Development Of A Virtual Airport Environment And Other Applications Of Virtual Reality In The Aviation Industry

Abstract

Virtual Reality (VR) technology offers the ability to immerse users in computer-generated environments. This new technology holds a significant potential to reshape procedures across many sectors of the airline industry. These systems may be implemented in many fields, from aiding designers in the development of aircraft or related equipment, to testing of operational procedures to providing a more in-depth training. As a first step in the analysis, the characteristics, strengths, and limitations and how it could affect implementation in the airline industry will be discussed. Virtual Reality is a technology that can be adapted to its users’ needs, aiding in operational challenges, collaborative decision-making processes, or the simulation diverse scenarios. The user experience in the VR platform will be evaluated in the assessment to encompass, not only the effectiveness of the VR technology but also its practicality and adaptability to day-to-day operations, aligning to the needs of professionals in the aviation industry. More in-depth case studies will be performed in certain non-conformities, incidents or accidents that could have benefited by any preventive or corrective action that takes advantage of Virtual Reality and thus, increasing safety and mitigating operational errors. As a final step and to prove the capabilities provided by Virtual Reality, a simulated airport environment will be developed together with functional ground service equipment. This simulator may act as a demonstrator of VR capabilities and preview the advantages that could be achieved if further developments were made in the field