Lessons Learned in the Development of the C-130 Aircrew Training System: A Summary of Air Force On-Site Experience

Abstract : The current trend within the Air Force is to design aircrew training programs as total integrated systems. This trend has been coupled with a concurrent shift to contracting out the design, delivery and support of aircrew training. These changes have introduced a new set of technical and management issues which impact the design, acquisition, and operation of aircrew training programs. The Aircrew Training Research Division of the Armstrong Laboratory is conducting research and development (R and D) to address several of these issues in order to provide principles, procedures, and user-oriented guidelines to support Air Force acquisition and operational training agencies. This paper is one of a series concerned with the identification of 'lessons learned' by contractor and government personnel directly involved in the acquisition and utilization of contracted aircrew training systems (ATSs). It documents some of the major experiences and 'lessons learned' by Lt Col Ron Dukes of the Military Airlift Command during his long involvement with the C-130 ATS program. The report provides a general description of the C-130 ATS program and summaries Lt Col Dukes' experiences and lessons learned' in the areas of courseware, training management, test and evaluation, quality assurance, and configuration management.