Boeing

The Boeing Company, through its FlightSafety Boeing Training International joint venture, is teaming with Advanced Interactive Systems Inc. (AIS) of Seattle to offer airlines new cabin and flight-crew training programs.

The training programs are designed to meet new U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules requiring cabin and flight crews to be trained in identifying, handling and defending against threatening passengers.

Boeing and AIS, a leader in interactive simulated training systems for law enforcement, security and military agencies worldwide, are creating a comprehensive course that will meet FAA's eight guidelines for enhanced crew training.

"We chose to team with AIS because its expertise in two decades of law enforcement combines well with our own in airplane crew training," said Charlie Higgins, vice president of Safety and Security Services for Boeing Commercial Aviation Services. "We believe this team will provide an important tool to help airlines comply with new security regulations."

AIS will supply its judgment-simulation technology for the program. It includes a multi-screen computer simulator that simultaneously portrays, fore and aft, passengers and threats using MPEG2 broadcast-quality video. Trainees are subjected to multiple threats, both lethal and non-lethal. A variety of scenarios are available to train cabin- and flight-crew members. Each situation branches or changes in response to trainee reactions, providing a full scope of possible outcomes to every situation. The system also captures trainee responses for immediate playback and critique.

The eight major elements in which crews will receive training are: determining seriousness of an occurrence; crew communication and coordination; appropriate self-defense response; use of protective devices provided to crews; psychology of terrorism, for coping with hijackers and passengers; live situational training; flight deck procedures or aircraft maneuvers to defend the aircraft; and any other subject identified by the FAA.