Ready for take-off?

When you think of disruptive technology within our industry it probably doesn’t get any bigger than the use of virtual reality (VR) for operator training.

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For many the thought of qualifying someone on a virtual reality simulator is enough to keep them up at night. Fortunately - for these people - this is not currently possible, however things are moving at such a pace that it is not inconceivable that this might change in the not too distant future. We take a look at how the aviation industry has utilised the technology to great success and the potential benefits this might be offer our industry as well as review the latest developments to see if it can ever be more than just a tool for enhancing real-life training.

Miracle on the Hudson

15.24 on 15th January 2009, US Airways flight 1549 is cleared for take off on a routine flight from LaGuardia Airport, New York, to Charlotte, North Carolina. Less than two minutes into the flight the plane strikes a flock of geese, causing both engines to fail. Captain Chelsey ‘Sully’ Sullenberger quickly determines that there is insufficient time, speed or altitude to return to LaGuardia or reach another airport, and prepares for an emergency landing on the Hudson River. Miraculously, Sully successfully completes a near impossible water landing, saving the lives of the 150 passengers and five crew members on board.

You may wonder what this has to do with VR training, but the reality is that trainee commercial pilots typically undertake up to 100 hours flight simulator - virtual reality training to prepare themselves for such unlikely events. Yes, it is highly unlikely that Sully would have been trained for double engine failure and a water landing on a simulator, however he would have regularly and routinely rehearsed other crisis scenarios in order to learn how to deal with them in a calm and efficient manner.