Virtual Reality Training: A Game-Changer for Aviation Related Training and Education

The lack of innovation in aviation related training over the last thirty years has contributed to a shortage of pilots and aviation mechanics, and has led to a marked increase in aviation related mishaps that have dominated the news in the recent months.

Recent studies have shown that the three primary contributing factors to the pilot

shortage are early retirements, growth in the aviation industry, and reduced pilot graduation rates. Not much can be done about retiring pilots or industry growth, but there is certainly much that can be done to boost pilot graduation rates. The main problem with learning to be a pilot is the vast amount of information that must be learned and mastered. It’s not merely a matter of memorization—although there is plenty of that—the most difficult hurdles involve the abstract

thought and calculations to conduct common tasks such as flying point-to-points, selecting entry methods for holding, or calculating appropriate power settings to achieve a 3-degree glideslope.

While there may be reams of pages written on how to complete each of these tasks, there has been very little advancement in how these subjects are taught over the last thirty years. In 1997, the most state-of-the-art way to prepare for the FAA written pilot’s exam was to buy a set of King Schools’ instructional VHS tapes, hosted by John and Martha King. Fast forward 27 years, and the King Schools’ video content is still the fastest and most efficient way to prepare for the private pilots written exam—except now it’s in an online format. In 27 years, the only advancement in this technology was moving from VHS, to DVDs, to online videos—a disappointing progression at best. One almost forgets that aviation is part of the aerospace industry.

The same lack of innovation exists in the aviation maintenance community. Aspiring aviation mechanics—many of which are fresh out of high school—are challenged with pneumatics, metallurgy, electrical engineering, aerodynamics, powerplants, and general mechanical principles. Daunting topics, even for college students, yet, there has been very little development or innovation towards improving the training pathways for these students.

The Georger T. Baker Aviation Technical College of Aviation, in Miami-Dade, Florida, states that only 53% of their airframe and powerplant students graduate the program on-time, if at all. A figure that screams disorder. However, this figure is not specific to George T. Backer—aviation maintenance colleges across the country are all seeing similar results. With 30% of the aviation maintenance workforce currently within 10 years of retirement age, it is no wonder that aviation mishaps due to mechanic issues are on the rise.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that serious injuries among aviation mechanics doubled in 2022. Serious injuries include amputations, loss of an eye, or injuries requiring an overnight stay in an emergency room. One can only surmise that there is a direct correlation between the increase rate of injury in the field, and the mechanic shortage. As the number of mechanics decrease, their individual workload increases, causing fatigue and increased urgency, leading to rushed work.

While there are many ways to address all of these issues, there is one that stands above the rest. These fields require investment into new and innovative approaches into how these professions are taught to perspective students, thereby increasing engagement and reducing attrition. In the age of artificial intelligence, virtual and augmentee reality, and lightning-fast internet speeds, we’re finally starting to see how these technologies can adequately be leveraged to improve aerospace related education. With the launch and adoption of spatial computing hardware, such as the Apple Vision Pro®, Meta Quest 3®, and Xreal Air 2®, companies are already looking to apply these new tools towards improving the educational processes in highly

technical fields. A company called Higher Echelon offers what they call “Extended Reality” services, where custom designed virtual, augmented, and mixed reality experiences are created to facilitate the learning process for flight deck training, aviation maintenance, preflight inspections, and pilot vehicle interfaces.

Even more impressive is a company called AMTIL, which has recreated all of the course work required for the FAA Airframe and Powerplant License, into an interactive 3D virtual world. Aviation mechanic students can learn, practice,

and explore systems and procedures in a virtual world, increasing their understanding, and reducing the difficulty.

AMTIL’s mission is “[To] deliver digital and virtual learning

experiences using the best practices in training for Aviation Maintenance education that not only makes it convenient for learners but provides value to institutions.” Which is exactly the type of innovation the aviation industry has been lacking when it comes to its educational tools and strategies over the last thirty years.