Press Releases

The DiSTI Corporation, a global leader in virtual training solutions, is expanding its efforts to support Volvo Cars by creating custom training programs tailored to the specific needs of the Swedish automotive manufacturer. Volvo Cars recently contracted with DiSTI to develop new maintenance training applications for two new fully electric car models to be launched later this year.

The manufacturer uses DiSTI Schoolhouse as their virtual maintenance training platform to train its technicians and engineers. Using DiSTI Schoolhouse, a managed virtual training solution, with a highly immersive 3D environment allows users to learn about the company’s vehicles in a hands-on way. In 2022, the company used the Schoolhouse to train nearly 4,000 technicians and engineers.

“Virtual maintenance training is not only a cost-effective solution but one that improves technician training through repetition and familiarity with the vehicle,” noted DiSTI CEO John Hayward. “Virtual training helps to improve employee productivity by allowing employees to practice tasks multiple times before performing them in the real world. This approach helps to enhance the training outcomes and improve the quality of work.”

DiSTI Schoolhouse is also being enhanced to allow the manufacturer’s trainers to modify lessons on a per-market basis. This approach gives greater flexibility to fine-tune the lessons to provide an optimal training experience for its technicians and engineers around the world.

DiSTI’s VE Studio, a virtual training development platform, is used to build these immersive virtual training programs designed to educate and assess technicians on:

• Vehicle troubleshooting
• EVT (Electric Vehicle Technician) and A-EVT (Advanced-Electric Vehicle Technician) Disassemble & Assembly the high voltage battery
• De-energizing and Energizing the high-voltage battery
• Battery inspection
• IVI (In-Vehicle Infotainment) Connectivity setup & troubleshooting

Without the need for a physical model, virtual training provides opportunities to learn new skills and improve the maintenance and diagnostic process.

To learn more about the world-class training solutions provided by The DiSTI Corporation, contact us at sales@disti.com

The United States Air Force has awarded the Azure Training Systems JV, LLC (Azure JV) a prime contract position on the Training Systems Acquisition IV (TSA IV) indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract. The TSA IV IDIQ provides for the analysis, design, development, production, installation, integration, test, and sustainment of Air Force training systems to support warfighter training at operating locations worldwide.

“We are excited to be awarded a position on the TSA IV contract and to bring the capabilities of the Azure JV to bear in support of USAF training objectives,” said Kurt Flosky, President of FAAC Incorporated, the Azure JV Managing Partner. “The Azure JV was formed through the synergistic partnership of three uniquely qualified companies: DiSTI, FAAC, and PULAU. Our collective capabilities, harnessed under the Azure JV, provide the USAF a qualified partner with a proven track record of meeting or exceeding customer expectations.”

Through TSA-IV, the US Air Force provides support for the pilot, aircrew, maintenance, and operational training systems for fixed and rotary wing platforms. It will support USAF active duty, reserve, and Air National Guard and Department of Defense (DoD) joint warfighters and Foreign Military Sales (FMS).

“DiSTI has been at the forefront of pioneering technology for the Air Force for nearly 30 years. Our commitment to providing the warfighter with innovative training solutions is unwavering,” stated DiSTI CEO John Hayward. “Our expertise provides a competitive advantage to the airpower capabilities of our nation and to every individual warfighter that trains on our systems.”

Azure JV is one of 37 entities awarded a position on TSA IV. TSA IV IDIQ is a Multiple Award contract with a potential ceiling value of up to approximately $32.5 billion over ten years. Modernization and sustainment of all U.S. Air Force pilot and aircrew training systems will be executed through this newly issued contract. The predominance of the work issued under TSA IV will be sustainment to include CLS, TSSC, and concurrency modifications (generally software upgrades) of existing training systems. TSA IV’s scope also includes courseware development and instruction and the development of new training systems.

“PULAU Corporation is proud to be a member of the Azure team and excited to once again provide technical expertise and support to the men and women of the U.S. Air Force,” commented PULAU President Mike Armstrong. “We’re especially proud of our ability to quickly adapt and respond to our customer’s volatile mission requirements across platforms and around the world.”

