An Evaluation of the Training Effectiveness of Device 2F90, TA-4J Operational Flight Trainer. Part 1: The B Stage

The training effectiveness of the TA-4J advanced jet trainer (Device 2F90) was evaluated by measuring transfer of training from the trainer to the operational situation. Comparisons were made among three experimental and a control group (which received the normal syllabus training). Of the experimental groups, one received training in flight, another group only in the trainer, and the third received only academic training on related principles of the basic instrument portion of the syllabus. Following training, all groups were given a checkride in the aircraft. The relative benefits of the different types of training were evaluated to determine the effectiveness of the trainer in training advanced naval aviation students in the B stage (Basic Instruments) of the NAVJIT (Naval Jet Instrument Trainer) syllabus for the TA-4J aircraft. The study demonstrated that 4.4 hours of aircraft flight time per student could be saved by substituting trainer time for aircraft time in the B stage; a significant cost savings when considering the 450 students that are processed through the school annually.