin Crew Conference
Day 1 – Tuesday 29th August 2023 – Session 2
Maintenance Conference
Day 2 – Wednesday 30th August 2023 – Session 5
Human Factors in the Metaverse? – Virtual Training Spaces for Non-Technical Skill Development
Virtual reality and other virtual training spaces are already valuable for aviation training. Technical skills can be practiced wherever physical objects can be faithfully replicated. The ‘digital twin’ has now extended from individual objects into entire workplaces. Where we once trained individual tasks in a virtual space, we can now challenge people with multi-step processes and complex procedures.
But what about non-technical skills? Can human interaction be realistically conducted in these new digital environments? And, if we can, what dangers lurk if we encourage behavioural change in humans in a virtual space, especially if real humans are interacting with non-humans?
Current research is guiding the use of virtual training spaces, artificial intelligence and ethical considerations surrounding potential human-to-AI interaction. Lessons have already been learnt from some early applications of AI, including issues of bias, discrimination and personal data security.
For aviation technical skills, virtual training spaces provide an environment that is superior in some ways to the real world (for example, safer). Will the training of skills such as leadership, conflict resolution and situational awareness be more effective when conducted in a rich digital or hybrid environment?
Considering that non-technical skills is an essential component in aviation training, further evolution of digital training environments seems inevitable to provide realistic and challenging scenarios.
Virtual human-to-human training is now used for skills such as interviewing techniques and customer service. The capability of immersive virtual spaces for further non-technical skill training is becoming clearer, with a range of anticipated benefits for aviation businesses and our geographically-dispersed and time-challenged workforces.
Combined Session (Pilot/Maintenance/Cabin Crew)
Day 2 – Wednesday 30th August 2023 – Session 8
New Generation English Language Training for Aviation
No person is a native aviation language speaker. English Language proficiency for both native and non-native speakers is a cornerstone for further growth of the aviation industry. In all job roles, more young, smart and enthusiastic people must be found, otherwise the industry will not realise the post-pandemic growth that all major players are predicting.
But in this search for new talent, and their initial education, are we doing our best? Do we rely on mostly older techniques? Research shows that younger people do not learn the same way as earlier generations. They have been exposed to gamification since early childhood, often with a blurred line between education and entertainment in their schooling.
These people do not respond to didactic teaching. They resist rote learning and lengthy classroom sessions. They respond best to exploration, discovery, collaboration, challenge, self-directed learning. Perhaps more importantly, they vote with their feet and share their experiences. If things are not done well at one college, then bad reviews jump into in their social media.
Aircraft maintenance, cabin crew and ground handling training have experienced these same challenges over the last decade. This has led to the development of a number of interactive and immersive 3D resources for technical and procedural training.
Language trainers should seek to understand this experience and consider developing virtual training resources specifically targeting English language proficiency. A well-structured virtual space can capture evidence leading to a competency assessment, while allowing free exploration for gathering of vocabulary then using it in realistic, challenging scenarios of increasing complexity.
The wider aviation community is well-versed in using simulation and virtual training spaces, with documented improvements in course completion rates, student engagement and assessment performance. If English language training is critical to allow an expansion of the industry, let’s leverage off this knowledge and immerse our students in these more modern training techniques.