To learn more about the world-class training solutions provided by The DiSTI Corporation, contact us at sales@disti.com

The DiSTI Corporation, the world’s leading graphical user interface software provider, is pleased to announce that Hill Helicopters, a British company, has adopted GL Studio, as the company’s HMI Software development tool, in the production of their avionics suite for luxury private helicopter models HX50 and HC50.

“GL Studio is the perfect tool for delivering the high-performance graphics and user experience that our customers demand,” stated John Hayward, CEO of DiSTI. “We are proud to have our software be part of Hill Helicopter’s journey as they continue to push the boundaries of innovation in the aviation industry.”

GL Studio provides an advanced toolset that has equipped Hill Helicopters to build an elegant user experience for the Visual Flight Rules (VFR) helicopter. The software is being leveraged to develop a certifiable software stack which is tested using piloted trials on an engineering simulator. The solution has enabled Hill Helicopters to link third-party systems such as the radio, intercom, GPS, and transponder with the User Interface application.

“Unlike any other aircraft user interface, which brings with it the complexities of instrument flying, the HX50 and HC50 pilot cockpit experience is directly tailored for visual flight conditions. The digital cockpit is designed for intuitive simplicity of use, merging the clarity of automotive displays with an adaptation of the traditional primary flight display will maximize the pilot “eyes out” of the window time and will require minimal training to use,” explained Jason Hill, Founder, and CEO at Hill Helicopters. “GL Studio continues to enable us to quickly prototype and simulate the user experience and adjust the design using in-simulation flight scenarios all in-house. We are looking forward to taking the prototype software forward into flight test and certification using the “SC” version of GL Studio in the very near future.”

The identical cockpits of the HX50 and HC50 include three touchscreen displays: two larger panels for primary flight and engine instrumentation and a smaller display called the Integrated Pilot Interface (IPI) in the center console. The IPI and attached rotary puck gives the pilot quick access and tactile control over settings such as radio frequencies, barometric pressure setting, transponder, autopilot, infotainment, and climate control. The ground-up design and development of the system in GL Studio has enabled the Hill Helicopters team to build an avionics suite with unprecedented ease of use and situational awareness for the pilot. By introducing a user experience similar to what many have become accustomed to in mobile devices and automobiles, the Hill engineering team aims to make flying easier and safer.

Additionally, the ability to iterate designs quickly in GL Studio has made it possible for Hill Helicopter’s engineers to take ideas from concept to reality on a running test-bench in as little as a few hours.

To learn more about DiSTI’s GL Studio HMI software development tool and avionics solutions provided by The DiSTI Corporation, contact us at sales@disti.com

The DiSTI Corporation, virtual training development solutions provider, announced the availability of VE Studio 2023.1, the company’s industry-leading solution for virtual maintenance training development. VE Studio 2023.1 features extended Virtual Reality (VR) capabilities, improved VR runtime performance, and updated developer tools.

The focus of this release has been on improving virtual reality development capabilities. With this latest update, developers can now author once and deploy to multiple runtime targets, meaning that lessons created for a desktop trainer can also run in VR without any changes. VE Studio makes it easier to create engaging learning experiences for students of all levels and maximize the potential of your virtual training project.

Overall, this release enhances the developer and trainee experience for all VE Studio-supported build targets, including:

• Windows Desktop
• Tethered VR
• Mobile VR

“VE Studio helps developers build robust applications in record time, enabling technologists to accelerate the delivery of innovative projects to power the future of training,” stated DiSTI President Joe Swinski. “The team behind VE Studio listens to the needs of our customers and is committed to pushing the boundaries of what is possible to meet those emerging requirements.”

