Immersive VR Trainer for Landing Signal Officers

Abstract

Training regimen of Landing Signal Officers (LSOs), members of a team that helps pilots land their planes on aircraft carriers deployed deep in the oceans, consists of two major components: (1) training on a large two stories-tall simulator - LSO Trainer (LSOT) also known as 2H111 device that is located in Oceana VA (part of LSOs Initial Formal Ground Training (IFGT)), and (2) training on the job. This approach to LSOs training has remained unchanged for several decades. The time that LSOs spend in 2H111 simulator amounts to six one-hour long sessions during which they practice operating in all five different positions and roles that members of LSO crew have during an aircraft recovery. Access to this simulator is generally a prohibitive factor in training of LSOs; in order for an LSO to use it outside of IFGT classes, the simulator needs to be available i.e. it should not be already in use as a part of IFGT rotation for another unit, and not undergoing any repair or upgrade. Additionally, unless LSO is not located near Oceana, that individual needs to travel there. This is typically very hard to organize given extremely busy schedule of each LSO in their respective squadrons.