DOCUMENTATIONChoosing a training approach
Airports have two conventional options: train in the vehicle, or buy a proprietary-engine simulator with a vendor-specific cabin. AVOPSIM is a third option: the same digital twin, the same instructor tooling, on hardware you can buy anywhere.
| AVOPSIM | Proprietary-engine simulators | In-vehicle training | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simulation engine | Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. World, weather, lighting and physics maintained and updated by Microsoft and Asobo. | Vendor-built engine. Updates and fixes are tied to the vendor's roadmap and support contract. | None. |
| Airport environment | 1:1 digital twin of your airfield, signage, lighting and buildings, inside a photorealistic model of the whole surrounding world. | 3D replica of your airport built by the vendor. Surroundings are typically limited to the airport boundary. | The real airfield, when traffic and weather allow it. |
| Vehicles | Your fleet, modeled per unit with cabin instrumentation and specialist functions. | Vendor library with custom units on request. | An operational vehicle taken out of service. |
| Hardware | Off-the-shelf PC, wheel and pedals. Scales from a desk station to a full vehicle cabin. | Vendor-specific cabin and visual system. | Vehicle, fuel and an instructor in the passenger seat. |
| Instructor tools | Mission Editor and Examiner Console included. One instructor monitors several stations. | Instructor station, typically included with the system. | One instructor per trainee. |
| Radio communication | AI radio communication with a virtual controller, speech recognition and scoring. Beta. | Varies by vendor. | Live frequency. Limited practice, real consequences. |
| Weather, time and season | Full day and night cycle, live or preset weather, every season, set per mission. | Configurable lighting and weather presets. | Whatever the day provides. |
| Time to first station | Weeks after scoping. Add stations at any time. | Months, tied to cabin manufacturing and installation. | Immediate, subject to vehicle and instructor availability. |
Note
The comparison describes typical characteristics of each approach, not the offer of any specific vendor.