A Tour of the Skunk Works of Air Force Pilot Training--Detachment 24

[@francisschweitzer8431]

As a veteran KC 135 crew chief stationed at Castle Air Force Base California back in the 80s, we were the strategic air command‘s main training base for that air frame. The noobs would come out and see the jet for the first time and we would do our walk around and they were bewildered because all they saw were photos. Many questions about many systems which was my job to answer and it was rather interesting that here I was 19 years old teaching College graduates/officers in the USAF. So going forward looking at this video and seeing the VR walk around is an absolute amazing tool to get pilots spooled up faster to the jet they’re going to fly. These new simulators are magnitudes cheaper than the old SINGER-LINK systems that were in use at the Linebacker Center. When those things needed maintenance pretty much everything stops. The Linebacker Center on base was massive and it contained cockpit modules for both KC 135 and B 52, it contained modules for all other crew positions in both aircraft and they were all interlinked four total mission immersion it was amazing and it was 1981

[@alexslaydon5589]

Sims are such amazing tools, and I'm glad to see the Air Force is adopting them full force. Being able to take a lesson concept and apply it in a sim instills so much confidence before doing it in the real plane. At least that's what I've found through private training, and I can only imagine that benifit being amplified trying to learn complex tactical maneuvers.

[@frankconrad8561]

Can’t wait to see the day these guys start using DCS for their training!

[@mathgasm8484]

It would not surprise me if they have a custom version of dcs.

[@TrevorBarns]

@@mathgasm8484 they're using prepar3d rn, which I think has been used before for gov contacts if I'm not mistaken

[@kzdcs9574]

They’re already using it

[@eramars5699]

Idk if they will given its Russian made software.

[@moistman6930]

@@eramars5699 Based in Switzerland now I think

[@pigybak]

The ultimate gaming machine.

[@epicspaces9434]

hologram, hold my beer

[@tanmaysingh267]

Best DCS setup

[@brockoala2994]

@@tanmaysingh267 too bad the render quality is shit

[@krain.8245]

@@brockoala2994 Do you mean render quality of the game or the vr headset?

[@Reticuli]

@@brockoala2994 I think they're focusing on framerate and reducing lag, rather than polygon count, texture quality, and getting the anti-aliasing flawless.

[@notmenotme614]

The biggest benefit of using these sims is the savings in operating costs. A combat jet is hideously expensive, including maintenance and fuel. Sims have come a long way with VR headsets, realistic hotas controls and DCS

[@Refresh636]

Right, when they said they had 210 units, i just figured each unit is probably less then 50k and that's cheap for the airforce instead of building 1 f35 .

[@kellymitchell8698]

The motivation for this is the ability to produce competent pilots faster. Nineteenth Air Force isn't at their end goal, but they have made great strides. The savings costs you mentioned are real, and allows the Air Force to produce more pilots.

[@cryzz0n]

For us students the T6 ITD's are great tools when used correctly, they're best for learning ground references and the overall pacing of flying patterns and maneuvers around the local area. Glad to see they've got actual T6 PCL/stick mock-ups in the works because the current layout can be limiting (especially when wearing the goggles).

[@jstorm7757]

Great rundown on the current AETC tools. I work on a sim/PTT trainer for ANG and we've discussing internally how we can implement VR, if at all. It's the future and allows great training at reduced costs and space. Thanks for the access!

[@JonHuhnMedical]

I've been fortunate to be involved in developing medical training apps that use VR. The amount of retention is leaps above what you can attain with traditional methods.

[@pistonburner6448]

Just wait until we don't need humans at all = no-one will get sick or injured!

[@starman4346]

@@pistonburner6448 I think that will work for like 5-10 years then they will become sentient and kill us all.

[@pistonburner6448]

@@starman4346 If everything's just virtual and we have no more need for humans, who are they going to kill?

[@sqlevolicious]

@@pistonburner6448 civilians, like they always do.

[@pistonburner6448]

@@sqlevolicious Why would we need civilians? Our cars can drive themselves, algorithms and robots can do all the work...

[@beamerfashion]

Ultimate DCS Setup.

[@christopherjustice4233]

Home grown American innovation, this is fantastic!

[@deltaecho1776]

All of that is absolutely fantastic! Improving pilot proficiency and ability’s before they even get in a aircraft. Not to mention the fuel savings and easing the transition to future additional unmanned aircraft. This whole program is just amazing! USA ftw 🇺🇸

[@airhog8161]

Lol it’s funny to see someone using the same software and hardware I’m using for my home sim! It’s cool that some of there stuff is on the shelf!

