Aviation training company CAE has revealed a new pilot-training app compatible with the Apple Vision Pro mixed-reality headset, which it touts as a potential “game-changer” for aspiring aviators.
Showcased to reporters ahead of the NBAA BACE show in Las Vegas, the app is designed to surround pilots-in-training with a highly realistic flight deck – in this case, that of the Bombardier Global 7500 business jet, though the platform can be programmed to simulate the flight decks of other business, commercial and advanced air mobility aircraft in the future.
After donning the headset, reporters were transported from an empty conference room to the cockpit of the Global 7500, with options to view a mix of the simulated flight deck and the real-world environment – or to be entirely immersed in the digital world.
The app will be marketed as a tool that aspiring pilots can interact with at home or in a hotel room – potentially boosting their flight-deck familiarity before entering ground school simulators.
Erick Fortin, CAE’s senior director of incubation, envisions the technology appealing to younger, technology-proficient pilots-in-training as well as older generations seeking type ratings on new aircraft types.
“We believe we are in the best position to insert this into the curriculum, given our expertise,” Fortin says.
Emmanuel Levitte, CAE’s chief technology and product officer, says the app “will allow pilots to familiarise themselves with the flight deck, practice critical procedures and develop muscle memory for key functions from anywhere”.
“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,” he adds.
When set to “flight deck interaction mode”, the app allows pilots to manipulate cockpit controls with natural-feeling motions.
“In the real aircraft, for example, the main battery switch needs to be pulled before being flipped,” CAE says. “The same can be done in this spatial computing experience.”
“Guided mode” prompts the pilot through sequences of pre-flight procedures, while “exploration mode” allows them to touch a specific control and view a description of its function.
Still in an advanced testing phase, the app will be rolled out on the Global 7500 platform in the spring of 2025. Fortin says the “dream is for all pilots to have one at home”.
