Aircraft maintenance training programs in the Air Force have evolved from an almost exclusively mechanical orientation to one that is largely electronic. The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) with its four selector composites (Mechanical, Administration, General, and Electronic) has been in use for over 20 years. The mechanical (M) composite score is used to identify those who will be trained in aircraft maintenance.

Virtuell träning är ett viktigt sätt att utbilda tekniker för att förbereda dem för underhållsarbete i verkligheten. Tekniker som utbildas för att utföra underhållsarbete på JAS 39 Gripen, genomför delar av utbildningen genom programmet Virtual Maintenance Trainer (VMT), som kan återge en detaljerad simulering av flygplanet under drift. Teknikerna kan delta i lektioner med specifika uppgifter som inkluderar att felsöka interna datorer och delar av flygplanet samt utföra underhållsarbete för att åtgärda fel. Programmet är dock skrivbordsbaserat och för att göra utbildningen mer effektiv, finns det en önskan om att utforska möjligheterna i virtual och augmented reality. Denna rapport undersöker alternativen för utbildningsverktyg i virtual reality och augmentedreality genom en teoretisk undersökning. I undersökningen vägs fördelar och nackdelar för nuvarande implementeringar för att tillhandahålla ett optimalt system som kan fungera för att ge tekniker praktisk erfarenhet i en realitisk träningssimulering. Baserat på resultaten från undersökningen och genom att använda spelmotorn Unity, har enprototypsapplikation skapats som kan simulera teknikerutbildning på en modell av JAS 39 Gripen. HTC Vive och Leap Motion användes för att låta användaren kliva in i simuleringsvärlden och för att möjliggöra realistisk interaktion. En tekniker kan lära sig att utföra underhållsåtgärder genom att genomföra olika träningsförfaranden i simuleringen genom att gå runt och interagera med ett fullskaligt Gripen-flygplan. / Virtual training is a vital way of educating technicians to make them prepared for real maintenance work. Technicians that are educated to perform maintenance work on JAS 39 Gripen, complete parts of their training through the application Virtual Maintenance Trainer (VMT), which can provide a detailed simulation of the aircraft during operation. The technicians are able to complete courses and lessons with specific procedures such as debugging internal computers and parts of the aircraft and performing maintenance work to fix errors. However, the application is desktop-based and to make the education even more effective, there is a desire to explore the possibilities in virtual and augmented reality. This report explores the alternatives of education tools in virtual reality and augmented reality through a survey. In the survey, the advantages and disadvantages of current implementations are examined to provide an optimal system which could work to give technicians a realistic practical training simulation experience. Based on the results of the survey and by using the game engine Unity, a prototype application is built which can simulate technician training procedures on a model of JAS 39 Gripen. HTC Vive and Leap Motion were used to immerse the user into the simulation world and to enable realistic interaction. A technician may be able to learn through completing different training procedures in the simulation by walking around and interacting with a full-scaled Gripen aircraft.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:16:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 3469.pdf: 2787116 bytes, checksum: 3e93f7fd10c28a8af437b5d788656f52 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-02-17 / The airline industry worldwide has brought great benefits to society, affecting the economic, social and environmental sustainability, including the most diverse and cultural people around the world. This has been reflected by the increased new aircraft sales each year, and the flight safety is one of the most important and challenging factors to achieve and keep the trust of the users and the perpetuity of this transport. The flight safety is associated with both aircraft manufacturing and maintenance, where the maintenance technician plays a key role. Training and upgrading of the professional regulation and education involve theoretical and practical knowledge, which should be given special attention to human factors and ways to prevent human errors for incidents and accidents in aviation. Despite its importance, this issue has not been investigated like it would be, especially in Brazil. The objective of this research is to analyze the current situation of aircraft maintenance mechanics training with emphasis on flight safety, using an exploratory method. The results point to an increased trend of incidents and accidents in this transport sector, including the factors associated with human failings; and to the relevance of place greater emphasis on flight safety into Brazilian regulations that standardize the graduation of airplane maintenance mechanics. It has been also recommended that the curriculum and other requirements for such training be compatible with the technological innovation speed for new and old airplanes. Increased collaboration between companies and schools can also bring benefits and the regional maintenance center of Sao Carlos, Araraquara and Ribeirao Preto has potential for that. It is also suggested that such revision on the Brazilian national regulations has as reference some consultations with people involved on this market, taking into account relevant international regulations. / O setor de transporte aéreo mundial tem trazido grandes benefícios à sociedade, afetando a sustentabilidade econômica, social e ambiental, inclusive influenciando culturalmente os mais diversos povos ao redor do mundo. Isso reflete no grande aumento de novas aeronaves vendidas a cada ano, e a segurança de voo é um dos fatores mais importantes e desafiadores para se obter e manter a confiança dos usuários e a perpetuidade desse transporte. A segurança de voo está associada tanto à fabricação como à manutenção de aeronaves, onde o profissional de manutenção aeronáutica desempenha papel chave. A formação e atualização desse profissional envolvem regulamentação e ensino de conhecimentos teóricos e práticos que devem dar atenção especial aos fatores humanos e a forma de se evitar erros humanos na ocorrência de incidentes e acidentes aéreos. Apesar da importância, essa temática tem sido pouco pesquisada, sobretudo no Brasil. O objetivo da presente pesquisa é analisar a situação atual da formação de mecânicos de manutenção aeronáutica com ênfase na segurança de voo através do método exploratório. Os resultados obtidos apontam para a tendência de aumento de incidentes e acidentes aéreos, inclusive os associados a fatores e erros humanos; e a pertinência de se incluir maior ênfase na segurança de voo na regulamentação aeronáutica nacional da formação destes mecânicos. Também é recomendável que a grade curricular e os demais requisitos para essa formação acompanhem a dinâmica das inovações tecnológicas das aeronaves novas e antigas. A intensificação da colaboração entre empresas e escolas podem também ser benéfica e o pólo regional de São Carlos, Araraquara e Ribeirão Preto tem potencial para isso. Recomenda-se, ainda, que haja revisão dos regulamentos brasileiros com base em consultas aos envolvidos, levando em conta também os regulamentos internacionais relevantes.