How personal computer-based training is revolutionizing aviation education

The tremendous advancement in aircraft avionics and aircraft systems over the last decade has created quite a dilemma for nearly all college and university flight education programs. Historically, flight education has been accomplished largely through a combination of direct, one-on-one flight instruction in an airplane, or through laboratory and flight simulator instruction. However, much of the avionics and aircraft systems found in the aviation industry are not found in training aircraft, and their complexity and sophistication has made them far too expensive to incorporate into flight simulators or avionics laboratories. Fortunately, over the last few years, the development of avionics and aircraft systems instructional software for personal computers and the emergence of the personal computer as a powerful computational tool allows aeronautical/aviation education programs to provide realistic, economical, and effective computer-based instruction.