CAE has become the first to develop an immersive pilot training app for Apple Vision Pro.
Skies photojournalist and former law enforcement pilot Brent Bundy was allowed first-hand access to a demonstration of this novel approach to pilot instruction.
After a brief fitting and familiarization with the Apple Vision Pro headset, the intuitive interface allows the user to be virtually transported into the seat of a Bombardier Global 7500.
“Most pilots can remember placing the printed posters of aircraft cockpits on a wall to get a visual representation of what the controls and instruments would look like when seated in the aircraft,” Bundy said.
“The moment this simulator is activated, it immediately brought back memories of those posters; however, it enveloped you in a 3D, touchable world, unimaginable not too long ago. It’s difficult to explain just how truly groundbreaking this is without experiencing it in person.”
CAE’s Apple Vision Pro app, showcased at NBAA-BACE in Las Vegas, is seen as a potential game-changer for pilot training.
As part of CAE’s training ecosystem, the app will increase the effectiveness and speed of training pilots safely, and enable pilots to train anytime from anywhere, the company said in a statement.
While there is no true physical interaction with the highly realistic environment, the spatial audio combined with visual cues gives a sensation that one is actually moving controls, pressing buttons, and operating switches.
As a former training coordinator for aspiring tactical flight officers, Bundy also noted the potential alternative uses for this interface.
“Although CAE has initially designed this for pilot familiarization of cockpits, it seems plausible that this approach could carry over into the same type of training for IR camera operation, digital map coordination, searchlight usage, and many other aspects of law enforcement, search-and-rescue, or EMS training. Personally, I see the possibilities as nearly endless.”
“What we want to do is empower the learner,” Erick Fortin, CAE director of incubation, told Skies.
“We want students not just to train in our classroom, but to bring it back at their hotel, bring it back to their homes. And if, for example, they have a full flight session the day after with us, they can be more prepared and more confident. And this is something they can do at their own pace when they have time.”
While there are currently no plans to utilize this system as an actual flight simulator, that possibility has not been ruled out for future applications.
By using spatial computing to bring true-to-life precision to flight deck interactions, the app will allow pilots to remotely complete training activities that are currently only available in training centres.
“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,” said Emmanuel Levitte, CAE’s chief technology and product officer, in a release.
“It will allow pilots to engage with realistic flight deck environments to further ensure they are ready for their full-flight simulator sessions and become even better prepared for any situation.”
“The power and unique capabilities of Apple Vision Pro, combined with CAE’s training environment, will give pilots more flexibility and better prepare them for the transition from ground school to the simulator,” said Alexandre Prévost, CAE’s division president, Business Aviation Training.
“With CAE’s Apple Vision Pro app, we are not only providing our customers more convenience but are also enhancing training efficiency at a time when the aviation industry faces an increased need to train new pilots.”
In “Exploration Mode,” a pilot can touch a specific control and view a description of that control in context. In “Guided Mode,” the user is led to learn the various procedures of the aircraft, guiding the pilot to the next action required to learn the sequences.
In “Flight Deck Interaction Mode,” pilots can use the virtual flight deck to simulate any kind of interaction in a natural way and begin to train their muscle memory. In the real aircraft, for example, the main battery switch needs to be pulled before being flipped. The same can be done in this spatial computing experience.
The app is currently being tested on the Bombardier Global 7500 program and is scheduled to be rolled out in spring 2025.
