The CIFP Aguas Nuevas takes off with Virtual Reality

In the field of aeronautical training, access to real equipment for technical practice is a constant challenge. This challenge has been exacerbated by the disappearance of Russian helicopters due to the war in Ukraine, which has made the Super Puma helicopter one of the most widely used large-scale models in Spain. However, the size and high cost of this aircraft make it difficult for a vocational training centre to have a physical example for teaching and maintenance.

Faced with this situation, the CIFP Aguas Nuevas, a benchmark centre recognised as a Centre of Excellence in Aeronautics, has opted for Virtual Reality as the solution that allows its students to carry out maintenance practices in a safe and realistic way without having to use the real helicopter.

In this way, the project has materialised in the development of a training simulator, the result of close collaboration between teachers, professionals from the aeronautical sector and Innovae.

Specifically, Airbus and the Spanish Army provided direct access to a Super Puma helicopter so that the technical team could study each component and maintenance process to be replicated on the simulator. On the other hand, the centre’s teachers, who have extensive professional experience in real helicopter maintenance, have been essential in precisely defining the training practices to be simulated.

The most relevant tasks included the disassembly and assembly of the engine, the testing of the landing gear and vibration systems, as well as the layout and organisation of the cockpit.

In the words of Licinio Navarro García-Gutiérrez, instructor, evaluator and examiner for the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and head of Part 147 training at CIFP Aguas Nuevas, from the outset, the project posed a great challenge: “Initially, it seemed very complicated to be able to replicate maintenance operations on a helicopter in a simulator, but we have learned that by providing the necessary information, giving examples and even allowing access to a real helicopter, practically any task can be simulated”.

The result has been a simulator that offers students the possibility of working collaboratively with helicopters that, for logistical and economic reasons, they could not have in their physical facilities. This immersive technology brings students closer to the real details and components of the aircraft, encouraging more practical and contextualised learning.

Although the adoption of new technologies always involves a process of adaptation, the experience at CIFP Aguas Nuevas has shown that students are enthusiastic about Virtual Reality as a training method: “New technologies are in the DNA of the new generations, which increases their interest and motivation”.

In addition, simulation training reduces risks associated with the direct handling of complex and costly machinery, while allowing unlimited repetition of practice to consolidate knowledge.

Innovation does not end with this Virtual Reality simulator at CIFP Aguas Nuevas. The educational centre has also incorporated SAAM, our solution for the digitisation of processes, to digitalise all the practices related to maintenance operations that students must carry out on other aircraft.

This year, more than 25 students will use the tool for their internships, complying with the strict requirements of the aeronautical sector in terms of traceability and documentary control, as SAAM facilitates the storage of records, photographs, documents and other types of evidence. This not only improves the internal organisation of the centre, but also provides great transparency and reliability to the training process, in line with the required standards.

In addition, thanks to the use of Augmented Reality glasses, students can carry out all digitalised procedures with both hands, allowing for a more efficient execution of the procedures.

The experience of CIFP Aguas Nuevas with immersive training and digitisation shows that Extended Reality is an essential ally to advance the quality and efficiency of aeronautical vocational training.

This project is a clear example of how the combination of professional experience, educational collaboration and advanced technological solutions can overcome traditional limitations, opening up new opportunities to train highly qualified technicians adapted to the demands of the sector.