Houston, Texas, USA – CommuteAir, a United Express partner airline, has integrated Visionary Training Resources’ (VTR) FlightDeckToGo™ virtual reality (VR) training system into its pilot training curriculum, making it one of the few airlines to incorporate VR with FAA approval.

• The system, designed for use with the Meta Quest 3 headset, allows pilots to practice ground-based procedures with real-time eye-tracking 24/7.
• CommuteAir’s implementation of VR training is part of its Advanced Qualification Program (AQP), aiming to enhance pilot technical proficiency.
• The airline collaborated with the FAA to outline expected outcomes, making it among the first to integrate VR training with regulatory acknowledgment.
• The VR system replicates an Embraer 145 flight deck with high accuracy, allowing pilots to improve retention and procedural accuracy.
• VTR’s proprietary learning methods provide a more interactive and immersive training experience, aligning with modern pilot learning habits.

Statements:

• “The use of VR is relatively new to the commercial aviation industry; however, it has been used in heavy industry, medical, and the military with good results,” said Lance Lau, Director of Training, CommuteAir. “We believe that through the use of virtual reality in pilot training, we will be able to greatly enhance the technical proficiency of our pilots.”
• “This groundbreaking virtual reality training device along with our partnership with VTR has enabled us to revolutionize how we prepare new pilots for their transition to the ERJ145 flight deck,” said Rick Hoefling, CommuteAir President & CEO. “This technology allows for safe, effective, hands-on learning that is paving the way for a future where training isn’t just effective, but transformative.”
• “Many of our trainees have grown up with this technology and its use is almost second nature with them,” Lau added. “Our plan is to supplement normal procedures by using VR and establish the proof of concept in an effort to certify this as a training device. Upon certification, we expect to greatly increase its use in a variety of procedures.”

About CommuteAir
CommuteAir, a United Express partner, operates over 200 daily flights utilizing a fleet of 57 Embraer ERJ145s for United Airlines, connecting communities globally. Additionally, CommuteAir offers charter services with an Embraer E170 under its own brand. Headquartered in suburban Cleveland, CommuteAir has major hubs at Houston Intercontinental and Washington Dulles airports. The company also operates maintenance hangars in Houston, Albany, N.Y., and Lincoln, Neb.

About Visionary Training Resources (VTR)
Founded by pilots with extensive safety and training backgrounds, Visionary Training Resources (VTR) delivers a powerful pilot training platform, FlightDeckToGo^TM, which leverages the power of virtual reality (VR) technology. Portable, easy-to-use, realistic, and dimensionally accurate, FlightDeckToGoTM provides important advantages over traditional flight simulators, including reduced training costs, cost savings on aircraft familiarization training, and better retention of information.

Source: Visionary Training Resources
Photo Credit: Visionary Training Resources