[@ImpendingJoker]

Glad to see that A2A's hard work is paying off both for them and the USAF.

[@SomeDayPilot13]

Welcome back! Excellent content as usual!!!

[@Cailean556]

I was quite surprised by the admission that the students learning to fly the T-1A would never actually fly the real thing... When sims start to replace entire aircraft, that's not a small thing. Makes you wonder what "being a pilot" is going to look like in a world of optionally-manned, remotely piloted aircraft systems and the level/kind of training a person will have to do.

[@gotanon8958]

Its gonna be harder to be a pilot

[@sandwich5344]

a screen, just a stick and a keyboard- automatisation (mostly familiar from the commercial world) - is as easy as point and click- while engineers like me write the software prototypes (and others probably in use) for these kind of devices

[@soulsurvivor1001]

Comercially, it will likely be a VERY long time before pilots are remote and planes are optionally or unmanned. The newest airliners that will be in service for decades are still two pilot operations with the large airliner manufacturers not too focused on replacing pilots. These are just a couple of the many reasons why commercial aviation will likely have pilots for a long time to come. Replacing pilots makes perfect sense for military aviation though. Less risk if the plane crashes (look at military drone crash statistics, impeccibly bad), no human life risked on dangerous missions/in dogfights, and easier operations for things like scrambling fighters (no waiting for the pilot to suit up and make it out to the plane).

[@rayanaltowayan9558]

Interesting so would the student just go on to to fly his/her assigned aircraft after graduation?

[@pistonburner6448]

@@rayanaltowayan9558 No, they just keep flying in virtual reality and then eventually retire. Then their pension is paid out in virtual currency.

[@AceLuceroTech]

Good to see you again my Air Force Brother!!!!!

[@Mako-sz4qr]

Fantastic video and superb training. Thanks !

[@aviovintage]

This is very interesting to see. I work in commercial aviation training (simulator manufacturer, level D full motion) and I don't see that this revolution has really picked up in our industry. Air Force seems to be way ahead of the curve here. Maybe it is because in commercial type specific training, setups like this would not be sufficientcly accurate for some training credits but I think there is definitely a place for VR and connected devices like what we see here. Kudo's to the guys and girls that sold these concepts internally to the bean counters and folks in charge and made it happen. There is a a strong legacy and "if it aint broken ..." attitude in (commercial) aviation training.

[@LetoDK]

Sounds like a perfect business opportunity for a person with your experience.

[@brisoley450]

Love it. Thank you for posting Hasard.

[@toodlepop]

flying a combat aircraft or racing are 2 of the only things i can do in VR without being taken out of the experience, because wearing a headset is annoying. but, it feels somewhat right as a racing helmet or flight helmet.

[@SierraHalcon]

Amazing hasard!! Great video!

[@HasardLee]

Glad you enjoyed it 👊

[@jimbeaux89]

So sweet. I’ve always wanted to be a fighter pilot, but now at the age of 33, that dream is all but closed to me. I’d love some tech like this

[@Adriansdr07]

The setups that we see in the video here are like under $5000 which may seem a lot but at the end of it you are basically flying an aircraft but in a much safer zone with no Gs or motion so yeah it is possible to make your setup just like there’s.

[@antonioalfredhodge3614]

Thank you for providing the tour. It was very interesting. You are appreciated. Thank you for your service and for all you continue to do.

[@melvinelder3587]

I’ve done flight sims for many years, and you can get a full cockpit, the most realistic sim you can get and it still does not replicate actually flying, there’s some stuff you just can’t get with sims so I think they definitely should still get real stick time before moving on to more advanced aircraft

[@GrizzlyWhale]

I think what they are trying to do is improve the ground training, and not replace flying hours. General Willis in Hasard's other video, talked about how it makes the students more prepared for each flight, making the inflight hours more effective training.

[@melvinelder3587]

@@GrizzlyWhale yea and I agree with that part but when it came too the T-1 he said the new generation (this generation of trainees) will never touch a real T-1

[@GrizzlyWhale]

@@melvinelder3587 I think that is because they are phasing out the T-1. The new training program looks like they will go from the T-6s straight to their operational aircraft like the C-17. I would argue that we don’t need a bunch of intermediate trainers. Look at the civilian industry. After you do your private license, and you are working on your commercial, you get maybe 20 hours in a multi engine trainer, before getting your ticket and moving on the a professional operator. You then learn the most during your IOE while on the job. As long as they don’t cut training at the operational level, I think simulation is quite capable at procedure training, which is what multi engine IFR training is anyways. You won’t be flying in actual IMC until you are on the job.

