Virtual Reality - the future of pilot training

Flight simulators have been used to train pilots for more than 80 years. There have been many breakthroughs in aviation technology during that time. Now Virtual Reality (VR) is to usher in a whole new era of professional pilot training, with far-reaching safety enhancements for the aviation industry.

In the last decade virtual reality has gone from the stuff of fantasy to a mainstay of the video gaming industry. More than 230 companies were developing VR-related products by 2016, including big-name brands like Google, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Sony and Samsung.

Current VR technology uses headsets or multi-projected environments that simulate a user’s physical presence in a virtual environment. But the device that’s advancing VR pilot training most significantly is known as a haptic system, also called “force feedback” in civilian and military training applications. It has the ability to transmit vibrations and other sensations to the user. Advancements in the virtual world have seen the US Air Force using the technology as part of their training systems. This technology is also being used as a supplement to Motion simulator training at Signa Aviation Services.

In our continuous drive to enhance aviation safety we have invested in the future of aviation training by bringing these advances to the sub-saharan aviation market. Recently we have been using the Oculus Rift platform with great success in the field of advanced jet training. So the next time you fly on a FlyWestair aircraft, you can rest assured in the knowledge that your pilots have been trained by state of the art technology to an industry-leading standard by Signa Aviation Services.

The Future is Virtual, and it’s here!

Petrus Weinrebe

Signa Aviation Services