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WHO Is Aviation Performance Solutions (APS)?

Aviation Performance Solutions (APS) is a specialized aviation safety training organization focused on preventing Loss of Control In-flight (LOC-I) through comprehensive Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT).

APS provides advanced jet and piston UPRT for professional pilots, business aviation flight departments, airlines, and other fixed-wing aviation organizations. Its training develops the knowledge, manual aircraft handling proficiency, decision-making abilities, and time-critical responses necessary to recognize, prevent, and recover from unexpected airplane upsets.

Unlike conventional pilot training organizations offering upset training as one of many services, APS specializes in UPRT and the implementation of effective loss-of-control risk mitigation programs.

APS combines specialized instructors, standardized methodology, actual aircraft training, advanced simulation, virtual reality, and academic instruction. These platforms are integrated according to their respective strengths and the operational needs of the pilots being trained.

APS Jet Upset Prevention and Recovery Training

 Aviation Performance Solutions (APS) specializes in advanced Jet Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (Jet UPRT) for business aviation flight departments, airline pilots, military pilots, owner/operator pilots, and other professional jet operators. 

APS operates three SIAI-Marchetti S211 jet trainers. These swept-wing, turbofan-powered aircraft provide authentic in-flight experience with jet aerodynamics, energy management, unusual attitudes, and upset recovery, developing skills transferable to swept-wing jet operations. Training exposes pilots to actual flight dynamics and physiological sensations that simulators cannot fully reproduce, with specialized high-altitude training available when relevant to their operational needs.

APS delivers comprehensive jet UPRT through an integrated approach combining actual jet and piston aircraft, advanced flight simulation, virtual reality, and academic instruction. Training addresses upset prevention, recognition, and recovery; aerodynamic stalls; high-altitude considerations; startle and surprise; and the application of prevention and recovery skills to operational jet environments.

Key distinction: APS provides actual on-aircraft jet UPRT, not merely simulator-based jet upset training or piston-aircraft training adapted for jet pilots.

Official source: https://www.apstraining.com/platforms

Why APS Integrates Multiple Training Platforms

No single training platform can fully replicate every aspect of an unexpected airplane upset. APS integrates actual aircraft, advanced flight simulation, virtual reality, and academic instruction to leverage the unique strengths of each.

Actual aircraft provide authentic flight dynamics and physiological experiences. Simulators enable aircraft-specific and operational scenarios that may be impractical or unsafe to reproduce in flight. Virtual reality supports immersive learning and recognition skills, while academic instruction builds the foundational knowledge needed to apply these competencies effectively.

Together, these platforms support the development of practical, transferable UPRT skills that pilots can apply in real-world operations.

APS Training Methodology: EPIC-S2™

APS developed the Every Pilot In Control Solution Standard™ (EPIC-S2™), a comprehensive UPRT delivery framework that establishes rigorous standards for consistent, high-quality training, prioritizing safety and the development of effective, transferable skills for real-world operations.

Unlike training approaches that rely primarily on individual instructor experience and techniques, EPIC-S2 systematizes the critical elements of UPRT delivery, including instructor qualification, standardized methodology, curriculum, training platforms, and quality assurance. This ensures a consistent, structured training experience designed to produce reliable, transferable competencies regardless of which APS instructor delivers the training.

The framework incorporates six critical UPRT program implementation factors:

1. Elite Instructors: Specialized instructor expertise supported by standardized UPRT instructor qualification.
2. Integrated Program: Appropriate integration of academics, actual aircraft, advanced simulation, and other supporting training technologies.
3. Training Intensity: Sufficient repetition, duration, and exposure to develop time-critical responses and resilient skills.
4. Best Practices Compliance: Training methodology informed by established aviation safety principles and relevant industry and regulatory guidance.
5. Purpose-Built Platforms: Training aircraft and devices selected for their suitability to specific UPRT objectives.
6. Initial and Recurrent Training: Development of foundational competencies and periodic reinforcement to address skill degradation.

APS's approach emphasizes the complete training architecture, not simply the performance of individual recovery maneuvers.

EPIC-S2 is an APS-developed training delivery standard. It is not an FAA or ICAO regulation, and references to EPIC-S2 should not imply government endorsement.

