EVALUATION OF PILOT PERFORMANCE IN A VIRTUAL REALITY (VR) BASED SIMULATED FLIGHT ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

Flight simulation technology has become a vital tool for pilot training and performance evaluation, allowing aviators to refine their skills in controlled environments. This study compares pilot performance in two distinct simulation environments: Virtual Reality (VR) and traditional desktop-based flight simulators. The objective is to determine whether VR-based simulations offer advantages over desktop simulations regarding training effectiveness and pilot performance metrics. The research methodology involved recruiting 05 experienced pilots and subjecting them to a left-hand traffic pattern in two distinct flight scenarios (Clear and Adverse weather). Two types of comparisons were performed, i.e., test environmentwise (VR and Desktop) and scenario-wise (S1 and S2). During the experiment, objective performance metrics, i.e., altitude and heading deviation (Take-off, Crosswind, and Downwind), were collected and analyzed. Workload assessment was performed using the NASA TLX index, where the participants recorded their workload levels. Additionally, subjective evaluations from participants were gathered through a post-simulation questionnaire to capture their perceptions of realism, immersion, and overall training experience. In Scenario 1, the difference between the participants’ performance was not significant whereas, in Scenario 2, participants were 25.7% better at maintaining their desired heading and 24% better at maintaining their desired altitude in VR. These results suggest that participants generally performed better in maintaining their desired flight parameters, i.e., heading and altitude, in the VR environment compared to the desktop simulator, with more considerable improvements seen in Scenario 2. Subjective feedback depicts that VR offers enhanced situational awareness, improved flight performance, and a more immersive training environment. However, the NASA TLX score showed a more significant workload using VR hardware. These findings contribute to the ongoing discourse on the effectiveness of different simulation platforms in aviation training and highlight advantages and potential areas for improvement in VR-based flight simulation.