Brussels Airlines now uses virtual reality (VR) as an integral part of Airbus A320 type rating training for pilots. Lufthansa Aviation training and Airbus collaborated for two years to develop the new software, and Brussels Airlines is the launch customer within Lufthansa Group.
After an intensive test phase a major milestone in pilot training has been achieved by successfully implementing Virtual Procedure Training at Brussels Airlines: from July 2 to 4, two crews from the Belgian Lufthansa Group airline completed a part of their A320 Type Rating using a VR-based solution within an authority-approved training program.
This marks the first time that virtual reality is used in pilot training not just as a supplement but as a replacement for sessions on traditional training devices such as the Flat Panel Trainer (FPT) – and without supervision by an instructor. This change also represents a technological turning point: the tailored use of VR technology elevates the conventional ‘screen-based cockpit’ training by a fully immersive, realistic 3D environment with interaction and guidance to a new level.
Partnership with Airbus: innovation through collaboration
The implementation of VR training is the result of more than two years of strategic collaboration between Lufthansa Aviation Training (LAT) and Airbus.
As part of a joint project with Lufthansa Group airlines, the Virtual Procedure Trainer (VPT) software developed by Airbus – one module of the Airbus Digital Flight Training Solutions – has been advanced for operational use and embedded into an innovative training concept.
“With the VPT we are creating a new training ecosystem: more flexible, more efficient, and sustainable. We are very pleased that Brussels Airlines is the first to trust in this innovation – and that we were able to shape a piece of the future of training together”, Pia Born, Project Manager, Lufthansa Aviation Training, says.
Brussels Airlines: a pioneer within the Lufthansa Group
With its successful deployment of the VPT, Brussels Airlines is taking a pioneering role in the use of immersive technologies in pilot training, both within the Lufthansa Group and beyond.
“VR offers a significantly more realistic and intense training experience. Our pilots can autodidactically practice procedures early and repeatedly, build muscle memory, and gain situational confidence – an ideal preparation for the simulator phase with increased effectiveness and reduced infrastructure requirements.”, Captain Gauthier Lesceu, Chief Theoretical Knowledge Instructor (CTKI), Brussels Airlines, says
“This innovation highlights our agility and commitment to excellence in training our crews. Special thanks to our partners at LAT for the professional design and execution”, Captain Dave van Buynder, Nominated Person Crew Training (NPCT), Brussels Airlines, says.
Scaling and further development
Following the successful rollout at Brussels Airlines, the next step is the gradual introduction at all ten A320 operators within the Lufthansa Group across seven training locations.
The VPT will be initially used to train normal standard operating procedures. In parallel, the system is continuously being optimized and developed further to support abnormal procedures and additional aircraft types such as the A330 and A350.
Looking beyond the Lufthansa Group, LAT is also preparing an adapted product for the external training market. At the same time, internal organizational structures and operational processes are being further professionalized to establish VR as a permanent element of modern pilot training.
About Lufthansa Aviation Training:
With its competencies in training flight and cabin crews at ten training locations worldwide, Lufthansa Aviation Training GmbH (LAT) is among the world leaders in the field of aviation training.
The company is headquartered at Munich Airport and employs around 800 people at all its locations. Its client portfolio encompasses more than 250 nationally and internationally renowned airlines, among them the Lufthansa Group airlines.
LAT operates close to 200 training devices. These include training aircraft for pilot training, flight simulators for all common aircraft types for pilot training, as well as emergency and service mock-ups for cabin crews.
The flight schools of the Lufthansa Group are joined under LAT’s brand European Flight Academy (EFA).
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