CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Project Avenger might sound like the next superhero movie, but it's actually part of a new training initiative for pilots at Naval Air Station-Corpus Christi.
The training uses virtual reality to help familiarize student aviators with what to expect before they ever get into an actual plane.
“Taking technology, we know is valid and able to use that to increase training and increase the skill sets these students are going to face the world with,” said Lieutenant Jeffrey Pentz, Avenger Operation Officer for the first test group.
The first test group started using the virtual reality simulators back in September. Lieutenant Pentz says the VR helps speed the training process.
“Going into this program a lot of people were questioning if the students could handle how fast we were going to push all this information, just the firehose effect we gave to them the students rose to the challenge and I think that is characteristic of most of our students,” said Lieutenant Pentz.
Lieutenant Pentz says this type of learning differs from the traditional simulators that pilots are used to training on.
“This gives you your mental side of the house, then they move over to the traditional they need to fly the actual aircraft,” said Lieutenant Pentz
Miles Whitlow says he was sold on becoming a pilot, wanting to follow in his dad’s footsteps.
“I really enjoyed Avenger I just completed a primary I'll be going to VT-35 stingrays to fly T-44,” said Miles Whitlow.
Whitlow says the VR gave him an idea of what to look for before getting to train in an actual plane.
“I got a call saying hey you are going to become an avenger, I was blown away, I've seen virtual reality before, but this was an eye opener,” said Whitlow.”
The students are also given iPads they can use to pull up information if they have any questions.
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