Altus' really unreal parachute trainer - Tig bits: best practices from the field - Altus Air Force Base - Brief Article

TIG Brief: The Inspector General, Sept-Oct, 2003 by Jerry Brown

A virtual reality parachute harness trainer has been developed by the 97th Operations Support Squadron, Altus AFB, Okla.

The trainer is a state of the art computer program that provides a graphic interface to the aircrew member through a head-mounted device, with visual and auditory input to the user. The crewmember is suspended from a pair of parachute risers and steers the parachute using lanyards. The landing spot is projected in the heads-up display.

Crewmembers are given various parachute malfunctions to correct while trying to reach their target. Four environments can be programmed to allow participants to land in water, desert, forest--even on an aircraft carrier.

The trainer has increase aircrew awareness of various possible parachute-landing situations they might encounter after bailing out of a damaged aircraft. It provides immediate feedback to the student and instructor through a grading and critiquing process.

The program gives trainees a pass/fail grade on their ability to correct malfunctions and steer the parachute, as well as quantitative data on how far they land from their optimum landing site. Visual and audio inputs during descent allow crew members to see and feel what may happen. They also pull the ripcord, arming knob and emergency oxygen cords, enhancing the realism.

Staff Sgt. Jerry Brown

jerry.brown@altus.af.mil

DSN 866-5950