Travis AFB Enhances Training with VR Company

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Kevin Robinson, 22nd Airlift Squadron loadmaster evaluator, deploys a C-5M Super Galaxy emergency escape slide at Travis Air Force Base, California. All image credits: U.S. Air Force photo by Heide Couch.

A team from Sketchbox Inc. took six hours to obtain multiple3D scans of the C-5M Super Galaxy, the largest aircraft in the U.S. Air Force,at Travis Air Force Base (AFB). The data will be used to create virtual reality(VR) scenarios to enhance training for mobility airmen.

“We scanned the entire C-5 using a laser scanner,” said JoeConnolly, Sketchbox Inc head of product. “We will take the scanned data, whichis a collection of points in 3D called a point cloud, and merge it with otherhigh-resolution images we collected. After the merge, the point cloud datacombined with the image data, will enable us to create a 3D model of the C-5that can be rendered in virtual reality.

“Once we have the model of the C-5 we will be able to useour VR design tools to make the model interactive and provide airmen withexperiences as if they’re actually inside the C-5, such as opening doors orflipping switches,” Connolly said. “Over the next 11 months, we’ll work closelywith the 60th Air Mobility Wing and the Travis Phoenix Spark Cell to build VRtraining simulations for the C-5.”

The idea of using VR to train C-5 crew members came from airmen assigned to the 22nd Airlift Squadron at Travis AFB, said Capt. Joey Hinojosa, 22nd AS chief of C-5M wing aircrew training. He shared the concept with Travis’ Phoenix Spark Cell in April.

Joe Connolly, left, head of product and Peter Le Bek, engineering manager with Sketchbox3D, use 3D laser scanning technology to image a C-5M Super Galaxy cargo bay at Travis Air Force Base, California.

“We only have so much resources, money and manning,”Hinojosa said. “We have to effectively do everything we can to train our airmenso they can adapt to the mission and the constant changes that global mobilityrequires.”

One of those requirements is the possible deployment ofemergency slides that allow people to exit the C-5 quickly and safely. WhenHinojosa introduced the VR training idea, he said he did so with the emergencyslide deployment in mind.

Most loadmasters haven’t actually deployed the emergencyslide before and the training video that is currently used to show how to dothat was produced in the 1980s, he said.

“Right now, the first time one of our airmen have to deployone of the slides could be during an actual emergency,” he said. “We need totake advantage of innovative technology such as 3D models and virtual reality,so we can not only enhance training, but possibly save lives.”

During the scanning of the C-5, the Sketchbox team recorded the deployment of one of the slides.

U.S. Air Force Capt. Drew Pagenkopf, left,  tactics flight commander, and Capt. Jose Hinojosa, right, C-5 evaluator aircraft commander, both with the 22nd Airlift Squadron watch as Staff Sgt. Kevin Robinson, 22 AS loadmaster evaluator, uses a C-5M Super Galaxy emergency escape slide at Travis Air Force Base, California. Robinson wore a Go Pro camera to record footage of the process to be used to develop a virtual reality training program on aircraft procedures.

“Today, we are here to obtain all the data we need to createa virtual reality trainer to deploy slides and in the future, we could useSketchbox technology to create training aids for the loadmaster trainingprogram so our airmen can see what it’s like to load cargo onto an airplane ina VR environment and practice that before they have to perform those tasks fora mission,” Hinojosa said.

The Travis Phoenix Spark Cell sent a written request toAFWERX in May seeking approval to move forward with 3D scanning and VRtraining. The innovation hub received approval from AFWERX in August.

“Through Phoenix Spark, the 22nd AS submitted a proposal towork with Sketchbox under the Small Business Innovation Research programchampioned by AFWERX,” said Maj. Kristofer Fernandez, 60th AMW Phoenix SparkCell chief. “The Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX approved the proposaland prototyping has been ongoing over the past month.”

The major said there are no bounds to the benefits VR trainingcan provide.

“The increasing democratization of virtual reality willcertainly lead to enhanced training for airmen across all Air Force specialtiesas we transform knowledge typically gained from technical orders to VR,” hesaid.

“The possibilities are endless,” Hinojosa added. “We could apply this technology to enhance training of our flight engineers, pilots, crew chiefs, all of our airmen. The KC-10 Extender community is working with Sketcbox right now to develop an aerial refueling trainer from the pilot’s perspective. This will allow pilots to familiarize themselves with the refueling process before an aircraft is 10 feet away from them somewhere high above Earth.”

Source: US Air Force