[@melvinelder3587]

@@GrizzlyWhale the T-1 is the intermediate trainer, the T-6 you only fly if your going active and track select, if you join already hired by a squadron and they fly C-17’s let’s say you’ll go straight to the T-1, at least that’s my understanding of it! I’m more of a helicopter guy so all my knowledge about UPT for fixating is from some classes and then mainly KZbin haha

[@GrizzlyWhale]

@@melvinelder3587 looking at the UPT 2.0 charts from the Air Force, it looks like everyone flies the T-6 as a primary trainer, and then go intermediate in either a T-38, T-1, or some type of training helo it didn’t say which. In the new UPT 2.5, after the T-6 flying, only Fighter and Bomber go to T-38s, and the Air Mobility crews go to sim. And then to the operational training squadrons.

[@derekdavis2746]

What a great and informative video! I'm a flight simulation fan and found this really fascinating. Thanks!

[@sportyturkey4089]

I love your videos, because I want to be an airforce pilot when I’m older.

[@shaunroberts9361]

Outstanding Hasard.

[@sqlevolicious]

Using Varjo VR3 and Reverb G2! Awesome!

[@calebknutson9019]

It's actually the Varjo XR3. It is a mixed reality headset, an amazing piece of tech.

[@chazflyz]

Nice. Many familiar hardware and software aids. P3D, TacView, HP G2 and Quest 2. 🤓

[@_Arthur-]

and not to forget, the Varjo Aero

[@SimonAmazingClarke]

Amazing how much things have come along from a switch trainer.

[@ph11p3540]

I want one of those simpits for playing Star Citizen on. Best Star Citizen gaming rig I have ever seen.

[@greggwyllie1952]

They need to be flying in DCS. 😎👌🏻

[@francisschweitzer8431]

Lol… put the first timers in the sim…. Log it onto DCS online and let them get smoked by a 10 year old …. Lol

[@Joshprout1776]

I’m sure eagle dynamics is that “third party contractor” designing the sims. They’ve already said they have many government contracts

[@rainey06au]

When the camera crew is gone they all close Prepar3d and fire up DCS World haha

[@ImpendingJoker]

The A-10C pilots actually were using DCS during the pandemic to do things like train for aerial refueling.

[@mathgasm8484]

@@francisschweitzer8431 I do not think dcs would hold a 10 year olds attention on full fidelity aircraft.

[@georgeluacesjr.3264]

Excellent video and technology! I hope the airlines start considering using that type of training to augment full-on simulator events.

[@Ryanboy2020]

Attention all you gamers with good reflexes, motivated with a desire to do more in life then sit on the couch, this video is for you. Come join the best of the best and fly the fastest jets in the military?

[@fauxbro1983]

Lol bruh. Air force isn't hiring gamers .

[@Jackdaw5]

@@fauxbro1983 Lol bruh. Air force is doing exactly that.

[@SqaurebearSqaurebear]

@@fauxbro1983 so they dont hire people who play games on there phones? alright then guess that leaves out the majority of the us population

[@sqlevolicious]

@@fauxbro1983 They literally do though.

[@KidnapSix]

DCS players dream. Get me in there looks awesome.

[@Cyge240sx]

I went to school a few blocks away from Randolph. Pretty hard to pay attention to class when you guys are always flying around :)

[@clericneokun]

I bet you guys probably host some sick LAN parties.

[@calebknutson9019]

The LAN parties are indeed sick.

[@peterruiz6117]

I can see how training is very sped up, with no take off/landing, get there and back. But the 'touch the lights' would really agravate me, as I don't see it as actual flight related... Only descisions and poke someone in the eye talents....

[@tods.9947]

Outstanding Hasard!

[@n1msu]

It's good to see that lockheed prepar3d is actually getting used for what it was repackaged for, at the same time I'm glad they've kept it accessible to microsoft flight sim vets!

[@atomant_7]

Definitely gonna get one of those gaming machines...(with the movement effects). Once boredom starts to sink in, will get an F-22 (basic version)

[@larrysouthern5098]

This is the future of flight training...like it or not. VR and Flight Sims plus AI Interactions will be gospel...

[@محمداسماعلي-ع5خ]

جزاكم الله خيرا سيدي شهيد اعانكم علمكم

[@timkickinkuiken]

Thanks for sharing. I always wanted to be a pilot. Went the 11X route instead.

