Making Headway in Aviation MTX Training

Despite its potential, virtual reality (VR) training in the aircraft maintenance domain is still maturing technology. The main barrier is the time it takes to create each task that has to be accomplished for training purposes. Mario Pierobon reports.

“We have to understand that this is an extremely delicate process. Every maintenance task, no matter how small, has to be precise to the smallest detail. And it is important not just because of the visual part. The mechanic that will train on the VR modules has to understand exactly what s/he is doing, not just the process itself but also the tools and the spare parts that would be used,” commented Ramunas Paskevicius, Head of IT and Innovations at FL Technics. “Everything is of the highest precision, and this provides a lot of benefits. One of them is that mechanics can train to do some specific tasks without the actual aircraft standing in the hangar.”

According to Pete Boeskov, Chief Technologist for training and professional services at Boeing Global Services, VR is continuing to develop and expand. “We see this as more than just the introduction of a new piece of technology into a training curriculum. It is a catalyst for change in terms of how we think about training and learning overall,” he said. “Coupling extended-reality (XR) technologies with mobility initiatives and data analytics will transform how, when and where students learn and how they grow through more personalised learning. VR becomes part of a continuum of learning delivery modes. It augments existing training techniques without adding significant cost, and many of the training assets can be reused across multiple delivery modes, e.g. tablet, desktop, VR applications. As VR is deployed, there will be a significant evolution of the training needs analysis to best match the learning objectives with the methods of delivery.”

“Trainingtechnology is trying to catch up to integrate the latest technology in its ownplatforms. However, there are already virtual reality applications availablethat offer viable training solutions. For example, we are able to offer virtualreality training solutions to support component identification andfamiliarisation and we are integrating virtual reality within our virtualmaintenance trainers,” said Mitesh Patel, Vice President of Training Systems atL3Harris Commercial Training Solutions. “The biggest benefit of VR is that itis engaging and brings about a level of immersion to its users that challengesboth their cognitive and perceptual abilities in ways that cannot be achievedin regular applications. It exposes users to realistic and in some casesdangerous scenarios and allows them to make critical decisions within acontrolled and safe environment. The same training in non-virtual realityapplications does not offer the same level of awareness and immersion requiredto properly benefit users.”

Rapid HMD Progress

The rapidprogress of the technology, especially in head-mounted displays, is making VR atrend-setting and ground-breaking training medium.

“As atraining provider we have gained experience in the development of 360-degreepanorama viewers and virtual reality applications for training purposes. Ourgoal is to further improve our existing training media and applications byfurther integrating VR solutions into our training set-up,” said PanagiotisPoligenis, Head of Business Development, Innovation, Strategy & ProductManagement at Lufthansa Technical Training.

He added: “The advantages of VR training include supplementing and improving theoretical technical training by integrating practical elements of the engine or aircraft and the fact that VR brings the lessons to life and makes them more tangible and interactive. There is also independence from the availability of the actual engine or aircraft, as VR – unlike the real-life asset – is always available. VR provides an active role for the user, higher intrinsic motivation, a deeper understanding of topics or contents for the user, tangible/practical training.”

Airbusforecasts a demand for 640,000 new technicians over the next 20 years and isleveraging the latest technologies to deliver on new training capabilities.“Today in cooperation with Air France Industries KLM Engineering and Maintenance (AFIKLM E&M) we developed a solution that applies to engine run up (ERU)courses using virtual reality and offers the advantage to reduce significantlythe need for full-flight simulator sessions for ERU qualification,” saidChristian Delmas, Head of Maintenance Training at Airbus. “ERU VR offers aninteresting solution to increase the number of training slots while reducingtraining costs and being more flexible, and this is training in any locationand not only in flight training centres.”

Beyondthe increased capacity, this solution also offers opportunities for trainingefficiency and knowledge retention. “As compared to a concept whereby theory isfollowed by four hours of FFS sessions, the ERU VR offers the opportunity forbetter sequencing theoretical and practical sessions,” said Delmas. “Thissolution can be used for ERU recurrent training as a free access to mechanicswho want to refresh on standard or abnormal procedures; this is something anFFS cannot offer. For sure, there will be a ramp up in the use of thistechnology with the evolution of the solutions and the familiarisation ofinstructors and trainees. The transition phase will have to be managed step bystep and carefully at the beginning as it is often the case when changes areintroduced in processes or tools.”

As partits “MRO Lab Adaptive Innovations”, AFI KLM E&M started to use VR in 2016.It is now an established technology although not yet developed on all aircraftplatforms.

“We prioritise the new aircraft platform such as the B787 or the A320 NEO, as it is difficult to have access to these new aircraft. The VR and 3D training reduce training duration and the cost to have access to the hangars and aircraft. We can also simulate events and incidents we cannot do on real aircraft,” said Denis Clement, Head of Training Development Innovation Digitalisation at AFI KLM E&M. “The limitations are the duration of using VR which last not more than 15-20 minutes compared to four hours in a flight simulator. The courses had to be adapted to this new technology with a mix of theoretical, VR and practical courses.”

