00:00Welcome to Fort Riley, Kansas.
00:04While it looks quiet from the outside,
00:06inside this facility, pilots are flying
00:08into the heat of battle without ever
00:10leaving the ground. This is the flight
00:12simulation facility, the ultimate
00:14training ground for the Army's best aviators.
00:16Here, the fleet is entirely
00:18virtual. You have one Chinook,
00:20two Blackhawks, two Apaches,
00:22and even unmanned aerial vehicle simulators.
00:24But don't mistake this for a video game.
00:26These machines replicate every
00:28vibration, tactical scenario,
00:30and emergency procedure with terrifying
00:32accuracy. The most shocking
00:34difference between the real world and this room?
00:36The cost. Conducting live-fire
00:38exercises with real helicopters can
00:40cost over $20 million a month.
00:42Here, pilots can run those same drills
00:44for about $200 an hour.
00:46That is massive efficiency.
00:48But it's not just about money, it's about muscle memory.
00:50Take the Apache helicopter,
00:52for instance. In the front seat, the gunner
00:54handles the lethal firepower using a
00:56complex electronic display and control system.
00:58This training forces them to
01:00memorize every button's location by touch
01:02alone, keeping their eyes locked on the target.
01:04Because in a real firefight,
01:06finding the right switch in a split second
01:08isn't just a skill, it's the difference between
01:10life and death.
01:12.
01:26.
01:28.
01:30.
01:32.
01:34.
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