Quick Look: Vertex Solutions Expanding the eVTOL Training Envelope

One of the more interesting developments in the simulation and training industry are companies’ efforts to provide products and services for the emerging eVTOL market. OEMs in the sector are stepping up their collaborative efforts with regulators and other community stakeholders to prepare their new aircraft to enter commercial service. At the same time, this community is focusing on training the initial cadres of eVTOL pilots.

Vertex Solutions has heard that demand signal quite well. The Niceville, Florida-based company is bringing to bear its competencies gained in the military aviation S&T space to develop with Archer Aviation, under their AFWERX Agility Prime contract, a mixed reality flight training device (MR FTD) for the eVTOL OEM’s flagship aircraft “Midnight.” Vertex Solutions is no stranger to AFWERX and the broader US Air Force and DoD community, having delivered more than 400 simulators to Air Education and Training Command through Defense Innovation Unit, and to the US Navy. The training systems are a combination of virtual- and mixed reality-based devices for rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft.

Midnight’s MR FTD is being built to target the equivalent of FAA Level 7 FTD certification – an industry first in MR training.

Dennis Wikoff, President and COO of Vertex Solutions, told the author during a recent interview, that his company has been working with Archer for more than one year on this contract, and another year prior to that to get the contract in place. The FTD uses components of Midnight’s software and aircraft production-line hardware for the MR simulator. “Archer is going to pursue upgrades to this simulator that will prepare it for at least a Level 7 certification and then explore adding motion to evaluate its capabilities to see where the technology can go,” the executive added.

More Affordable and Better

Vertex Solutions’ FTD is going head-to-head to compete with commercially available, advertised eVTOL Level 7 training devices “by being far more affordable, and as we have done with our military contracts – increasing the accessibility of quality flight training. Yes, it is cheaper but we’re not aiming for less quality,” explained Doug Larson, Commercial Aviation Account Executive, at the company. The executive then emphasized his company “is also aiming for better. Because the technologies have evolved and changed, it has shifted the whole economic perspective on what can you do with a device, and how many training devices a training organization might employ.” Indeed, while Archer has put in place the requirement for one HMD for this device, and that is what Vertex Solutions is demonstrating, the FTD’s architecture is capable of supporting multi-screen monitors or other displays.

Vertex Solutions’ industry partners and their contributions for the Midnight MR FTD include, Ryan Aerospace (simulator solutions), Varjo (XR-4 HMDs), Aechelon Technology (FAA-approved Level D full flight simulator (FFS) image generator (IG)) and Bugeye Technologies (custom wiring harness).

FAA CRADA

Concurrently and in a case of exquisite timing, Vertex Solutions is on contract with FAA to support a CRADA (cooperative research and development agreement) that will inform the organization’s rule-making on the impact of XR in pilot training. As this article was posted, FAA had not established what a HMD needs to provide for pilot qualification. Vertex Solutions’ partners to support FAA Immersive Flight Simulation CRADA RFI (692M15-IFS-RFI-CRADA) include Varjo and Aechelon Technologies. The Vertex Solutions-led team will incorporate a MR approach to advance the study and, of importance, will use the Archer FTD as one of its test candidates during the contract. Wikoff noted, “The intent is to negotiate a follow-on effort for what we have done for Agility Prime, to build a simulator that has the potential to be certified by the FAA. There will need to be some enhancements for that.”

Watch for Two Related Press Releases

This article is precursor to two Vertex Solutions’ press releases work to be posted on MS&T and CAT this week, on the topics of the eVTOL MR FTD being developed for Archer Aviation and its FAA CRADA.