 "IAF selection board, Mysore, to be first with new selection system")
Air Force Selection Board, Mysore, will become the first among the selection boards in the country to have a computerised pilot selection system for Indian defence forces.
The advanced computerised pilot selection system (CPSS) is jointly developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment of the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF), after a decade-long research.
The new CPSS, originally conceived by former President A P J Abdul Kalam when he was the scientific advisor to the prime minister in 1997, has come a long way in terms of research and development. CPSS will bring in major changes to the pilot selection system keeping in mind the induction of high-tech aircraft into the IAF.
In addition to flying skills, the future pilot is required to function as a systems manager, controlling various functions of the aircraft systems.
The existing system focuses only on a few aspects of psychomotor skills of a future pilot, emphasising the eye-hand-leg coordination that was adequate for the old-generation aircraft. However, these are not adequate for the new range of high-tech aircraft in IAF. CPSS tries to address the long-standing demand of the IAF to have a modern and scientific selection system for pilots that can screen candidates to meet the demands of the latest and advanced aircraft being inducted into IAF.
It is at par with the best selection systems available in developed nations and meets the operational requirements to the full. The system will be used to screen pilots for IAF, Indian Army, Indian Navy and the Coast Guard. The test can be taken only once in a life time by a candidate and focuses on the aptitude of the individual to meet the high demands of the modern cockpits.
CPSS simultaneously caters to the physical as well as psychological profiling requirements of the candidates through a series of computerised cognitive and psychomotor tests, which could be administered on more than 50 candidates at a time. Apart from computer-based tests, CPSS has cockpit tests to extract accurate and complete details of the candidate’s abilities for the challenging job.
The system which will be launched first in Mysuru is first of its kind in India and will soon be replicated at the other Air Force Selection Boards across the nation, a release said on Thursday.
Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, visiting Mysuru for the first time after taking over the command of IAF, will inaugurate the advanced CPSS on Friday. He will arrive at Mysuru airport by a special IAF jet and then proceed to the No. 2 Air Force Selection Board located in the city to dedicate the new CPSS to the nation. He also heads the joint chief of staff committee of the three services.
The advanced computerised pilot selection system (CPSS) is jointly developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment of the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF), after a decade-long research.
The new CPSS, originally conceived by former President A P J Abdul Kalam when he was the scientific advisor to the prime minister in 1997, has come a long way in terms of research and development. CPSS will bring in major changes to the pilot selection system keeping in mind the induction of high-tech aircraft into the IAF.
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“The CPSS has new psychomotor and cognitive tests. These tests comprehensively evaluate the qualities required for military pilots, such as psychomotor skills, information, processing skills (speed and accuracy), coordination, visualisation, and time-sharing, by subjecting the candidates to perform concurrent multiple tasks,” according to DRDO.
In addition to flying skills, the future pilot is required to function as a systems manager, controlling various functions of the aircraft systems.
The existing system focuses only on a few aspects of psychomotor skills of a future pilot, emphasising the eye-hand-leg coordination that was adequate for the old-generation aircraft. However, these are not adequate for the new range of high-tech aircraft in IAF. CPSS tries to address the long-standing demand of the IAF to have a modern and scientific selection system for pilots that can screen candidates to meet the demands of the latest and advanced aircraft being inducted into IAF.
It is at par with the best selection systems available in developed nations and meets the operational requirements to the full. The system will be used to screen pilots for IAF, Indian Army, Indian Navy and the Coast Guard. The test can be taken only once in a life time by a candidate and focuses on the aptitude of the individual to meet the high demands of the modern cockpits.
CPSS simultaneously caters to the physical as well as psychological profiling requirements of the candidates through a series of computerised cognitive and psychomotor tests, which could be administered on more than 50 candidates at a time. Apart from computer-based tests, CPSS has cockpit tests to extract accurate and complete details of the candidate’s abilities for the challenging job.
The system which will be launched first in Mysuru is first of its kind in India and will soon be replicated at the other Air Force Selection Boards across the nation, a release said on Thursday.
Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, visiting Mysuru for the first time after taking over the command of IAF, will inaugurate the advanced CPSS on Friday. He will arrive at Mysuru airport by a special IAF jet and then proceed to the No. 2 Air Force Selection Board located in the city to dedicate the new CPSS to the nation. He also heads the joint chief of staff committee of the three services.