Project for the development of a real fire training and practice simulator for the aeronautical firefighters of the General Directorate of Civil Aviation of Ecuador.

Abstract

This academic article analyzed the design, development, and implementation of a real fire training simulator intended to strengthen the technical, cognitive, and operational competencies of DGAC aeronautical firefighters. The article emerged from an institutional need to optimize personnel preparedness for airport emergencies, ensuring high levels of operational safety, response efficiency, and integration of international standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization. The research was based on a theoretical and documentary review of current scientific literature related to simulation, tactical training, ergonomics, risk management, and training with controlled real fire scenarios, complemented by a descriptive, applied, and comparative methodological approach among different instructional models used in benchmark airports worldwide. The proposed simulator was conceived as an advanced pedagogical tool capable of reproducing real fire conditions, reducing risks during the training process, improving response times, strengthening decision making, and enhancing operational skills in high pressure situations. The results obtained demonstrated the relevance of using simulators as technological means that articulated safety, active learning, and systematic management of operational knowledge. It was concluded that the implementation of the project represented a technical and strategic advancement of great importance for the DGAC, by consolidating preventive culture, professionalizing personnel training, optimizing institutional resources, and significantly contributing to the continuous improvement of the operational safety management system in Ecuadorian airports through modern and efficient practices. These findings also suggest long term benefits for organizational resilience, interagency coordination, knowledge transfer processes, and the sustainable alignment of training programs with evolving operational demands and regulatory requirements internationally.