Use of Computer Based Training to Improve Aircraft Inspection Performance

The Chapter is divided into four major sections. The first section provides the background information on the development of the Automated System of Self-Instruction for Specialized Training (ASSIST)—a computer based training tool for aircraft inspection. The section describes how previous years research efforts guided the development of the ASSIST program. The second section provides a detailed description of the ASSIST program. The third section introduces the reader to the evaluation effort and outlines the methodology used to evaluate this system. Sections on performance and usability analysis describe the results of the evaluation effort. The fourth section outlines the role of training in inspection and individual differences in inspection performance. This is followed by the methodology used to conduct the individual differences study and its detailed results. The research was jointly pursued with two industry partners – Delta Air Lines, Atlanta, GA and Lockheed Martin Aircraft Center, Greenville, SC to ensure that it was relevant and addressed the needs of the aviation community.