VE Studio 2023.1 now offers:

• VR Hand Tools
• VR Freeze Conditions
• VR Magnifying Glass
• C# Test Driver
• VR Dominant Hand Selection
• Developer Fixes from internal projects
• VR Lesson Step List
• Unity 2022.1 support
• VR Button Bar
• Meta Quest 2, Meta Pro, and similar headsets support
• VR Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricant
• Bug Fixes

The DiSTI VE Studio engineering team has brought VE Studio 2023.1 to market shortly after its most recent update. The endeavor continues DiSTI’s commitment to providing the most developer-friendly virtual training development platform.

Existing VE Studio customers who would like to inquire about updating their current version of VE Studio should contact support@disti.com. For individuals seeking to learn more about VE Studio and the solutions provided by DiSTI, please reach out to sales@disti.com

The DiSTI Corporation, the global leader in virtual maintenance training, has been awarded a contract supporting the upgrade to the United States Navy F-18 Simulated Aircraft Maintenance Trainer (SAMT) program by J.F. Taylor.

The improvements to the trainer will consist of upgrading the SAMT to include obsolete computer system hardware and the computer operating system (OS) in four identical SAMTs at NAS Oceana, Virginia.

“Modifying the SAMT to meet current Fleet configuration will greatly improve warfighter readiness,” said Tom Neary, DiSTI’s Director of Programs. “This program provides sailors with a realistic, full-spectrum maintenance trainer for electrical/flight control, avionics, armament, and fuel-related task areas.”

The SAMT device 11H171 is used to provide the capability to simulate through visual representation all external cockpit system functionality related to maintenance, operation, servicing, troubleshooting, and repair of the FA-18C aircraft configuration and associated engineering changes. This program includes the means for demonstration and instruction through either instructor-led or trainee self-paced interaction with simulation software and cockpit hardware.

“J.F. Taylor is excited to have DiSTI as part of the SAMT Obsolescence and Operating System upgrade program,” stated J.F. Taylor program manager Dave Hesse. “Their experience and knowledge with the SAMT systems and virtual trainers, in general, is second to none. J.F. Taylor is glad to have DiSTI as our partner in this important Fleet program.”

For individuals seeking to learn more about Virtual Maintenance Training and the solutions provided by DiSTI, please reach out to sales@disti.com

The DiSTI Corporation, a leading provider of HMI software and virtual training development solutions, announced the availability of VE Studio 2022.3, the company’s industry-leading solution for virtual maintenance training development. VE 2022.3 features improved Virtual Reality (VR) stability, an enhanced VR User Experience (UX), and compatibility with Unity 2021 LTS.

With improvements to the user experience throughout both wired VR and wireless VR build targets, DiSTI leverages the latest technology to empower user productivity for virtual training solution development. With DiSTI’s use of Unity’s OpenXR library for handling headset and controller mappings, developers can seamlessly target a wide range of AR/VR devices. This feature makes switching headset hardware easier, and switching between wired and wireless VR is a smoother experience.

“The team behind VE Studio 2022.3 keeps the customer’s needs in focus. Engineers developed these new features with the best user experience possible in mind,“ said Doug Classe, Program Manager for VE Studio. “Developers can further harness more power of Unity’s game engine capability, leading to greater potential for student learning outcomes.”

This latest update to VE Studio allows developers to use newer features of Unity, allowing for additional and more recent Unity assets in projects. VE Studio 2022.3 is now using a Physically-Based Rendering (PBR) PBR-compliant material library to upgrade the realism of 3D models.VE Studio 2022.3 now offers:

• Updated Unity to Unity 2021 LTS
• Replacement of deprecated UNet library with Mirror
• Several VR UX Improvements
• Updates to the VE Studio project and VE Studio lesson samples
• Oculus VR headset testing
• Refined lighting optimizations
• Addition of PBR Materials library

Over 90 days, the DiSTI VE Studio engineering team has brought VE Studio 2022.3 to market, including a new 2D menu system for VR builds. The endeavor continues this software company’s commitment to providing a superior software development platform.

Existing VE Studio customers who would like to inquire about updating their current version of VE Studio should contact support@disti.com. For individuals seeking to learn more about VE Studio and the solutions provided by DiSTI, please reach out to sales@disti.com