A system and method for training a pilot to operate an aircraft in sudden-onset reduced-visibility conditions is disclosed. The system includes electrooptic material having an optical transmittance that varies with an electrical signal applied to the material and a power supply to provide the electrical signal to the material. The electrooptic material is disposed to restrict the pilot's visibility outside the aircraft when the electrooptic material is in a low-optical-transmittance state. The system further includes a flight-safety sensor that sets the output of the power supply to correspond to an optical transmittance state of the electrooptic material that does not substantially restrict the pilot's visibility outside the aircraft when flight conditions are deemed unsafe. The method includes reducing the optical transmittance of the material to restrict the pilot's visibility outside the aircraft in a manner unexpected to the pilot at the time of the transmittance reduction.

A method, includes saving in-flight data from an aircraft during a simulated training exercise, wherein the in-flight data includes geospatial locations of the aircraft, positional attitudes of the aircraft, and head positions of a pilot operating the aircraft, saving simulation data relating to a simulated virtual object presented to the pilot as augmented reality content in-flight, wherein the virtual object was programmed to interact with the aircraft during the simulated training exercise and representing the in-flight data from the aircraft and the simulation data relating to the simulated virtual object as a replay of the simulated training exercise.

A method, includes saving in-flight data from an aircraft during a simulated training exercise, wherein the in-flight data includes geospatial locations of the aircraft, positional attitudes of the aircraft, and head positions of a pilot operating the aircraft, saving simulation data relating to a simulated virtual object presented to the pilot as augmented reality content in-flight, wherein the virtual object was programmed to interact with the aircraft during the simulated training exercise and representing the in-flight data from the aircraft and the simulation data relating to the simulated virtual object as a replay of the simulated training exercise.

Disclosed herein are various methods for implementing a training simulator. The disclosed training simulator may include training systems for the deployment and recovery of aircrafts from simulated aircraft carriers. Such methods may include implementing a training simulator by initially collecting a data specification of an aircraft carrier to be replicated to create a simulated aircraft carrier structure, where the simulated aircraft carrier structure is a flight deck of the aircraft carrier to be replicated. The method may also include obtaining a platform to implement the simulated aircraft carrier structure on top of the platform; lowering the platform onto a body of water; and implementing a training program to be performed on the simulated aircraft carrier structure.

Disclosed herein are various methods for implementing a training simulator. The disclosed training simulator may include training systems for the deployment and recovery of aircrafts from simulated aircraft carriers. Such methods may include implementing a training simulator by initially collecting a data specification of an aircraft carrier to be replicated to create a simulated aircraft carrier structure, where the simulated aircraft carrier structure is a flight deck of the aircraft carrier to be replicated. The method may also include obtaining a platform to implement the simulated aircraft carrier structure on top of the platform; lowering the platform onto a body of water; and implementing a training program to be performed on the simulated aircraft carrier structure.

A system and method for improving safety when operating an aircraft in reduced or modified visibility conditions is disclosed. A flight helmet having a visor with an electrically controlled optical state is configured to automatically move the visor up out of the pilot's line of sight on receipt of a signal from a safety sensor. This sensor-based automated moving of the visor helps alleviate danger in circumstances where the visor is improperly hindering the pilot. The helmet can be used, for example, in reduced-visibility training sessions and thereby improve the safety of such sessions. And the helmet can be used with enhanced or synthetic vision systems as a failsafe if the systems are hindering rather than helping the pilot.

A system and method for improving safety when operating an aircraft in reduced or modified visibility conditions is disclosed. A flight helmet having a visor with an electrically controlled optical state is configured to automatically move the visor up out of the pilot's line of sight on receipt of a signal from a safety sensor. This sensor-based automated moving of the visor helps alleviate danger in circumstances where the visor is improperly hindering the pilot. The helmet can be used, for example, in reduced-visibility training sessions and thereby improve the safety of such sessions. And the helmet can be used with enhanced or synthetic vision systems as a failsafe if the systems are hindering rather than helping the pilot.

The illustrative embodiments provide for a method a training system. The training system includes a physical sensor system connected to a physical vehicle. The physical sensor system is configured to obtain real atmospheric obscuration data of a real atmospheric obscuration. The training system also includes a data processing system comprising a processor and a tangible memory. The data processing system is configured to receive the real atmospheric obscuration data, and determine based on the real atmospheric obscuration data whether a target is visible to the physical vehicle in a simulation training environment generated by the data processing system. The simulation training environment at least including a virtual representation of the physical vehicle and a virtual representation of the real atmospheric obscuration.

The illustrative embodiments provide for a method a training system. The training system includes a physical sensor system connected to a physical vehicle. The physical sensor system is configured to obtain real atmospheric obscuration data of a real atmospheric obscuration. The training system also includes a data processing system comprising a processor and a tangible memory. The data processing system is configured to receive the real atmospheric obscuration data, and determine based on the real atmospheric obscuration data whether a target is visible to the physical vehicle in a simulation training environment generated by the data processing system. The simulation training environment at least including a virtual representation of the physical vehicle and a virtual representation of the real atmospheric obscuration.

Systems, methods, and computer products according to the principles of the present inventions may involve a training system for a pilot of an aircraft. The training system may include an aircraft sensor system affixed to the aircraft adapted to provide a location of the aircraft, including an altitude of the aircraft, speed of the aircraft, and directional attitude of the aircraft. It may further include a helmet position sensor system adapted to determine a location of a helmet within a cockpit of the aircraft and a viewing direction of a pilot wearing the helmet. The helmet may include a see-through computer display through which the pilot sees an environment outside of the aircraft with computer content overlaying the environment to create an augmented reality view of the environment for the pilot.