In this episode, we’re joined by Ronnie Hughan, the creator and CEO of CanopyPilot and Skydive VR, one of the pioneers bringing virtual reality into skydiving training. With more than 6,100 jumps and 34 years of instructional experience, he has dedicated his career to helping students become safer, more confident canopy pilots — and today, VR is one of his most powerful tools. Jumping since 1981, he shares the experiences that shaped his mission, including a hard landing early in his career that left a lasting impression on how students learn and how mistakes happen. Years later, as an IT project manager discovering VR in 2015, he immediately saw the potential:What if skydivers could practice real decision-making under canopy — safely, repeatedly, and with immediate feedback? We dive into: How VR training helps students understand patterns, wind, obstacles, and real landing decisions The difference between “coach mode” and “test mode” — and how it reveals who’s truly ready to jump Teaching a completely deaf student to fly a parachute in just 45 minutes using VR Why many instructors are hesitant to adopt new training methods His “theoretical runway” technique for quickly assessing your landing point Insights from tight landing areas like those at The Ranch in New York How the military and teams like Flight One are already implementing VR for canopy training The ongoing study with the French Parachute Federation, with early results looking extremely promising The future of VR: streamlined hardware, improved accessibility, and drop zones using VR as both a training and marketing tool From experiential learning to modern technology, this conversation highlights how VR isn’t replacing instructors — it’s making them more effective and helping students show up prepared, confident, and safe. If you're passionate about skydiving, canopy progression, or the future of training tools in our sport, this episode is a must-listen. Learn more: CanopyPilot.io 🚀This podcast is made possible by Skydive Sim, the world's most advanced skydive simulator. You can find more info and all SkydiveSim videos at: https://www.skydivesim.com/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/SkydiveSim Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Skydive Sim Discord: https://discord.gg/3ZXCB2Fu8R Link to purchase SkydiveSim for Quest (Quest 2 or 3 only): https://www.meta.com/experiences/3711951435596517/?utm_source=applabgamelist.com Link to purchase SkydiveSim on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1410000/SkydiveSim__Skydiving_Simulator/ Skydive Sim, skydiving, canopy training, VR skydiving, Ronnie Hughan, CanopyPilot, Skydive VR, virtual reality training, parachute training, skydiving instruction, canopy coaching, AFF training, VR flight training, extreme sports VR, skydive safety, parachute landing, experiential learning, skydiving technology, VR canopy piloting, jump training, drop zone training, skydiving simulator, metaverse training tools
