Pilot simulation training in the Loft Dynamics H145. Photo: LoftDynamics
IMPACT OF EXTENDED REALITY
Collectively, VR, AR, and MR are known as “extended reality” (XR). Individually, they are quite different. VR creates a fully digital, simulated environment that a pilot can see within their headset that moves with them as they turn their head.
“With a head-mounted display in VR, you get a correct stereoscopic visual system,” said Fabi Riesen, founder and CTO of Loft Dynamics, a developer of virtual-reality flight simulation technology. “When you move your head, the environment moves exactly as it would in the helicopter.”
AR goes one step further by overlaying digital graphics on a real-world view through the headset’s visor. MR goes a step beyond that by allowing virtual and physical objects to co-exist and interact in real-time.
A case in point: “We’ve developed an XR helicopter simulator that merges a physical
cockpit with virtual
enabling pilots to train in a fully immersive, yet highly realistic environment,” said
Jonas Goercke, business line manager of flight training at Reiser Simulation and Training GmbH, a manufacturer of high- fidelity simulators for civil and military operators.
In such a system, the experience for the XR trainee is entirely realistic: They can see and move actual controls in the cockpit to “fly” the helicopter in a convincing synthetic world. Because these visuals adapt to the pilot’s physical movements, they open up new training capabilities. “Since XR/VR headsets provide a 360-degree field of view, and accurate depth perception, they are a fit for the purpose of training tasks, such as filling the bucket in firefighting or allowing tactical flight officers (TFOs) to scan the ground during police operations,” said Nacho Navacerrada, sales director
at
Entrol, a manufacturer of certified flight simulators.
“Augmented scenery, and virtual reality are
already playing a meaningful role in modern pilot training by expanding access to immersive, scenario-based learning,” said Jerry Messaris, vice
president and general manager of TRU Simulation, a builder of scalable full flight simulators and VR training solutions. “Virtual and augmented reality are particularly useful for procedural practice and cockpit familiarization,” said Lorenzo Napoli, lead AW139 TRI at Coptersafety, a training center operating high-fidelity simulators for professional helicopter crews.
AI’S SUPPORTING ROLE
In contrast to XR’s upfront work in the simulator cockpit, AI is playing a major role in supporting the training backend— it’s processing the massive amounts of data generated by digital simulator sessions quickly and effectively.
“On the AI side, the main impact is enabling a truly data-driven approach that helps tailor training to the pilot’s competencies and experience,” Riesen said. This is because modern training simulators can track a student’s eye movements, body posture, control inputs, and reaction timing. “AI helps process all
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Mar/Apr 2026
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