Rolls-Royce Deploys Virtual Reality Training for Maintainers

May 9, 2019

William Kucinski

To meet the aerospace industry’s future demand for maintainers, Rolls-Royce plc (Rolls-Royce) has included virtual reality (VR) technology into its engineering training programs as part of the company’s IntelligentEngine vision. Qatar Airways Company Q.C.S.C. (Qatar Airways) is the first operator to participate in the program and it’s engineers have started VR training in conjunction with Rolls-Royce’s Trent XWB engine, which powers Qatar Airways’ Airbus A350 extra-wide-body, twin-engine airliners.

Rolls-Royce holds that hands-on, practical training will always be the main focus for maintainers; however, VR technology will help bolster training activities especially with the amount of new aircraft that will be needed to accommodate the additional air passengers (which is expected to almost double by 2036).

“At Rolls-Royce we are designing, testing, and maintaining engines in the digital realm, so it makes sense that we bring cutting-edge technology to our training programs,” says Chris Cholerton, president of Civil Aerospace at Rolls-Royce.

William Kucinski is content editor at SAE International, Aerospace Products Group in Warrendale, Pa. Previously, he worked as a writer at the NASA Safety Center in Cleveland, Ohio and was responsible for writing the agency’s System Failure Case Studies. His interests include literally anything that has to do with space, past and present military aircraft, and propulsion technology.

Contact him regarding any article or collaboration ideas by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..