Emirates Crew Embrace Virtual Safety

Emirates Crew Goes Virtual

Emirates is expanding the MIRA immersive virtual training platform to include safety, which is the airline's top priority. The airline's constantly expanding staff of approximately 23,000 cabin crew members, who safeguard millions of passengers annually, will soon be able to finish their recurrent Safety and Emergency Procedures (SEP) training on MIRA. The self-directed virtual training has been created to satisfy the needs of GCAA and other regulatory bodies without sacrificing the excellence and integrity of Emirates' outstanding training initiatives.

The platform includes emergency slides, tarmac, airbridges, and various views of the land and water, in addition to wholly modelled, photorealistic, high-fidelity cabin interiors of the Airbus A380, Boeing 777, and Airbus A350 aircraft. It will be accompanied by incredibly realistic sound and visuals. Avatars assuming the roles of backup crew members in multi-player scenarios will guarantee a precise replication of regular operating procedures. The primary duty of Emirates' cabin crew is to ensure onboard safety, even though they are well known for providing the airline's distinctive service. Aircraft door operations and firefighting, two essential components of onboard safety, will be the first two modules of the SEP training on MIRA, which is intended to supplement the current methodology.

Heavy airplane doors require practical knowledge and expertise to equip and deactivate. If the emergency slide is opened incorrectly, it can inflate, resulting in injuries or damage to aircraft and airbridges. For this reason, cabin staff are mandated to undergo annual recurrent SEP training. To demonstrate and evaluate their proficiency in routine and emergency door operations as well as standard operating procedures, the Emirates cabin crew will soon be practicing door exercises virtually. Another essential component of the cabin crew capability set is firefighting expertise. A variety of situations, including flames in ovens, overhead lockers, and toilets, will be available in MIRA. Using a fully designed fire extinguisher with visual and aural effects of smoke, flames, and extinguishing agents, the cabin crew will showcase their abilities.

Capt Bader Al Marzooqi, Senior Vice President Flight Training, said: “At Emirates, we are priming our crew for the airline’s next era of growth and expansion by integrating the latest innovations with our leadership, best practice and excellence in training. With our ambitious growth roadmap – 315 aircraft on order and 30,000 cabin crew numbers by 2030 – effective and efficient SEP training is an absolute must. We can quickly and significantly scale up our crew training with MIRA to meet business demands. This bold, brave and strategic move has shaped our training ethos for the future.”

Emirates’ recurrent SEP training on MIRA is designed to unlock enormous benefits for its crew, training team, and customer experience. The airline will be building on its existing platform, optimising creative assets and extending it for a more holistic, end-to-end employee training experience.

Three modes are available for the 3D modules with virtual reality headsets: Teach, Practice, and Assessment. It is possible to teach and evaluate eight to ten cabin crew members at once in their virtual reality room using the same scenario. Several metrics are available to trainers and facilitators to help them fine-tune training programs. Cabin staff will no longer need to fly to training locations with specific schedules thanks to a 2D version accessible on mobile devices, laptops, and desktop computers. Whether they're lounging at home, taking a stroll, or even commuting to work, they may practice and brush up on their knowledge whenever and wherever they choose. There will be significant financial and environmental savings if additional buildings, interiors, and equipment are not built and maintained.

In a secure setting, the training team can simulate hazardous or complex scenarios of any severity. By doing this, the crew can rehearse worst-case situations and make mistakes until they are proficient and comfortable handling emergencies while on board. New cabin crew members can benefit from frequent MIRA training, which helps to reassure them by engagingly reinforcing their knowledge and understanding. The Emirates Group launched MIRA, an immersive, futuristic digital platform, in 2023, a first for the aviation sector. The platform is revolutionizing the work environment for Group employees, especially for newly hired employees and cabin crew. MIRA has developed gamified settings, simulated experiences, virtual training, 3D virtual hubs, and more.