The Relevance of Training for the Maintenance of Advanced Avionics

An examination of formal training of airmen in the career fields responsible for flight-line maintenance of advanced avionics equipment. Initial training for flight-line maintenance, training at Field Training Detachments, TAC’s Task Oriented Training program, and the management of training are investigated. The study shows that in initial training there was too much emphasis on theory and not enough on the practical knowledge and skills needed on the job. There was too little training on systems integration and troubleshooting integrated systems. To better prepare technicians for advanced avionics maintenance, formal training should teach job performance (rather than theory), should take place at the base and on the equipment the airman will be associated with, and should be interspersed with actual job experience. Training should be tailored to the needs of school personnel on training development and field evaluation of training should be lessened by having the users of trained personnel become active partners in the management of training. See also R-2017 and R-2049.