E-Reader Implementation Feasibility Study

• Main Authors: Fleck, Bill, Jones, Josh, Newman, Matt, Yearian, Cobi
• Language: en_US
• Published: Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School 2012
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10945/7440

EMBA === EMBA Project Report === "This project was completed by Corpus Christi One, on behalf of Chief of Naval Air Training's Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff for Training and Standardization (CNATRA N7), and facilitated through the Naval Postgraduate School Executive MBA program. The purpose is to analyze CNATRA's current model of producing and distributing flight training-related publications to student military aviators (SMAs) in hard-copy format, and to compare that model with a program instead using electronic book readers (e-readers) and digitized versions of these same publications to determine whether or not such a model would be technically feasible, and whether or not such a course of action might allow cost savings to be realized over the current practice. This study focuses on a single flight training squadron: Training Squadron TWO EIGHT (VT-28) based at NAS Corpus Christi. In addition to historical data obtained from VT-28 with regard to SMAs trained annually, interview data was obtained from subject matter experts involved in the ordering, production, inventory, and issuance of flight training publications, as well as the manufacture of e-readers and digital conversion of documents. Our analysis compares and contrasts three possible courses of action: _ COA 1: Purchase e-readers to support the total number of SMAs trained each year. SMAs will then keep the e-reader they have been issued. _ COA 2: Purchase e-readers to support only the maximum number of SMAs in training at any given time. E-readers will be returned for re-issue. _ COA 3: Continue to produce and distribute flight training publications in hardcopy format. While all three COAs would meet the instructional needs of both CNATRA and the SMA, we believe that COA 3 provides the best, most economical solution within the constraints of this project. In order to realize cost savings through e-reader use, it must be implemented far more comprehensively than merely in a single unit or phase of flight training."