Passengers have been stranded at airports due to airline staffing problems. One of the problems is a shortage of qualified pilots. “They need to have the right attitudes and values to make good decisions and they need to have a quality experience,” said Ken Byrnes. Byrnes is president of Embry-Riddle’s flight division and oversees the new pre-flight immersion lab that he says will help train student pilots before they ever board a plane. The university has long been a leader in high-level simulation training, but virtual reality simulation contributes to that high-quality experience that Byrnes is talking about. “We’re taking as much of the initial learning as possible into the simulated environments so they can make the best use of it when they get to that plane,” Byrnes said. Students spend four weeks in this artificial reality, first with a flight instructor in a simulator – a real Cessna cockpit going off the assembly line, wrapped in high-fidelity 220-degree visuals. That’s as real as it gets. “The second they get in there, they don’t remember it. They think it’s a real plane,” Byrnes said. Students learn maneuvers and then go to three virtual reality labs. They learn pre-flight, the parts and components of the aircraft and a how-to checklist. The air traffic control lab focuses on communication, speaking and listening skills. Then flight training on a virtual reality simulator where they perform fully submerged flight maneuvers. The virtual reality labs save students time. The university saw a 30% drop in the time it took a group of students to take their first solo flight. It saves students money because the tuition does not cover flying lessons in the field. “In those first 4 weeks, they learn everything they need to know to get certified as a first-time pilot,” Byrnes said. a plane dedicated to them. Embry-Riddle has a fleet of nearly 100 aircraft. The point is to fly every day so that no one loses the momentum built by virtual reality. “It’s always been there. That’s where I want to go to aviation,” said Nicholas Bowers, a freshman. Bowers is a freshman in the flight program, a legacy. His father and grandfather are both graduates. Embry-Riddle has seen registrations skyrocket, thanks in part to the new immersion lab. “It really gets you where you want to go, gives you the airlines you want to fly for,” Bowers said. Byrnes says his young students are already being courted by major airlines. Of the 80,000 commercial pilots flying now, 16% are between the ages of 60 and 65 and many more are in their mid to late 50s. A commercial airline pilot can now earn about $90,000 in their first year. Although the news focused on pilots, there are shortages in the aviation industry – technicians, aircraft and mechanics, for example. Embry Riddle has an Aviation Maintenance program that also relies on virtual reality to train those students. “In the simulation, we can expose them to things we could never do on the plane,” Byrnes said. “They’ve seen it, they understand it, and they’re doing the right thing when they have to do the right thing.”
Passengers have been stranded at airports due to airline staffing problems. One of the problems is a shortage of qualified pilots.
“They need to have the right attitude and values to make good decisions and they need to have a quality experience,” said Ken Byrnes.
Byrnes is chairman of Embry-Riddle’s flight division and oversees the new pre-flight immersion lab that he says will help train student pilots before they ever board a plane.
The university has long been a leader in high-level simulation training, but virtual reality simulation contributes to that high-quality experience that Byrnes is talking about.
“We’re taking as much of the initial learning as possible into the simulated environments so they can make the best use of it when they get to that plane,” Byrnes said.
Students spend four weeks in this artificial reality, first with a flight instructor in a simulator – a real Cessna cockpit going off the assembly line, wrapped in high-fidelity 220-degree visuals. That’s as real as it gets.
“The second they get in there, they don’t remember it. They think it’s a real plane,” Byrnes said.
Students learn maneuvers and then go to three virtual reality labs. They learn pre-flight, the parts and components of the aircraft and a how-to checklist. The air traffic control lab focuses on communication, speaking and listening skills.
Then flight training on a virtual reality simulator where they perform fully submerged flight maneuvers. The virtual reality labs save students time. The university saw a 30% drop in the time it took a group of students to take their first solo flight. It saves students money because the tuition does not cover flying lessons in the field.
“In those first 4 weeks, they learn everything they need to know to get certified as a pilot,” Byrnes said.
After the labs, students have a plane dedicated to them. Embry-Riddle has a fleet of nearly 100 aircraft. The point is to fly every day so that no one loses the momentum built by virtual reality.
“It’s always been there. That’s where I want to go to aviation,” said Nicholas Bowers, a freshman.
Bowers is a freshman in the flight program, a legacy. His father and grandfather are both graduates. Embry-Riddle has seen registrations skyrocket, in part as a result of the new immersion lab.
“It really gets you where you want to go, gives you the airlines you want to fly for,” Bowers said.
Byrnes says his young students are already being courted by major airlines. Of the 80,000 commercial pilots now flying, 16% are between the ages of 60 and 65 and many more are in their mid to late 50s.
The industry needs a shot, and while pilot pay was much lower a decade ago, you know what they say about supply and demand.
A commercial airline pilot can now earn about $90,000 in their first year.
Although the news focused on pilots, there are shortages in the aviation sector, such as technicians, aircraft and mechanics. Embry Riddle has an Aviation Maintenance program that also relies on virtual reality to train those students.
“In the simulation, we can expose them to things that we could never do on the plane,” Byrnes said. “They’ve seen it, they understand it, and they’re doing the right thing when they have to do the right thing.”