AIN – APS iPad Upset Training App a Valuable Tool

Original AIN Online Article: APS App Is a Valuable Tool in Upset Recovery Training
by Rob Mark
Aviation Performance Systems (APS) has introduced an iPad app designed to allow pilots to make better use of upset recovery training. Loss of control in flight is the leading cause of transport-category aircraft accidents worldwide. The Aviation Upset and Recovery Training Aid (AURTA), a massive 443-page guide, was written 10 years ago by a working group of regulators and airliner manufacturers to help pilots better understand high-altitude aerodynamics and upset recoveries in that environment, but it isn’t very user-friendly, according to APS president Paul Ransbury. “Historically, the AURTA teachings have not been used as intended because of the intimidating size of the text and its presentation,” Ransbury told AIN. “Practical training is essential to bringing the AURTA teachings to pilots as a skill set.” Ransbury said that APS has sold just over 1,000 copies of its iPad app, called URPT, explaining that it is designed to overcome the shortcomings of a pilot trying to work his way through the AURTA text. This AIN editor recently added the app to his iPad and will be reporting on the tool’s value in overall information delivery and flexibility. The URPT app gives users access to the most important elements of the AURTA in an easy-to-navigate format that includes individual progress tracking and an opportunity to digest the important elements of the AURTA in small blocks made easier by relevant audio and video links, as well as regular quizzes to solidify learning.