
Putting you in the pilot's seat
ROTC incorporates virtual reality flight simulator for aspiring aviators

Photo by Cora Bishoppetty:
An ROTC cadet demonstrates how to use the VR set, which is accessible to all students in the program.
ASU’s Air Force ROTC Detachment 847 on Feb. 17 added a virtual reality headset to their mock aircraft system for cadets in the program.
The practice setup was upgraded with an Oculus Rift S, one of the newest VR headsets from Facebook’s subsidiary company Oculus.
The joystick and other peripherals are designed with flight instruments that are modeled after real aircrafts currently used by the United States Air Force and allow the user to have a more immersive experience. Originally, the Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog was designed with three television screens that provided a static view of the virtual interface called Prepar3D, but with the implementation of the headset, the user can have total seamless control of their perspective.
“While we got the Oculus at the end of January, we didn’t realize how many compatibility issues we compensated for with the original three monitors,” senior James Ochello said. “It took us some time to reorganize the HOTAS to be compatible with the headset.”
Ochello is one of few upperclassmen cadets in detachment 847 aspiring to be a pilot after he commissions from the ROTC program.
“Sometimes we receive incoming cadets who are interested in piloting, but were ill-equipped with tools or experienced when it comes time to be tested here or in initial flight training,” Ochello said. “So, besides its usefulness as a recruiting tool, it can also expose potential pilots to some concepts earlier than I was.”
Freshman cadet Jackson Mumme said he has always had aeronautical interests and can always be found in the detachment either on the simulator or helping others use it.
“I’ve loved planes, helicopters, you name it, for as long as I can remember,” Mumme said. “The HOTAS is one of my favorite devices to learn with here.”
Alumni from the program were also proud to hear about the incorporation of technology in the education of future airmen, according to 2nd Lt. Elena Clark, an ASU alumna.
“When I heard, I thought it was such awesome news,” Clark said. “ASU’s detachment is unique in the variety of opportunities it offers to incoming students.”
Clark graduated from ASU in 2019 where only one other officer commissioned to be a pilot.
“Any new way to keep cadets engaged in the program is a big step forward, so when I hear about cadets in the program using this simulator, or going to jump school to learn how to parachute out of planes, or even attending leadership conferences, I can’t help but feel proud of where I came from,” she said.
Senior Mackenzie Weaver said she didn’t see many cadets show interest in the flight simulator when she was an underclassman, but she thinks with the VR headset, more cadets will be interested.
“I really don’t have the words to say how much better this new setup is,” Ochello said. “This simulator introduces important skills that could be useful to everyone here, pilot or not.”
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