Thales keynote at EASA online event - Mixed Reality for helicopter pilot training

Joël Flinois, Product Line Manager for Thalesâ€?s Training & Simulation activity, was among the keynote speakers at a September 2021 European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)/Halldale Group series of talks about Immersive Technologies in Aviation Training. His presentation focused on how helicopter pilot training can benefit from the use of so-called Mixed Reality capabilities, which position real views of cockpit instruments in a fully virtual environment. The online event was part of EASA's ongoing campaign to drive the modernisation of simulators and training devices with a view to integrating new technologies that enable more compact and more affordable systems. Joël Flinois's talk sought to highlight that while VR is well-suited to single pilot light helicopters, an extra dimension is needed when looking forward to the new generation of helicopters that integrate complex avionics systems and touchscreen interfaces.