Virtual reality (VR) training applications have attracted worldwide attention and study. One application that shows great potential is aircraft maintenance training. Virtual aircraft maintenance trainers offer the advantage of affordability and flexibility over traditional hardware-based trainers, providing an accurate, 3D representation of the aircraft without the associated lifecycle costs of physical hardware mockups and original aircraft equipment. Moreover, VR permits comprehensive user interaction with the virtual aircraft's systems and components. These range from dynamic navigation using augmented or hypothetical viewpoints to complex manipulation of realistic virtual aircraft components.

The past several years have seen advances in computer and visualization technologies that make the integration of VR with traditional training media more practical. To exploit this new potential, The Boeing Company's Phantom Works group has been investigating high fidelity virtual environments for maintenance training as a more effective means to support its aerospace products. One result of this effort is a matured set of requirements, derived in part from lessons learned creating numerous prototypes. This paper will discuss these requirements, which address many key elements necessary to develop an effective virtual maintenance trainer. Discussion will recognize the challenging issues of source data conversion, geometry management, user navigation and interaction, and functional simulation integration, all associated with the virtual environment. Training systems providers who develop solutions based on these blueprint items will better produce more realistic and effective environments for maintenance training.