Indeed,there are also still aspects of VR that limit the scope of training tasks towhich it can be applied. “The current visual acuity of the headsets makes smalltext very hard to read. The limited field of view may impact spatial awareness,”said Boeskov.

As part its “MRO Lab Adaptive Innovations”, AFI KLM E&M started to use VR in 2016. It is now an established technology although not yet developed on all aircraft platforms. Image credit: AFI KLM E&M.

There are also limitations with regard to haptic feedback – i.e. advanced vibration patterns and waveforms to convey information about touch to a user.

“For example, users cannot feel the pressure of the nuts that they are tightening. However, new technology is being developed to help address this. Virtual reality is also importantly not a one-size-fits-all solution. It needs to be a part of a blended learning course which relies on the instructor’s experience and the users still need to be trained to a certain level before they can fully utilise and make the most of the technology,” said Patel.

Accordingto Poligenis, the limitations of VR are that themodifications to the sessions are demanding and the availability of OEM dataand the costs must be in proportion to the profit. Moreover, VR applicationsmust meet regulatory requirements and be accepted by the competent authoritiesas a complementary training media.

Theory, Familiarisation, Practical

Differenttypes of training can be delivered through VR applications. “At the moment, webuild the VR modules for basic training and we are planning to develop theprogramme even further. VR is applicable to any type of maintenance training,including familiarisation training, as all the maintenance personnel can learnhow everything looks and works at the aircraft. In general, we are developingVR in accordance to the needs of practical maintenance training,” said Paskevicius.

So farAirbus has implemented VR to ERU courses where trainees remain seated. Duringan ERU course the instructor has to manage a small number of trainees (two to four).“This is not the case for other general familiarisation or type-trainingcourses where the instructor may manage a much higher number of trainees (up to28 for approved courses),” said Delmas.

“Althoughour standard for approved courses combining theory and practical in classroomis 12 trainees, we consider that managing 12 trainees wearing VR devices is notrealistic at this stage. However, the evolution of the VR technology andperformance combined with its larger deployment in everyday life willfacilitate the utilisation of VR devices in the near future. Our driver isalways to select the best teaching method according to the teaching objectives.”

VR training can be used in several ways as long as theright didactic concept is pursued, explained Eike Nowiszewski, Head of TrainingDevelopment at Lufthansa Technical Training“VR can be used as an introduction to a new maintenance topic with anexplorative part. It can also be used for practical training up to a certainlevel. The VR application can never replace the practical training on realengines or aircraft, but improves the training and prepares the trainees forthe expectations of the practical training.”

VR is particularly helpful when there is a procedureor scenario that is difficult or impractical to practice using the realaircraft and equipment. “It is also helpful when there is a complex system thatis challenging to convey using traditional methods, especially when spatialawareness of the environment is important. In the virtual world there is muchmore opportunity to learn by doing. XR also enables us to bring remote teammembers together to collaborate and troubleshoot or simply provide theadditional expertise needed to perform a particular task,” said Boeskov.

Clement highlighted that VR works with practice of certainmaintenance tasks. “But we also have many 3D courses where students can learnon a tablet or PC how a system is working using the documentation from theaircraft manufacturer. We also use mixed reality using Microsoft HoloLenstraining which allows us to bring the aircraft to the classroom and show ourtrainees systems they cannot even see on a real aircraft, such as fuel orequipment cooling.”

Animportant benefit of virtual reality is that it offers the user an additionalform of engagement and interaction that can help build perceptual awareness andspatial recognition. “This is otherwise missing from other solutions that donot offer the same level of immersion. These benefits are particularly usefulfor familiarisation and the practice of maintenance tasks as they require thestudent to be at the correct distance to each component to interact with it,”said Patel. “The dangers of being in a wheel becomes very real if someone makesa mistake and closes the landing gear doors. The reality of these threats andthe consequences of not following the correct safety procedures are mostapparent when tested in an immersive virtual reality environment. It allowsusers to become more familiar and comfortable with the aircrafts that they willbe working with later in their careers.”

Risk of Alienation

Virtualreality can be alienating, and precautions should be implemented to avoidtrainees and trainers experiencing it. “Alarge portion of the issue with alienation is the lack of familiarity with theenvironment and the technology. Good preparation for the training, such asexplaining what the student will see and do can be beneficial. Also, ensuringthrough the process that they understand who is around them, and having goodcommunication with those people in place can be helpful,” said Boeskov.

Accordingto Patel there are undeniable nuances between training invirtual reality and training in real life that can cause alienation. “The pointof using virtual reality as a training application is to increase the value oftraining each person receives weighted against the training they would get in aclassroom or remote application. However, it still cannot fully replace them;it should complement these formats as part of a mix,” he said. “There are situationsin real life that can be dangerous or extremely expensive with regard totraining where virtual reality alleviates the potential risk. To avoid theexperience of alienation in training, the virtual reality application needs tooffer the right level of visual cues or realism so that the user candifferentiate virtual reality from real life and still receive the perceptualawareness and immersion that virtual reality offers.”

