In the “old days,” airside driver training at Omaha Eppley Airfield (OMA) consisted of videos, printed training materials, written and practical exams, and a lot of on-the-job learning. Annual recurrent training used the same methods. These days, a high-tech driving simulator is the Nebraska airport’s go-to tool, and both management and trainees are thrilled with the $125,000 investment.
“We are very happy with how well this technology has fit into our training culture,” says Operations Manager Matt Aubry, specifically highlighting safety and efficiency improvements.
Officials at Omaha Airport Authority began exploring ways to enhance OMA’s existing movement area training protocol in 2021 and deployed the new driving simulator by late 2022.
 facts&figures
Project: Using Simulator for Airfield Driver Training Location: Omaha Eppley Airfield, in NE Airport Owner/Operator: Omaha Airport Authority System: ATVehicle Airside Driving Simulator, by UFA Inc. Budget: $125,000 for development & deployment of simulator (prices vary by airport & level of customization); additional expenses for training room & driver’s “cage” Users: 60-70 employees with airfield driving privileges Contract Awarded: April 2022 Simulator Deployed: Nov. 2022 Key Benefits: No disruption to airfield operations or air traffic controllers for driver training; drivers can experience & practice stressful, challenging situations without physical risk; reduces wear & tear on actual vehicles |
When the airport started homing in on simulator technology, Aubry and his team took time to speak with other airports that had experience with it, including Minneapolis-St. Paul International (MSP), Orlando International (MCO) and Dallas Fort Worth International (DFW). The project team also widened its research and investigated users in other industries, too.
Keeping It Real
Making sure the simulated airfield environment would accurately represent what drivers would experience at OMA was a high priority. “That was number one,” recalls Aubry. Important details included airfield layout, varying weather and visibility conditions, operating conditions and vehicle type—pickup trucks, Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) equipment, etc.
The ability to manipulate the environment—replicating daytime/nighttime or low-visibility conditions, for instance—was top-of-list as well. “It really ties into creating those conditions that can be stressful or challenging, and allowing a person to get experience and allow for mistakes but not be significant because it’s not happening in the real world,” Aubry explains.
Based on these factors and more, Omaha Airport Authority awarded the contract to UFA Inc., which also provides Air Traffic Control simulators. The model selected for OMA is the ATVehicle Airside Driving Simulator, a real-time, high-fidelity simulator that evaluates driving performance and identifies specific problem areas for improvement. Jacob Harrison, senior director of Global Sales and Marketing at UFA Inc., notes that ATVehicle features adaptive scenarios, dynamic weather and lighting, and realistic vehicle physics to allow users risk-free exposure to high-risk, uncommon and difficult scenarios.
After the specific model was selected, airport personnel quickly began working with UFA to build a digital replica of OMA’s airfield. That process began with attaching GoPro cameras to an operations vehicle to capture video and audio of full airfield inspections, both day and night. As the vehicle navigated around the airfield, the drivers or passengers narrated the process and pointed out specific objects that needed to be included in the simulated environment. In addition to these videos, the team at UFA used satellite images and more than 250 pictures of the airfield, maps of pavement markings and signage, and building information modeling of facilities to create a virtual version of OMA’s airfield.
Aubry notes that the airport has three runways, associated taxiways and several aprons, which include many lights, signs and other physical elements that needed to be noted. “There was a lot of work going into making everything look real and putting things in the correct location,” he relates.
The process was iterative to produce the most accurate depiction of the airfield as possible. Ultimately, it concluded with a final inspection in October 2022, when Aubry and other airport personnel visited UFA offices in Maryland to experience the simulator and create a final punch list before it was delivered to the airport in November 2022.
Virtual Training, Tangible Results
Three experienced employees from the Operations Department act as the primary instructors for simulator training, and 60 to 70 people with airfield driving privileges use the high-tech tool. “We treat the use of the simulator as if we were doing the practical driving experience on the field,” Aubry relates. It not only helps employees become more comfortable with their driving abilities and airfield knowledge; it also provides productive one-on-one discussions with the operations supervisor who is conducting the training. If a driver makes a mistake or has a question, it’s easy to pause the lesson to review and discuss the situation. “You don’t always have those opportunities when you’re out on the airfield,” Aubry explains.
OMA Chief Operating Officer Tim Schmitt agrees about the benefits. “Prior to the simulator, [some trainees] went into an environment for the first time, never having driven on an airport,” he relates. “Now, after training sessions with written materials and videos, they have time to practice and understand in the simulator before they go onto the airfield for the first time.”
With flight volume increasing across the nation, a simulated environment provides needed experience and training without impacting actual airfield operations, notes Harrison. Simulators also eliminate carbon emissions and decrease wear and tear on equipment from real-world training exercises.
The ATVehicle simulator can be customized to each airport’s needs and will adapt to future technology, he adds. Moreover, a performance file for every airfield vehicle details the braking, horsepower, torque and turning ratios so they can be adjusted based on changing operational needs. In addition to providing practice for everyday operations in inclement weather, the simulator can be used to train operations supervisors for airfield inspections and test response by ARFF crews. Airports can also generate custom scenarios, such as recreating specific incidents to share lessons learned with other drivers.
The simulator technology can track various metrics, such as speeding, ground incursions and adherence to signage, and can be equipped with built-in voice recognition software that allows trainees to interact with the system’s auto controller. “Think of it like AI,” Harrison explains. “It understands the rules of aviation and is moving planes and vehicles at the same time.”
Warm Reception
Simulated driver training has been well received at OMA—especially by those who are new to the airport environment. “They often request more time in the simulator,” Aubry reports. “We’d love to train as much as possible, but we have to fit that into our general operating schedule.”
One potential wrinkle with driving simulators is motion sickness. Aubry says the airport was aware that it can be an issue for a small percentage of people and has a contingency plan for environment training if needed.
In addition to overwhelming acceptance from trainees, air traffic controllers at OMA are fully on board as well. “We’re out on the airfield training in the real environment less often, so it’s less of a burden on the controllers having to talk to us during those different training operations,” Aubry explains. “And, of course, we’re not in constant conflict with aircraft operations while we’re using it.”
In addition to spending $125,000 to create the popular training tool, OMA also built expenses into its capital budget for support infrastructure. “You have to have space for the simulator,” Aubry notes.
Currently, the 15-by-15-foot training room is located under one of the airport’s two concourses. Soon, it will be relocated to the remote badging office to facilitate construction, but will return to the terminal complex when the Build OMA Terminal Modernization Program is complete.
