The VR gliding simulator helps train air cadets in the German Air Force. Virtual reality is set to play an even greater role in training the country's armed forces in future.
Flight training with the virtual-reality gliding simulator
Training on the ground with the VR gliding simulator
At the German Air Force Officer Training School in Fürstenfeldbruck, air cadets use virtual reality to practise gliding. Thanks to four gliding simulators currently being tested there by the Bundeswehr Cyber Innovation Hub, the budding pilots get to train without leaving the safety of the ground. The new system is intended to shorten the preparation time before their first real flight lesson. The Bundeswehr is also using the simulators to determine whether virtual-reality technology may become a permanent fixture in the basic training regime for the Air Force.
It only took six months for the idea of a VR gliding simulator to become reality. Owing to a productive collaboration with a start-up from Berlin, the system was ready for use at record speed and a very economical cost.
A versatile platform
The open system allows for great flexibility in the choice of software, as it also supports software developed in house or by external suppliers. When operated as an autonomous unit, the simulator can be used independently of any specific location or network. Its motion system platform uses state-of-the-art technology and supports a wide variety of use cases beyond pilot training.
The VR gliding simulators are already in successful use for aviation English classes.
So far, the results of the project have shown that virtual-reality training can be a reliable, permanent part of the training programme for air cadets. A great success from the users’ point of view!
