Enhancing Private Pilot Training Readiness through Virtual Reality: Utah Valley University’s Experience Integrating VR Simulation into the Private Pilot Ground Course Enhancing Student Pilot Success through VR Flight Simulation

Abstract

Flight training programs across the aviation industry continue to face high attrition rates, with FAA and industry estimates indicating that as many as 40 to 60 percent of student pilots leave training before earning their Private Pilot Certificate. To help address this challenge, Utah Valley University (UVU) introduced a Virtual Reality (VR) flight simulation program for students enrolled in the Private Pilot Ground Course who had not yet begun their flight training. The program was designed to give students early, hands-on exposure to flight concepts and cockpit procedures in an immersive environment. This study explores how VR-based pre-flight training influences student preparedness, confidence, and later success in flight training. Early findings from student feedback and performance data show clear advantages—students reported stronger understanding of key concepts, greater procedural familiarity, and higher overall confidence entering flight training.