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Cirrus Aircraft Showcases VR Training Developments at NBAA-BACE 2024

USA – Cirrus Aircraft, an aircraft manufacturer, is expanding its training solutions, incorporating advanced technologies such as augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), and enhancing its customer support through its Cirrus Assist mobile units. The company aims to improve flight training and ownership experience for pilots operating its Vision Jet and SR aircraft models.

  • Cirrus launched its specialized training course a few years ago, focusing on both ground and in-aircraft training experiences using AR/VR technology.
  • The company is developing a virtual reality training program using the Apple Vision Pro VR headset. Features include:
    • Preflight walkaround and startup procedure simulations.
    • Familiarization with avionics and visual cues for various maneuvers.
    • Practice for air traffic control (ATC) communication.
  • Users can interactively explore aircraft components; for example, selecting the jet engine visualizes the fuel system and its connections.
  • While the AR/VR program is still under development, the company showcased a demo at NBAA-BACE, highlighting its realistic and immersive capabilities.
  • CEO Zean Nielsen emphasized that reducing the cost of aircraft ownership begins with efficient training solutions. Virtual training could enable pilots to master avionics and ATC communication at home, reducing expensive in-aircraft training time.
  • Cirrus’s training offerings include customized programs for both new and recurrent training, supported by full-motion flight simulators and a network of certified instructors.
  • The Cirrus Assist mobile units, available in Arizona, Florida, and Utah, aim to enhance support for aircraft-on-ground events and other urgent maintenance needs.
  • The company continues to refine its Vision Jet series, with the latest G2+ model featuring advanced technologies such as Garmin Autoland Safe Return, inflight Wi-Fi, and improved takeoff capabilities.

Statements:

  • “One of the things that I want to do with Cirrus is drive the cost of ownership down, and the cost of ownership starts with learning how to fly,” said CEO Zean Nielsen.
  • “What if you could learn all that at home? What if you could be an expert in the avionics before you set foot in the aircraft? So now you can just focus your time on stick and rudder, takeoffs and landings, slow flight, steep turns—all of that.”
  • “We have yet to decide how we want to implement it in our training approach. What we don’t want it to be is gimmicky,” Nielsen stated regarding the AR/VR training integration.

Source: Cirrus Aircraft and Media Reporting

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Flight Simulator Manufacturer FTD.aero Celebrates Successful Re-qualification of 2 EASA FNPT II MCC Devices

Rome, Italy and Warsaw, Poland – Flight simulator manufacturer FTD.aero celebrates two successful recurrent qualification of company’s EASA FNPT II MCC flight simulation training devices, installed last year in Rome, Italy and Warsaw, Poland.

The success of two simultaneous re-evaluations confirmed not only compliance with the EASA certification standards but also FTD.aero’s commitment to quality and heavy-duty operational readiness of company-built devices.

Installed just over a year ago, both simulators have been tailored to meet the rigorous training demands of APS MCC programs enabling students to gain hands-on experience in extremely realistic airliner cockpit environments. Each simulator has undergone meticulous inspection and recurrent testing on-site by the EASA Inspectors, underscoring FTD.aero’s commitment to upholding and exceeding minimum regulatory requirements.

After over a year of intensive use in real-life training sessions, both customers commend FTD.aero’s support team for its professionalism and responsiveness. In addition to providing immediate assistance, FTD.aero’s customer support provides proactive approach, such as software improvements, hardware upgrades, real-time monitoring and preventive maintenance ensuring maximum uptime and seamless training continuity for both centers. This ongoing support plays a critical role in keeping the simulators in peak condition, enabling uninterrupted training schedules and enhanced learning outcomes for the students.

As FTD.aero looks ahead, the company is committed to furthering its reach and pushing the boundaries of simulation fidelity and device performance, ensuring that aviation training institutions worldwide have the tools needed to equip pilots with confidence, precision and safety. The company’s offer will be showcased at booth 234 at the European Airline Training Symposium  in Cascais, Portugal between 5th and 7th of November.

Source: FTD.aero
Photo Credit: Urbe Aero

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