At Airbus,efforts are committed to ensure that the risk for alienation is minimum. “Aslong as the training is managed by an instructor (at least the initial phase)and because there is sequencing of theory phases and practical ones with VR,trainees will not feel isolated. In addition, in the Airbus MaintenanceTraining concept, trainees often learn by pairs, to promote and reinforcecommunication skills,” said Delmas.

AFI KLME&M is involved in the VR Ethics Committee, an independent group ofpsychiatrists, neuropsychologists, researchers, immersion experts, producers ofimmersive content and large companies. The committee was set up at theinitiative of the French industry involved in immersive solutions.

AFI KLM E&M is involved in the VR Ethics Committee, an independent group of psychiatrists, neuropsychologists, researchers, immersion experts, producers of immersive content and large companies. Image credit: AFI KLM E&M.

“Thecommittee’s mission is to define the rules to be respected and issuerecommendations to the principals (sponsors, specifiers, pedagogical engineers,validators, trainers, students and users) and content producers in order tolimit the undesirable effects of immersive experiences business uses,” saidClement. “The committee also aims to create a kind of PEGI VR in order toclassify the immersive content produced by the studios with a goal ofinformation of the mainstream user on the intensity of the impact generated bythe experience.”

At FLTechnics, before the specialists even started the VR project, research wasconducted on what did not succeed in other companies that tried VR and failedat some point. “The bad experiences, like headaches, nausea and others cameinto target. Our engineers did the VR module and tried it on themselves,looking for ways on how to fix all the issues related to alienation intraining. After many hours of testing, it seems that these problems are mostlysolved and can occur on only rare occasions”, said Paskevicius.

Role of the VR Trainer

While under VR, the role of the trainer remains the same, i.e. s/he has to make sure that the required knowledge, skills and attitudes are acquired by the trainees, what is actually expected of him/her evolves in parallel with the embracing of VR technology.

“It hasalready been demonstrated that the ERU VR solution provides additionaladvantages compared to FFS, in particular for the assessment, as the instructorcan really visualise the parameters the trainees are actually monitoring. Inaddition, in case of failed exercise, the instructor can repeat the requiredsequence of the procedure, whereas in an FFS the complete procedure has oftento be reinitiated,” said Delmas.

As VRapplications can record not just what actions a student took during training,but also where they were looking and how their body was positioned, VR providesmore tools for a trainer to use during debrief sessions.

“The VRsystem also allows the trainer to direct student attention using 3D arrows orhighlighting in the scene in a way that is simply not available when workingwith real hardware,” said Boeskov. “Also, multiple students in VR can be in thesame space, so if there is a constrained environment (such as a maintenancebay), an instructor could provide guidance to a number of studentssimultaneously with them ‘looking over his virtual shoulder’ in a way that issimply not physically possible in the real world. With personalised,self-directed training, VR helps enable more training without a trainerpresent, or with one trainer supervising a larger set of students.”

Under VRthe trainer has a greater chance of responding individually to the requirementsof the trainees. “The trainer plays a leading roletogether with the development department, which promotes new technologysolutions in the creation of the VR training to ensure that the didactic conceptmeets the learning objectives and contents,” said Nowiszewski.

The newrole that emerges for the trainer is that s/he becomes a mediator between thetrainee and the experience. “With digital, the trainer is no longer the one whoknows, which must encourage learners’ interest and support for training, butone that excites and inspires learners, and promotes exchange. S/he is also theone who participates in the digitalisation of training in the company,” saidClement. “In addition to these functions, the role of the trainer remainsunchanged in that s/he has to motivate and support the learners in theirlearning, and especially to identify the difficulties they may encounter tohelp them overcome them. In this way, it will not only stimulate interest inthis training, but also motivate their progression on their professional skills.”

“The VR and 3D training reduce training duration and the cost to have access to the hangars and aircraft. We can also simulate events and incidents we cannot do on real aircraft.” - Denis Clement, Head of Training Development Innovation Digitalisation at AFI KLM E&M. Image credit: AFI KLM E&M.

According to Patel, the role of the trainer under VR involves both facilitation and actual training. “Facilitation occurs during unguided operations, such as the test phase of the pre-flight walk-around inspection or even building muscle memory during cockpit flow lessons,” he said. “However, by adding the use of avatars and allowing users to remotely interact in the same environment during exercises, the opportunities for training are endless. Trainers as well as other students can then view and analyse other users as they go about their tasks in virtual reality. Ultimately though, the instructor’s role will remain focused on teaching the students. Virtual reality cannot teach students on its own, it is an engaging and immersive platform to allow them to test and practice what they are learning.”

Originally published in  Issue 5, 2019 of CAT Magazine.