[@Gator_Bait_Motorsports]

That sure beats the old LINK trainers...LOL. I got to try the B-58 trainer at Grissom AFB, 305th SAC many years ago, what a rush that was. I still train in my own sim several hours a week.

[@francisschweitzer8431]

93rd OMS …93rd BW Castle AFB 81-85 Tanker crew chief My hat is off to you…. You worked around the B-58… WOW a crazy jet.

[@FFE-js2zp]

Sims are not a new concept. We have always used them. We’ve always used video in briefings. We’ve always incorporated EPs. We used to incorporate motion. The difference is these are cheap and less realistic. Less flying time replaces reality with virtual reality, and that replaces quality with virtual quality.

[@Sunshine-st2qx]

Thank You For The Video 🤠🤠🤠

[@Realalhrsonho]

Thank you,Hasard

[@termazu8889]

nice video! keep up the good work!

[@kenhelmers2603]

Nice! Thanks Hasard :)

[@khoroshoigra8388]

very efficient!! imagine they save lives and oil

[@reloksat]

Awesome, very well done…

[@geoluc2357]

Great video as always ! Greetings from France 🇫🇷

[@thebiggestoneyouveverhad]

Nice. Looks like they're Usain good 'ol tac view.

[@Bartisim0]

This is the future.

[@effenspirits7043]

Great Insight. Thank you.

[@Nater018]

This is totally badass...

[@MrCyp200la]

Watched another KZbin video that said this is good but you really need seat time in a jet. He flew the F-16

[@tonyshield5368]

Getting crew trained on a T1 simulator ready to migrate to their target aircraft is immense. As the T1 is 30 years of age it will need replacement soon at a cost of billions. Retiring the T1 from this role will also save millions per annum. Immense cost saving here as long as the training end results are equal to or better than current practice.

[@Danger.86]

Welcome back sir !

[@TheHarrip]

Things have moved on since I worked on the Typhoon simulator. It's fascinating we move fast.

[@notmenotme614]

Interestingly the RAF are building a new sim building this year that will have 10 different Typhoon cockpits linked together so they can fly in formation / as a package or dogfight against each other. They plan to phase out real flying and do as much as 80% of training in the sim.

[@notmenotme614]

…. And I remember visiting RAF Lossiemouth many years ago when the Jaguar simulator was a tv camera that moved over a big tabletop with model scenery similar to a Hornby train set.

[@JG27Korny]

They were using tacview for flight data analysis. The same we use in DCS and il2 great battles. It takes years to get good in flight sims, even in ww2 simulation. And the skills are not easily tranferable between flight sims and real life. Also real pilots tend to struggle in combat sims, as none of their real skills can be used.

[@Killswitch1411]

Got some nice Varjo Mix reality Hmds. I have a Varjo Aero.. Such brilliant VR head sets.

[@calebknutson9019]

We are using the Varjo XR-3's, really amazing pieces of tech.

[@echovictordcsworld]

Hey Hasard, have you had any experience in the new flight simulator "The NOR Platform" by Meta Immersive Synthetics

[@Galm02]

Any new updates on it?

[@echovictordcsworld]

@@Galm02 They dropped the incredible demo video and have said nothing else. It looks incredible

[@HasardLee]

No, I haven't heard about it

[@Galm02]

@@echovictordcsworld agreed

[@rainey06au]

It has an uncanny resemblance to DCS World

[@toolmakerdave5287]

really interesting vid, more please👍

[@Youda00008]

HP Reverb, nice

[@buckbuchanan5849]

Great gouge Hasard, appreciate you putting this together for us.

[@Pics2FlicksDennis]

Gotta be a Navy guy using the term "gouge"

[@buckbuchanan5849]

@@Pics2FlicksDennis ha, nope. Been an Air Force term for as long as I can remember

[@Pics2FlicksDennis]

@@buckbuchanan5849 and here I was thinking gouge was a Navy term all these years...lol

[@buckbuchanan5849]

@@Pics2FlicksDennis I remember using it in the Air Force at least 20 years ago

[@IMONFIREkaiokenX3]

THE FUTURE IS NOW

[@GALACTICREPUBLIC2024]

Looks badass. 🇺🇸 🫡

[@thewarthogproject]

Looks awesome! But it lacks BRRTTTT.

[@todjammy5507]

Very interested!

[@drjeep1971]

Very cool.

[@Flight.Companion]

Cool, very interesting

[@OddElephantLTU]

Can i.. have one. Also they're using tacview wich is pretty cool. DCS guys know what i mean

[@n3307v]

Very cool stuff.

