Austria – The first official day of the Human Factors and Pilot Training Symposium hosted by AMST-Systemtechnik GmbH in Salzburg delivered a powerful launch to an event defined by international expertise and operational excellence. With 120 participants representing 25 nations, the symposium is uniting voices from both civil and military aviation to address the future of pilot performance, safety, and training innovation.

• The evening before the event, attendees gathered for a welcoming icebreaker event, where Air Chief Maj. Gen. Gerfried Promberger of the Austrian Armed Forces set an inspiring tone on behalf of the event’s patron, Österreichisches Bundesheer.

• Two intensive pre-conference workshops were held:

  • High-G Training Workshop led by Dr. Daniel Hendriksen (Royal Air Force)

  • Hypoxia Workshop chaired by Brig. Gen. (ret.) Dr. Erich Roedig

• Day one of the symposium featured a robust line-up of presentations:

  • Departure Briefing by Cpt. Christof-J. Kemény, event moderator and HUD/UPRT specialist

  • Welcome Remarks by Dr. Francisco Rios Tejada (President, IAASM) and Franz Pflug (Managing Director, AMST)

  • Keynote Address from Lt. Col. Thomas Ploder, on behalf of Maj. Gen. Promberger

  • Expert talks included:

    • Chris Shepherd (Thales) – Complexities of Aircrew Training

    • Roger Klingler (Brunner Elektronik AG) – Real-Virtual Integration in Next-Gen Flight Training

    • Dr. Christian Popp (MINT Software Systems) – Human-AI Synergy in Aviation

    • Nicola Cavagnetto (Deep Blue) – Human-Centered Training for AI-integrated Aviation

    • Dr. David Brieber (SCHUHFRIED GmbH) – Psychological Aptitude for Drone Pilots

    • Dr. Rebecca Fill Giordano (hr+ loving development) – Innovation in Pilot Selection

    • Dr. Patrizia Knabl-Schmitz (Emirates) – Pilot Resilience & Mental Performance

    • Deniz Sazak, AvPSY (SunExpress) – Holistic Approach to Pilot Mental Well-Being

• Participants praised the depth and diversity of perspectives, highlighting the importance of mental resilience, human-machine teaming, and future-ready flight training models.

Source: AMST
Photo Credit: AMST