Virtual Reality Immersive Flight Simulation Cooperative Research and Development Agreement

Background
The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) System Safety Section, located at the William J. Hughes Technical Center (WJHTC) in Atlantic City, NJ is seeking to identify collaborative partners (CP) that have experience with virtual reality (VR) pilot training devices for pilot training. The FAA is conducting a market survey to determine industry interest and capabilities to enter into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with industry to explore how VR systems may be evaluated and certified for pilot training. The primary objective of any resulting CRADA will be research to determine methods for evaluating the effectiveness of immersive flight simulation technologies or research to define standards or requirements for utilizing VR technologies for pilot training.

Work Details
The FAA is seeking information through this RFI to complete a feasibility assessment and develop the requirements for Immersive Flight Simulation CRADA(s). The research will focus on air carrier pilot training, but may also explore other domains such as basic pilot certification, aircraft/rotorcraft type ratings, general aviation, rotorcraft, powered lift, and advanced air mobility pilot training. Collaboration may include developing use cases for evaluating VR technologies, providing access to technology for use case development or initial evaluations, developing methods to determine minimum hardware or software specifications for various qualification levels of VR devices, integrating VR systems with existing FAA-owned simulation technologies/advanced aviation training devices/flight simulation training devices/flight simulators.

The CP is expected to benefit from any resulting CRADA by gaining access to FAA laboratories for testing and evaluation of immersive flight simulation devices and by collaborating with FAA experts on flight training devices. The FAA is expected to benefit from any resulting CRADA by gaining information about potential new VR technologies to aid the FAA in effectively developing standards and guidance to certify the use of new immersive flight simulation technologies for pilot training.

Period of Performance
Responses must be submitted via email no later than 5pm EDT on 06/14/23. All questions regarding this market survey must be submitted via email no later than 5pm EDT 05/31/23.

Place of Performance
William J. Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City, NJ