Is it Possible to Fly a Helicopter After One Hour of Virtual Reality Training?
The latest episode of Hello World presented a challenge: Can I visit Zurich, spend an hour in a modern flight simulator, and then fly a helicopter through the Swiss Alps the following day? It’s worth noting that I have no prior experience flying helicopters. Additionally, doesn’t this plan appear risky?
In this episode
Since I’m here writing this, the spoiler warning is obvious. You see, yes, a complete beginner can cruise the Matterhorn in a helicopter and survive if given the right tools… and help.
The people at Loft Dynamics AG trained me. They have developed the flight training industry significantly. Instead of surrounding the Pilot with curved screens, Loft offers a virtual reality headset connected to the company’s own mechanical simulator that mimics the aircraft’s movements. I’ve tried the display approach at both NASA and the Israel Defense Forces, and the VR system felt like a big leap forward. It’s much more immersive and gives you all the peripheral vision that old simulators lack.
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After a not terribly successful simulator run, I traveled to the Alps and tried my skills. The real, super awesome pilot did the hardest part of taking off and flying into some open space, but then he flipped the controls and there I was flying for about 10 minutes with my camera crew in white the whole time. The pilot helped avoid some near disasters and I had the time of my life.
Of course, Loft is not built for tourist TV presenters, but for real pilots. The idea is that its systems will be cheaper, easier to install and better than previous technology, and will be used to train new pilots and help existing ones keep their hours. It has already been approved by European regulators and is currently in the approval process with the US Federal Aviation Administration.
Things you learn
When it comes to hard-tech startups, Switzerland has a lot going on. The government has deep pockets and has channeled much of this money into certain high-tech areas where the country believes it can forge a unique path.
Drones have been of particular interest, and Zurich even has a Drone Valley. (Everyone has a valley of some sort these days, right?) And the highest flyer of the bunch is Verity AG, which makes drones for warehouse inventory monitoring and, oddly enough, artistic drones used by performers like Justin Bieber and Drake. at large concerts and other events. Much of this technology is the brainchild of Verity founder Raffaello D’Andrea, a unique mathematician, artist and entrepreneur.
Switzerland is also home to cutting-edge medical technology, and a good example of this is the skin manufacturer Cutiss AG. The skin grown in the laboratory is intended to help burn victims and other people suffering from diseases.
Things to do after watching the episode
You want to go to Zermatt. It is an idyllic village located in the Swiss Alps, where people go to ski and hike and enjoy the amazing views.
Air Zermatt staff will take you on a helicopter tour. Like almost everything in Switzerland, it’s expensive, and like many things in Switzerland, it’s awesome.
And you should consider staying at Hotel Zermama, because it’s a lovely place with some amazingly quirky touches, thought up by its wonderfully eccentric founder, Mario Julen, who once made me fondue.
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