Flight dreams via homemade VR

The dream of becoming Marine jet pilots was almost within reach for the Occhipinti brothers, self-confessed mechanical engineering geeks, in 2013. They didn’t know how challenging the training would be, after commissioning from Marine officer basic, and that success and failure would hang in the balance. But, they did know they had to make changes and fast. Afterwards, Matteo and Andy Occhipinti reported to Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., for Introductory Flight Screening (IFS). Next, it was on to NAS Whiting Field, Fla., for Primary flight training. They flew T-6B Texan II single-engine turboprop trainers. They graduated and both selected jet Strike training at NAS Meridian, Miss., and the T-45C Goshawk jet trainer. But, after a series of delayed training events they got a gut-punch – a senior Marine told them their Navy Standardization Scores (NSS) were below the cutoff. They were at risk of being dropped. They had to make changes. They got to work on building a system that would save careers of current and future students. It’s a story emblematic of perseverance and ingenuity, and a symbol of giving junior personnel vital roles in identifying and addressing broad issues. “I was amazed,” said Chief of Naval Air Training Rear Adm. Greg Harris, who is responsible for naval aviator, naval flight officer, and naval aircrewman training for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard across Florida, Mississippi, and Texas. “It’s innovation from within Naval Aviation and from within our students. When we start letting students help us understand how they are learning differently, instead of us dictating how we think they’re going to learn, we are better off.” See their virtual reality story. (Source: Chief of Naval Air Training 05/18/19)