Vrgineers and DigiFlight have teamed to produce a modern and comprehensive training solution for the most survivable multi-role attack helicopter in the world. With over 1,200 aircraft currently in service, the Advanced Mixed Reality Apache Trainer (AMRAT) will accelerate training pilots with high fidelity MR solutions and therefore significantly reduce the number of aircraft hours normally required to support training individual and crew tasks.
The AMRAT is built on a proprietary portable platform designed by Vrgineers, which was originally created for the USAF. It provides the most affordable, immersive, and realistic experience offered on the market today without expensive visual display systems, complicated support systems or unique facility design requirements.
The trainer includes two separate but interconnected crewstations, (the pilot and co-pilot gunner station), with replicated switches, panels, flight instruments, and displays connected to a computer and integrated virtual reality image generator.
Currently it is supported by a leading vendor of immersive, flight simulator software: ED Mission Systems.
This novel product is the result of cooperation between Vrgineers (an innovative manufacturer of flight training simulators), and DigiFlight (a technology company with extensive world-wide pilot training experience).
“We strongly feel that by combining our skills, we are able to deliver a training device capable of supporting Apache training tasks including individual and crew skills, preparing them to operate in any environment, fulfilling critical mission requirements,” explains Marek Polcak, CEO of Vrgineers.
“The possibility to conduct a seamless mixed reality environment with a portable haptic flight seat run by a true to life simulation engine, ensures the pilot’s proficiency, but most importantly delivers the sensation of a unique and genuine experience encompassing complex operational scenarios. This enables our users to save time and effort along with minimizing the cost of training infrastructure and related running hours,” says Matthias Techmanski, ED Mission Systems director.
Marek Polcak, Vrgineers CEO, adds: “Similar types of modern trainer are expected to play a crucial role in pilot training in the future. Not only for Apache, but for Defiant (LMCO & Boeing) and Valor (Bell) which are currently being developed and competing in future vertical lift program in the U.S.
For the very first time, Vrgineers and DigiFlight will jointly present a conceptional MR Apache Trainer at I/ITSEC in Orlando, Florida.
