Many people, looking at the sky, think, what does it feel like to control an aircraft of impressive size? In order to feel it, it is necessary to make a lot of effort in order to become a pilot, but today's technology and the work of innovators, immersive simulations already allow everyone to feel the flight. Students and researchers of the Antanas Gustaichis Aviation Institute (AGAI) of the Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH), which prepares aeronautics and aerospace specialists in Lithuania, have developed a mobile, virtual reality flight simulator. Most of all, it will inspire schoolchildren, future students, who will invite VILNIUS TECH open days and study fairs to try themselves in the role of pilots - to interactively experience flying an airplane.
Born from the love of flying
According to Aleksandr Lapushinskij, the head and founder of the AGAI Aeronautics Laboratory, as early as 2018, aviation students were already actively interested in flight simulations, flying in a virtual environment using joysticks.
"We decided to make a device similar to a real airplane in the AGAI laboratory, so that the operator of the simulator with virtual reality glasses feels like a real pilot. He would sit in the pilot's position and have the control lever, joysticks, wing, take-off and landing mechanisms at hand, just like in a real airplane. We wanted to create a device for the most accurate flight simulation," says the AGAI researcher.
The first model was even made using real aircraft parts - joystick, helicopter pedals and other devices, just to make the simulator as close as possible to a real plane. Its first version attracted the most attention at study fairs, where students have the opportunity to see what VILNIUS TECH students are trying and learning.
The new flight simulator is even better
According to Aleksandr Lapushinskij, at the beginning of 2024, the idea arose to take the next step - to design and produce the second version of the simulator, "V2".
"The main advantage of the new simulator is that the cockpit design is a mockup of a real CESSNA 172 aircraft cockpit, in which the instruments and mechanisms are arranged in the same way as in the original." "CESSNA 172" is a training aircraft of the flight practice base in Kyviškės. In this way, students get to know the aircraft in advance, even before they get into the real one," shares the founder of the aeronautics laboratory.
In the simulation, you can fly with a wide variety of aircraft models. The new flight simulator is also more advanced due to the use of extremely high-definition virtual reality glasses and modern movement mechanisms: during the simulation, when the aircraft turns to one side, while taking off or landing, the chair where the pilot sits also moves and gives a more realistic feeling of flight. The simulator uses the latest version of Microsoft Flight Simulator, which is most suitable for pilots to practice before flights.
The purpose of the simulator is to popularize aviation studies in Lithuania
VILNIUS TECH notes that the myth that there are few aviation opportunities in Lithuania is still prevalent in the country. However, airlines are very active in our country and predict that the number of jobs for aviation professionals in the country will only increase. For example, Avion Express, one of the world's largest ACMI (aircraft charter, maintenance and insurance) companies, which contributed financially to the production of the simulator, says that educating young people about the opportunities in this field is extremely important: "Currently, Avion Express the team is piloted by almost 600 professionals in this field who operate flights all over the world, from Europe to Latin America and Asia. We see that the demand for pilots is only growing and the sector may face a shortage of professionals in this field in the future. Therefore, we see the sense of educating the youth in our country about the opportunities in the aviation sector. I believe that many people don't even think about how many of our compatriots pilot airplanes in the world and how many opportunities we have in our country to create a career in this field - both in the study offer and in the extremely active aviation sector," says Avion Express' People and Culture Department Head L. Macutkevich.
In an airline, aviation education is an advantage. Most of the people who graduated from the VILNIUS TECH Antanas Gustaitis Aviation Institute (AGAI) successfully continue their careers in aviation companies, which can offer an extremely wide range of opportunities both here and around the world.
"Not a single pilot continues to work in the administration after many years of flying - he takes care of training new pilots, organizes flights, holds the positions of area managers, so education and conversation with young people about opportunities is extremely important and necessary," says L. Macutkevič.
The article was prepared by VILNIUS TECH Antanas Gustaichis Aviation Institute Senior Manager Kristupas Kazanavičius and Vice Dean of Communication, Internationality, Alumni and Partnership Laurynas Šišovas.
