Vilnius, Lithuania based pilot training group BAA Training has shared an article entitled “Why VR For Pilot Training Is a Good Idea” discussing the value of Virtual Reality or VR for pilot training. Check out part of the article below full article can be found here.

“As for BAA Training, we have successfully integrated the technology to A320 and B737 NG Type Rating training as well as to the MCC stage of the Ab Initio training process in ATPL Integrated, cadet programs, and other courses. VR technology that we use allows our students to train, simulating it onboard the cabin, moving as it would inside it, accessing commands and controls, making them more apt for the simulator training.

Virtual Reality Can Be Completely Customised

While VR technology cannot be used as a full substitute for aircraft and full flight simulators, it provides unlimited access to the new flight deck while training flows and procedures in organized training modules. In other words, it augments already scheduled simulator training and creates a better training experience for the pilots.

VR is completely customizable, making it very flexible. It is also utterly mobile since VR headsets are portable. For A320 and B737 NG Type Rating students, BAA Training gives the VR headsets for 30 days of use 24/7 at their own pace and time. In these respects, it beats both real aircraft and traditional simulators.

Using VR technology, you can realistically simulate emergencies such as cabin fires, which is hard to do effectively any other way. To support Cabin Crew training, BAA Training expects to acquire new VR equipment that will have this functionality. The moment you set things on fire, the students see smoke filling the aircraft, the passengers coughing, and they hear the instructor—their adrenaline starts to climb. A virtual accident or simulated dangerous situation affects the student’s future behavior more than a book or video. It leaves a lasting impression on their psyche and can make them calmer when a threat occurs in real life.

Virtual Reality Is More Effective Than The ‘Real Thing’

Studies have shown that virtual reality-assisted learning is more effective than traditional learning methods by up to 400%. It is particularly effective for such things as spatial and situational awareness, decision-making and problem-solving, workload management and efficiency as well as teamwork and communication. It encourages students to go beyond perfecting flying manoeuvres and instead provides an opportunity to work on the peripheral skills they might otherwise not get enough time to develop. And, of course, it doesn’t require textbooks, videos, or teachers. So it can add value to time spent studying and, in the long run, produce better pilots who remember their training more effectively.”

Source: BAA Training
Photo Credit: BAA Training (shown as meta image)

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