Communication is treated as one of the most important issues in all aviation professions, including aircraft maintenance, where passenger safety is paramount. Employer dissatisfaction with the performance of engineers, including aviation graduates, as communicators in the workplace remains controversial. Therefore, this study was conducted to…

This paper describes some results of a collaborative effort between the University of Pittsburgh and the Air Force to develop advanced troubleshooting training for F-15 maintenance technicians. The focus is on the cognitive task methodology used in the development of three intelligent tutoring systems to inform their instructional content and…

The use of a general purpose simulator (GPS) to teach Air Force technicians diagnostic and repair procedures for specialized aircraft radar systems is described. An EC II simulator manufactured by Educational Computer Corporation was adapted to resemble the actual configuration technicians would encounter in the field. Data acquired in the…

A quasi-experimental study explored the effect of functional flow diagrams on technical system understanding. An individualized field training package which contained schematic diagrams that illustrated an aircraft's electrical system was complimented with functional flow diagrams. In a 4-week treatment, a control group of 10 students enrolled in…