High-Fidelity VR Simulation for Aircraft Maintenance Training

Providing regulation-compliant, high-fidelity training in aircraft maintenance remains challenging for institutions of education, where access to real aircraft, specialist tools, and operational environments is limited by cost, safety, and resource factors. This paper presents the design, in-house development, and pilot deployment of a virtual reality (VR) training system for an operationally critical maintenance procedure—Airbus A320 nose landing gear (NLG) wheel removal, strictly following the official Airbus Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM). Managed by an Agile-based methodology, the application, programmed with the Unity engine, uses full-size 3D CAD models and domain-expert input iteratively for quality-assured and rapid deployment. The system was piloted with aeronautical engineering students at the Vietnam Aviation Academy (VAA), achieving significant engagement and perceived gains for procedure knowledge and skill development. Positive comments emphasized the realistic, interactive, and repeatable quality of the simulation. Usability issues related to controller handling, cybersickness, and the absence of haptic feedback, however, suggest opportunities for refinement. This paper reports an early published case study of VR use in commercial aircraft maintenance training that is practically replicable and scalable, and developed in alignment with applicable civil aviation procedural requirements. It suggests that such a high-fidelity VR training platform can provide an accessible solution for aviation stakeholders to help bridge classroom training and real-world application in safety-critical training contexts.