317th Airlift Wing enhances training with VR systems

A virtual reality headset hangs in the foreground as Staff Sgt. Christopher Clinton, 317th Maintenance Group virtual reality development noncommissioned officer in charge, supervises a training session at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, Oct. 23, 2020. Historically, these instructors would have 25-30 students on one aircraft attempting to train on multiple systems. With VR training, maintenance Airmen are familiar with procedures before ever attempting on a real-world aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Tory Patterson)

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317th Airlift Wing enhances training with VR systems

Staff Sgt. Stephanie Rewkowski, 317th Maintenance Group electronic and environmental instructor, provides feedback during a student’s virtual reality training session at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, Oct. 23, 2020. According to the 317th MXG, one benefit of virtual training is the stress and distraction-free environment of the VR lab. Students can train without the concerns of breaking aircraft parts or impacting aircraft availability. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Tory Patterson)

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317th Airlift Wing enhances training with VR systems

Staff Sgt. Stephanie Rewkowski, 317th Maintenance Group electronic and environmental instructor, monitors a student’s virtual reality training session at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, Oct. 23, 2020. According to the VR lab’s instructors, typically only one real-world C-130J Super Hercules aircraft is available at a time for hands-on maintenance training; the VR lab creates what is essentially 16 aircraft for Airmen to conduct training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Tory Patterson)

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317th Airlift Wing enhances training with VR systems

Airman 1st Class Christian Terrazas, 317th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, uses a virtual reality headset during a training session at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, Oct. 23, 2020. Currently, the 317th Maintenance Group’s Virtual Reality Lab instructors can guide C-130 aircraft maintainers through wheel, tire, and brake change procedures, auxiliary power unit (APU) operations, and power-on procedures, all in a virtual environment. The 317th MXG hopes to expand the virtual reality training to include other scenarios and operations in the future. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Tory Patterson)

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317th Airlift Wing enhances training with VR systems

Instructors from the 317th Maintenance Group train students in the Virtual Reality Lab at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, Oct. 23, 2020. By learning in the VR lab first, new C-130 aircraft maintainers are more familiar with maintenance processes when they arrive at a real-world aircraft for hands-on training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Tory Patterson)

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317th Airlift Wing enhances training with VR systems

Airman Kenneth Fantauzzi, 317th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, performs maintenance tasks in a virtual reality environment at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, Oct. 23, 2020. The 317th Maintenance Group seeks to save money and increase retention among maintainers through the more efficient training processes virtual reality labs create. In the VR lab, maintenance Airmen can learn in a distraction-free, climate-controlled environment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Tory Patterson)

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317th Airlift Wing enhances training with VR systems

Staff Sgt. Christopher Clinton, 317th Maintenance Group virtual reality development noncommissioned officer in charge, observes Airmen during a training session at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, Oct. 23, 2020. In 2018, the 317th MXG began researching how to use VR systems to enhance training for maintenance Airmen. Now, the maintenance group has used the VR lab to successfully train about 60 students for 20 hours. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Tory Patterson)

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317th Airlift Wing enhances training with VR systems

Staff Sgt. Christopher Clinton, 317th Maintenance Group virtual reality development noncommissioned officer in charge, observes Airmen during a training session at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, Oct. 23, 2020. The 317th MXG is actively working with technology contractors to enable the VR program to reveal maintenance training trends across C-130J locations like Dyess, Little Rock, Ramstein, and Yokota. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Tory Patterson)

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317th Airlift Wing enhances training with VR systems

Computer equipment illuminates a wall of the 317th Maintenance Group’s Virtual Reality Training Center at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, Oct. 23, 2020. The 317th MXG established the lab in an effort to improve training methods for new C-130J Super Hercules maintainers. In the VR lab, maintenance Airmen can learn in a distraction-free, climate-controlled environment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Tory Patterson)

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317th AW enhances training with VR systems

Published Nov. 10, 2020
By Tech. Sgt. Tory Patterson
7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs

DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --

317th Airlift Wing enhances training with VR systems

317th Airlift Wing enhances training with VR systems

317th Airlift Wing enhances training with VR systems

317th Airlift Wing enhances training with VR systems

317th Airlift Wing enhances training with VR systems

317th Airlift Wing enhances training with VR systems

317th Airlift Wing enhances training with VR systems

317th Airlift Wing enhances training with VR systems

317th Airlift Wing enhances training with VR systems