CITL/ROTC VR Flight Simulator

CITL is proud to announce the creation of a Flight  Simulator Lab as part of the Virtual Reality Lab. In partnership with UIUC’s AFROTC Detachment 190, the lab will soon be available for cadets and midshipmen to practice flying aircraft in immersive Virtual Reality. The new simulator experience utilizes an Oculus Rift headset running on a top-of-the-line Windows laptop, and runs X-Plane 11. X-Plane 11 was chosen as it is a leading flight simulator program that is VR ready and features a strong selection of both military and civilian aircraft.

So far, several Air Force cadets and cadre members have “flown” in the lab, and the experience is running smoothly. Beginning in Spring 2019, cadets will be able to reserve time slots in the VR lab during which time they can choose a flight plan and fly a mission. These missions will include takeoff, landing, navigation, and instrument utilization, and will be geared towards helping cadets better prepare for military aviation tests. While VR flight simulators cannot replace real flight hours, they offer a much more cost effective alternative and can give cadets without the means of really flying the opportunity to gain helpful aviation experience.