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65 days. That is how long it took Avsoft to create a new E175 aircraft systems online aviation course for longtime, valued customer Jazz Aviation LP. Avsoft worked in collaboration with Jazz’s pilot training department to create a derivative course based on Avsoft’s existing E170 aircraft systems course, and then modify accordingly to make the course both E175 specific and Jazz fleet specific. Jazz will be using the E175 aircraft systems course for both initial and recurrent online pilot training delivered through a third party LMS.
65 days to create a new aircraft systems course, albeit a derivative course, is no small feat when one considers the amount of content that goes into an Avsoft aircraft systems course, content which must be comprehensive, highly detailed, and technically accurate, not to mention meet the requirements of aviation regulatory bodies! The E175 course includes 24 modules, 1,800 audio files, and 3,000 graphic files. The creation of each module is multiple step process that includes writing narrations, drawing graphics, recording audio, proofing, and assembly.
Avsoft was able to create the E175 course in 65 days due to three main factors: Avsoft’s RD3 content authoring tool, vector graphics, and Avsoft’s customer project prioritization.
RD3 is a database-driven application that includes all steps of the online course building process, except for the creation of graphic files. RD3 has a cloning function that allows users to clone an existing course, such as the E170, into a new course, such as the E175; this involves copying all the course modules, along with their associated narrations and end-of-module test questions. Once the E175 course was created, Avsoft provided Jazz with RD3 access to the course, and Jazz proceeded to proof the narrations and edit as required, modifying narrations to be E175 specific, removing narrations that were not required, and adding new narrations. This was done using the RD3 storyboard editor mode, which allows users to easily add, delete, modify, or move narrations, as well as enter notes such as work details, reference information, and drawing instructions.
Once Jazz finished modifying the narrations, Avsoft’s Art Department went to work creating new graphics. Like the narrations, Avsoft copied E170 graphic files and then modified them to match the updated narrations and be E175 specific, which meant drawing new E175 exterior aircraft views and cabin views, and then replacing all E170 instances, a matter of over four hundred graphics. In addition, Avsoft’s Technical Illustrators modified, removed, and added other graphics based on Jazz’s narration changes noted in the RD3 storyboard editor mode. Avsoft’s use of vector graphics, which are based on mathematical equations instead of pixels, made the task of modifying E170 graphics into E175 graphics a smooth and quick process.
Once Avsoft’s Technical Illustrators finished creating the E175 graphics, Jazz proofed them using the RD3 graphics proofing mode, which allows users to view a course’s graphics along with the associated narrations. This mode includes a feature that allows users to highlight specific areas on the graphics and enter notes; this helps to expedite the graphic correction process, as the Technical Illustrators can see where on the graphics that changes need to be made. Pages with such notes are tagged, which allows the Technical Illustrators to quickly find and navigate to pages with requested changes.
As for the narration audio, RD3 incorporates automated text-to-speech (TTS) software that uses Amazon Polly and IBM Watson neural voices. TTS technology lets RD3 users quickly create, proof, and modify narration audio files using the RD3 audio recording mode. What would take multiple days or weeks with human recorders can be done in a couple of days using TTS; minor changes, such as a few narration updates or corrections, can be done in a matter of minutes.
Once all the course content was approved by Jazz, including all the narrations, graphics, and questions, Avsoft assembled and published the E175 course. Avsoft online aviation courses work on any LMS; the E175 course will be delivered to Jazz users via their in-house, third party LMS. Any future changes, such as corrections or updates, will be managed quickly using Avsoft’s RD3 system.
“We were truly impressed, not only by the speed with which Avsoft was able to deliver the E175 Aircraft Systems online learning course, but that they did so while maintaining the highest level of care and accuracy we have come to know and appreciate from the professionals at Avsoft,“ said Joanne Francis, Training Support Manager at Jazz.
Avsoft is happy to have been able to work with Jazz to create and deliver an E175 aircraft systems online aviation course that fits their pilot training needs.
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