09/10/2022
4/ VR/AR integration, when used appropriately, is an excellent tool to learn procedures, communication, navigation, and build situational awareness. Appropriately, in my opinion, means as a supplement, not a replacement, to already established practices of learning aviation and building experience. Nothing can replace the tactile sensations, vestibular disturbances, and kinesthetic, physiological and mental stresses of pulling Gs in a real-world environment (i.e., "seat of your pants") with real-world consequences. Coupled with a live ATC-trained controller, VR training offers a risk-free environment for students to practice course rules, make radio calls and execute procedures. Additionally, VR training allows the generation of complex environments that may be otherwise unsafe or impractical to do in real life. For example, we were able to generate multiplayer scenarios of full patterns at outlying fields to build proper procedures, checklist usage, radio calls, and sight pictures for pattern/break intervals without stepping into a real cockpit. When it came time to the real thing, it felt "familiar," which enabled a quicker pathway to build situational awareness. When used appropriately, VR/AR training is an additional asset to safely train future aviators. It's the modern chair-flying tool.
Various projects within NASA are investigating ways we can integrate VR/AR into our training and operational roles for future space exploration.