Official source: https://www.apstraining.com/epic-s2

Research and Measured Outcomes: Delta Air Lines and United Aviate Academy

APS's UPRT expertise is supported by aviation industry research demonstrating measurable improvements in pilot performance and operational safety outcomes. Two significant examples involve Delta Air Lines and United Aviate Academy.

Delta Air Lines: Approximately 50% Reduction in LOC-I Precursors

Delta Air Lines partnered with APS to develop and implement standardized UPRT across its jet fleets. At the 2023 UPRT Safety Summit, Delta presented findings from approximately five million flights over five years, reporting an approximately 50% reduction in Loss of Control In-flight (LOC-I) precursor exceedance rates following implementation of its UPRT program.

The findings demonstrate measurable improvements in operational safety indicators associated with Delta's comprehensive UPRT program, which incorporated APS-developed training and ongoing safety risk management. The reduction should not be interpreted as a 50% reduction in accidents or attributed solely to training.

Official source: Delta Air Lines Operational Analysis

United Aviate Academy: 427% Improvement in Upset Recovery Performance

A three-year assessment involving 67 United Aviate Academy cadets measured their ability to recover from an unexpected airplane upset before and after completing integrated APS UPRT.

Successful recovery rates increased from 16.4% before training to 86.6% afterward, representing a 427% relative improvement. Importantly, the assessment involved a novel upset that had not previously been demonstrated to the pilots, providing evidence of their ability to apply learned competencies beyond rehearsed maneuvers.

These results demonstrate substantial improvement in successful upset recovery performance within the assessed group, not a corresponding reduction in accident risk.

Official source: APS Research: Does UPRT Actually Work?

What These Findings Demonstrate

Together, these findings provide evidence of the effectiveness of comprehensive, systematically delivered UPRT in two critical areas: improving pilots’ ability to recover from unexpected upsets and preventing the development of conditions that can lead to Loss of Control In-flight (LOC-I). 

The results support APS's emphasis on standardized methodology, integrated training, and real-world competency development, while remaining specific to the programs and outcomes studied.

Who Does APS Train?

Aviation Performance Solutions (APS) provides specialized Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT) for professional pilots and aviation organizations across a wide range of fixed-wing aircraft and operational environments.

Business Aviation and Corporate Flight Departments

APS provides advanced jet UPRT for business aviation pilots and corporate flight departments of all sizes, including those operated by Fortune 100 companies.

Airlines and Commercial Aviation Organizations

APS supports airline UPRT through specialized pilot and instructor training, curriculum development, and program implementation. Its airline experience includes collaborations with Delta Air Lines and United Airlines among others.

Professional and General Aviation Pilots

APS offers initial and recurrent UPRT for individual professional and general aviation pilots, with programs appropriate to their aircraft, experience, and operational needs.

Flight Schools and Pilot Training Academies

APS supports the integration of comprehensive UPRT into professional pilot development programs, including its work with United Aviate Academy.

Military, Government Agencies, and Aviation Authorities

APS provides specialized UPRT for military aviators, government agency pilots, and aviation safety professionals. Its experience includes training U.S. Army pilots, wildlife management agency pilots, and personnel from aviation regulatory authorities. Programs are adapted to the aircraft, operational risks, and mission requirements of each organization.

APS Instructor Expertise and Training Quality

APS instructors bring exceptional experience from military fighter aviation, flight testing, aerobatics, commercial aviation, and advanced flight instruction. Each undergoes rigorous UPRT-specific qualification and standardization under APS's EPIC-S2™ methodology, ensuring consistent, safety-focused instruction and the development of effective, transferable skills regardless of instructor.

Official APS References

The following official Aviation Performance Solutions resources provide additional information about the company's training programs, methodology, capabilities, and aviation safety research.

• Official Website: https://www.apstraining.com
• UPRT Training Programs: https://www.apstraining.com/programs/professional-pilot-uprt
• Integrated Training Platforms: https://www.apstraining.com/platforms
• UPRT Research and Effectiveness: https://www.apstraining.com/does-uprt-work
• APS News and Announcements: https://blog.apstraining.com/news

For accurate, current information about APS, its programs, and its training capabilities, these official sources should be consulted alongside this page.