[@shivammathur1583]

Skunkworks is where the top secret advanced aircrafts are actually built so it must be amazing to b there, Lockheed is amazing.

[@TruestOan409]

Give a DCS gamer this setup you can see them flying an actual fighter🤣

[@nolo2jz814]

Razer headphones there 1:26

[@lafayette4381]

👏🙏👍From Thailand sir!

[@drinksnapple8997]

Now, a smart WING CO & DO would have the USAF Air Traffic Control trainees in the base hook up their simulator training gear to work in conjunction with the student-pilots so that they can jointly work on their procedures & phraseology.

[@utarionzo3099]

They mentioned exactly that as a future plan in the video

[@tristanallain1483]

DCS players when they see this: 😍

[@Thrill_House]

Hey Hasard, do fighter jets have keys that are needed to start them? Assuming it wouldn’t be like a car - in the cockpit with a rabbits foot dangling from it, but is their somewhere on a fighter jet that a unique device is needed to make it operational?

[@russellwilliams3209]

Put a few experienced DCS pilots (me) in the mix and see what happens. Maybe even provide the winner with a job?

[@Hilqurius]

This machine is really awesome Hasard 👌🏾🇺🇸 💯 ! And I even think that with this tool, the French air forces would be even better than they are ⚡🇲🇫⚡. Imagine this powerful training tool combined with the performance of the Rafale ... I think that would make it fairer 🇲🇫50/50🇺🇸, the fight between the magnificent F35 against the legendary Rafale Nationale!💙🤍♥️🛩️ What do you think... Hasard ?

[@lore6803]

The military and their recruiting videos.

[@AlphaGatorDCS]

How do I get one of those for my DCS rig? Awesome video!

[@bobcaruso1368]

Nothing like learning to fly without the risk...what's the fun in that?

[@TheAlmostHarmless]

Sims are used to increase the effectiveness of ground training. They still fly like any other syllabus, they just watch fewer PowerPoints now.

[@sleeplessknight99]

Sweet... can they get After Burner on those?

[@anthonygarcia1122]

Why dont the design a cockpit with zero gravity feature to counteract the G effects when flying at high speeds?

[@hamentaschen]

"These pretzels are making me thirsty!"

[@paulschwager4862]

That was very informative. Totally different industry but I train and assess people to become coal train drivers. 13,000 tonnes of train. One of the skills is shunting and as of late we reduced the practical time and introduced vr. It reduced the time in operations and the risk. But what I found was situational risk was not felt with sound and vibrations and environment. Perception thru VR never helped read distance in propelling the train. Just curious how the VR experience and perception to distance to outcome. We’re there big gaps of adjustment to that?

[@2Phast4Rocket]

How similar is this sim compare to the DCS? Or are they using the DCS engine for the sim?

[@plastickits9229]

It looks like DCS to me. RAZBAM is making a model of the UH-60 for private use, likely this type of training. The Canadian Snowbirds use DCS for virtual training in the CT-114 as well.

[@rogueeric]

It’s not DCS. It’s a highly modified version of Lockheed Prepar3D.

[@plastickits9229]

@@rogueeric interesting! I’ll have to look into that

[@arwasairl]

Prepar3D has some more "interesting" aircraft that isn't in DCS, mostly trainers like the T-38C and T-6A/B/C. There are also working tankers and bombers like the B-52H, B-1B and KC-10. If DCS's developers didn't have that scandal with stealing those F-16 documents and if they had quality trainer products, I think DCS would've been used.

[@sethbailey9528]

That shit was cool.👌🏻

[@joejackson5450]

I wish I had the chance to become a military pilot

[@KD0LRG]

Fly it like a rental 👍

[@thaing]

Some reason I was expecting to see a flight deck inside a 360 degree rotating sphere that simulated direction and g-forces but it looks more like DCS world and Microsoft FXS. I guess my expectations was unrealistic 😂.

[@CDSAfghan]

This is like quantum space tech compared to the normal pace of adoption. I was shocked they've even implemented VR!

[@IARRCSim]

6:20 to 6:25 is the T-1 that they'll skip a training-specific jet design or is it used by other pilots in real missions overseas?

[@johndormer9297]

The Navy should have a carrier sim for their pilot on the ship.

[@Acula33RC]

Sure looks like there using DCS as thier sim. Wonder if it's the same company who makes thier software? Anyone know?

[@scootertooter6874]

I'm guessing Colin and crew at MILVIZ does the sims...