Cost-Effectiveness of Maintenance Simulators for Military Training
Abstract
The cost-effectiveness of maintenance simulators, compared to actual equipment trainers, is evaluated for training military maintenance technicians. Maintenance simulators are as effective as actual equipment trainers when measured by student achievement at school; there is no difference in the job performance of students trained either way, according to supervisors' ratings, in only one study. The acquisition cost of maintenance simulators is typically less than that of actual equipment trainers. The cost to develop and fabricate one unit of a simulator was less than 60 percent of the cost of its counterpart actual equipment trainer in 7 of 11 cases investigated. The cost of fabricating an additional unit of the simulator was less than 20 percent of the cost of its counterpart actual equipment trainer in 9 of these 11 cases. Acquisition and use of a maintenance simulator over a 15-year period would cost 38 percent as much as an actual equipment trainer, according to the only life-cycle cost comparison that has been reported. Since maintenance simulators and actual equipment trainers are equally effective and since maintenance simulators cost less, it is concluded that maintenance simulators are cost-effective compared to actual equipment trainers.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1981
- Accession Number
- ADA108717
Entities
People
- Jesse Orlansky
- Joseph String
Organizations
- Institute for Defense Analyses