SME Ryan Aerospace of Southport, Queensland, has announced the launch of a new type of virtual reality (VR) helicopeter simulator to train pilots in the art of vertical reference flying and long lining.
The Helimod Mark III allows a VR headset equipped pilot to become fully immersed in the simulated cockpit with the ability to cover an arc of vision of 360 degrees in 3D.
MD Ryan Aerospace Chris Ryan told ADM the pilot can “literally lean out the side and look down at a slung load or learn the basics of hovering with the head out the window”.
Ryan Aerospace and US partner Precision Flight Controls (PFC) recently attended the Heli-Expo in Las Vegas and, according to Ryan, attendees were impressed with the device.
“The simulator is also useful for other applications such as ab-initio hover training, effects of controls, secondary effects of controls and autorotation entries among a myriad of other capabilities.”
Ryan acknowledged VR technology is still in its infancy and there are limitations.
“For example, the image projected into the pilot’s eyes can be fractionally blurry making it difficult to read some instruments – further, it’s a little difficult to interact with knobs buttons and switches.”
He is of the opinion, however, that it is best “to focus on what can be done rather than what can't be done”.
“When learning to fly vertical reference, it’s all about getting the head out the window and looking down. In this case, you don’t really need to worry so much about the instruments or fiddling with knobs.”
Ryan said there are clear uses for the technology in military, civil and emergency services applications.