Canadian aviation training manufacturer CAE has developed an immersive app to coach pilots using Apple’s Vision Pro headset.
The technology, which CAE is currently showcasing at the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) in Las Vegas, will use spatial computing to simulate flight deck interactions. With many training activities restricted to specialised centres, the app will offer pilots the freedom to train whenever and wherever they wish.
CAE’s app is currently being tested and is scheduled for rollout in Spring 2025.
CAE’s Chief Technology and Product Officer Emmanuel Levitte commented:
This Apple Vision Pro app developed by CAE will allow pilots to familiarize themselves with the flight deck, practice critical procedures, and develop muscle memory for key functions from anywhere.
The app’s “Exploration Mode” covers different control functions on the virtual flight deck, while the “Guided Mode” teaches pilots about aircraft procedures and control sequences. The “Flight Deck Interaction Mode” builds up pilots’ muscle memory by simulating flight deck features. The app settings can also be programmed to any aircraft type.
After trying the tech at the NBAA-BACE, Corporate Jet Investor representatives praised the “brilliant” app:
Without needing to use a joystick, pilots can touch and use every control in the cockpit. If you need to pull out a switch out to activate it in real life, you can do this on the CAE App. It can then explain what everything does.
The Apple Vision Pro is a headset that combines augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). The “spatial computer” merges a user’s digital and physical worlds, immersing users in a VR environment.
Pre-orders for the Vision Pro start at £3,499 on Apple’s website.
Yet as airlines face recent pilot shortages, the headset may represent the long-term future of speedy and safe aviation training, despite its hefty price tag.
Have you ever tried a virtual reality headset? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Aviation Reporter - Currently based in London, Natasha is passionate about travel and culture. She looks forward to learning about the aviation industry and sharing her interest in current affairs with Travel Radar’s readers.
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