At a Digital Summit hosted by the German Federal Government in Jena, Lufthansa and Airbus are showcasing an innovative virtual-reality system for training pilots instead of a flight simulator. The event is taking place from November 20th through 21st.
On Monday (November 20, 2023), Lufthansa announced that at the Digital Summit, hosted by the German Federal Government in Jena from November 20th and 21st, in partnership with Airbus, they are showcasing a new digital training option for pilots. With the new technology, a virtual-reality headset is used instead of a traditional flight simulator, and with the help of VR glasses and a laptop, the ‘Virtual Procedure Trainer’ offers an authentic view of an aircraft cockpit in 3D. Visitors to the Digital Summit can try out the virtual-reality training for the Airbus A320.
In Monday’s announcement, Lufthansa Aviation Training’s CEO, Matthias Spohr, said,
“The Federal Government’s Digital Summit is the perfect opportunity to present these new training options for pilots. As a launching partner of the virtual cockpit and together with Airbus, we bring digital progress to life. In this way, Lufthansa Aviation Training is setting new standards for training concepts in terms of quality and innovation.”
Also commenting on the new training technology, Airbus’ Vice President – Flight Operations & Training, Fabrice Hamel, added,
“We look back with satisfaction on our cooperation with Lufthansa Aviation Training and are very happy with the positive feedback we are getting. The Virtual Procedure Trainer conveys complex training content in a vivid way and can be put to use without any restrictions in terms of time and place. In this way, it provides optimal support to pilots in preparing and expanding on their training content, thus making it an indispensable tool for increasing competence and safety in air traffic.”
Currently, with VR glasses it is possible to simulate the cockpit of Airbus A320 Family aircraft, one of the most popular jets in the world, while in the future, the software will be able to render further types such as the Airbus A330 and A350. Depending on further hardware development, the system will be used flexibly at different locations. The software can be used with VR equipment and by way of supplementation via an iPad app. To date, the first two VR setups have been installed in Frankfurt and Vienna as part of a test phase to examine user acceptance and the potential of the software and hardware. The test will determine which VR solution can be seamlessly integrated into the Lufthansa Group training environment in the best possible way.
Lufthansa Aviation Training GmbH (LAT) is one of the leading companies in the field of training and furthering the education of cockpit and cabin crew at ten training locations. Headquartered at Munich Airport, LAT employs 800 team members at different training locations, serving a portfolio of over 250 nationally and internationally renowned airlines. The company has nearly 200 training devices, including aircraft for pilot training, flight simulators of all common aircraft types, and service mock-ups for training cabin crew. Under the European Flight Academy (EFA) brand, LAT bundles all Lufthansa Group flight schools.
Source: Lufthansa