Benefits and Limits
When it comes to the benefits of VR/AR training versus traditional training, cost is the big advantage. “Synthetic training will always help to reduce the operator’s cost by using the simulator instead of the real helicopter,” Navacerrada said.
Messaris agreed that cost is the big one, but added that VR and AR “create a very real and immersive environment.” The trainee has the “ability to really see 360 degrees both horizontally and vertically.”
Smaller VR/AR training devices are less costly than traditional FFS training systems, Keil said. “This makes them affordable for smaller operators, while reducing the need to travel to training centers that operate classical types of training devices,” he said.
“VR can reduce the amount of actual reflights. It allows pilots/ cadets to train without the limitation of physical simulator availability,” Polcak added.
“Pilots get an instant assessment using VR simulations,” Mathur said. “This allows them to review their performance and identify areas for improvement.”
This being said, there are times that VR/AR training cannot replace the real thing. For instance, even with the best haptic controls and full-motion platforms, sometimes an actual cockpit is the best place to teach students what’s what.
The sophistication level of VR/AR technology can be a limiting factor as well. “It depends on the sensors and capabilities of the headset,” said Messaris. Weight can also be a factor. Today’s hefty goggles are not slick pairs of lightweight glasses that one sees in the movies.
In addition, simulated controls may lack the heft of their real- world counterparts. “Most existing cable simulations are either
an elastic band or a cable with only up-down movement and fixed tension,” Siew said.
Other limits depend on the type of training and its content. “For example, while the crew can wear actual night vision goggles (NVGs) in a classic training FFS, the use of night vision goggles must be simulated on VR training devices, as you can only wear VR goggles or NVG goggles,” Keil said.
Finally, there’s the psychological differences between VR/ AR training and in-flight instruction. “Despite their immersive nature, VR simulations may not fully replicate the psychological stress and fatigue of a real flight operation,” Mathur said.
Yet even when taken as a whole, these limits do not denigrate the overall value of VR/AR training for pilots. They simply make the point that VR/AR training — useful as it is — is only one part of a total training approach that still requires students to spend time in the air.
As for the future? Expect the weight and limitations of today’s VR/AR systems to go down, while the clarity, resolution, and capabilities of these systems go up. “The resolution will get better, along with the eye tracking,” Navacerrada said. This will make VR/AR even more integral to pilot training — but never a complete substitute for actual flight.
THE BEST WAY TO MOVE SKID TYPE HELICOPTERS
251-928-2771
info@helicopterhandler.com
Reiser’s third crew member station on the Airbus H145 FFS simulator.
rotorpro.com 79
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84
