IMMERSIVE MULTIMEDIA IN EDUCATION

FLIGHT SIMULATION

NAME : CLASS : I/C :

MOHD ABRAR BIN JUNID 5 ALFA 940417-13-5139

TEACHER: PN ROZILAWATI BINTI YAHYAH

Introduction

Flight simulation is an artificial re-creation of aircraft flight and various aspects of the flight environment. This includes the equations that govern how aircraft fly, how they react to applications of their controls and other aircraft systems, and how they react to the external environment such as air density, turbulence, cloud, precipitation, etc. Flight simulation is used for a variety of reasons, including flight training (mainly of pilots), for the design and development of the aircraft itself, and for research into aircraft characteristics, control handling qualities, and so forth. Flight simulations have varying degrees of hardware, modeling detail and realism that depend on their purpose. They can range from PC laptop-based models of aircraft systems, to simple replica cockpits for familiarization purposes, to more complex cockpit simulations with some working controls and systems, to highly detailed cockpit replications with all controls and aircraft systems and wide-field outside-world visual systems, all mounted on six degree-offreedom (DOF) motion platforms which move in response to pilot control movements and external aerodynamic factors.

Types Of Flight Training Devices In Service

Training for pilots
Flight simulation is used extensively in the aviation industry for the training of pilots and other flight crew in both civil and military aircraft. It is also used for the training of maintenance engineers in aircraft systems, and has applications in aircraft design and development, also in aviation and other research. Several different types of devices are utilized in modern flight training. These range from simple Part-Task Trainers (PTTs) that cover one or more aircraft systems to Full Flight Simulators (FFS) with comprehensive aerodynamic and systems modeling. This spectrum encompasses a wide variety of fidelity in both physical cockpit characteristics and quality of software models, as well as various implementations of sensory cues such as sound, motion, and visual systems. The following training device types are in common use:
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Cockpit Procedures Trainer (CPT) - Used to practice basic cockpit procedures, such as emergency checklists, and for cockpit familiarization. Certain aircraft systems may or may not be simulated. The aerodynamic model is usually extremely generic if one is even present at all. CPTs are usually not regulated.

Aviation Training Device (ATD) - Used for basic training of flight concepts and procedures. A generic flight model representing a "family" of aircraft is installed, and many common flight systems are simulated.

Basic Instrument Training Device (BITD) - A basic training device primarily focused on generic instrument flight procedures.

Flight and Navigation Procedures Trainer (FNPT) - Used for generic flight training. A generic, but comprehensive flight model is required, and many systems and environmental effects must be provided.

Flight Training Device (FTD) - Used for either generic or aircraft specific flight training. Comprehensive flight, systems, and environmental models are required. High level FTDs require visual systems but not the characteristics of a Full Flight Simulator (FFS)

Full flight simulator (FFS) - Used for aircraftspecific flight training under rules of the appropriate National Civil Aviation Regulatory Authority. Under these rules, relevant aircraft systems must be fully simulated, and a comprehensive aerodynamic model is required. All FFS require outside-world (OTW) visual systems and a motion platform.

Full Mission Simulator (FMS) - used by the military to denote a simulator capable of training all aspects of an operational mission in the aircraft concerned.

Engineering simulation
Engineering flight simulators are used by aerospace manufacturers for such tasks as:
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Development and testing of flight hardware. Simulation (emulation) and stimulation techniques can be used, the latter being where real hardware is fed artificially-generated or real signals (stimulated) in order to make it work. Such signals can be electrical, RF, sonar, etc., depending on the equipment to be tested. Development and testing of flight software. It is much safer to develop critical flight software on simulators or using simulation techniques than it is to develop using actual aircraft in flight. Development and testing of aircraft systems. For electrical, hydraulic, and flight control systems, full-size engineering rigs sometimes called 'Iron Birds' are used during the development of the aircraft and its systems.

Technology
Motion in flight simulators
A Full flight simulator (FFS) duplicates relevant aspects of the aircraft and its environment, including motion. This is typically accomplished by placing a replica cockpit and visual system on a motion platform. A six degree-of-freedom (DOF) motion platform using six jacks is the modern standard, and is required for the so-called Level D flight simulator standard of civil aviation regulatory authorities such as FAA in the USA and EASA in Europe. Since the travel of the motion system is limited, a principle called 'acceleration onset cueing' (which see) is used. This simulates initial accelerations well, and then returns the motion system to a neutral position at a rate below the pilot's sensory threshold in order to prevent the motion system from reaching its limits of travel. Flight simulator motion platforms used to use hydraulic jacks but electric jacks are now being used. The latter do not need hydraulic motor rooms and other complications of hydraulic systems, and can be designed to give lower latencies (transport delays) compared to hydraulic systems. Level D flight simulators are used at training centers such as those provided by Airbus, FlightSafety International, CAE, Boeing Training and Flight Services (ex-Alteon) and at the training centers of the larger airlines. In the military, motion platforms are commonly used for large multi-engined aircraft and also in helicopters, except where a training device is designed for rapid deployment to another training base or to a combat zone.

Statistically significant assessments of training transfer from simulator to the aircraft are difficult to make, particularly where motion cues are concerned. Large sample sizes of pilot opinion are required and many subjective opinions tend to be aired, particularly by pilots not used to making objective assessments and responding to a structured test schedule. However, it is generally agreed that a motion-based simulation gives the pilot closer fidelity of flight control operation and aircraft responses to control inputs and external forces. This is described as "handling fidelity", which can be assessed by test flight standards such as the numerical Cooper-Harper rating scale for handling qualities. Generally, motion-based aircraft simulation feels like being in an aircraft rather than in a static procedural trainer. In a re-structuring of civil flight training device characteristics and terminology that will take place in about 2012, the Level D Full flight simulator will be re-designated an ICAO Type 7 and will have improved specifications for both motion and visual systems. This is a result of a rationalisation of worldwide civil flight training devices through which 27 previous categories have been reduced to seven.

Qualification and Approval

Procedure
In order for a Flight Simulation Training Device (FSTD) to be used for flight crew training or checking, it must be evaluated by the local National Aviation Authority (NAA), such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States. The training device in question is evaluated against a set of regulatory criteria, and a number of both objective and subjective tests are conducted on the device. The results of each test, along with other significant information about the FSTD and its operator, are recorded in a Qualification Test Guide (QTG). The result of the initial evaluation of the FSTD, called the Master QTG (MQTG), details the baseline performance of the device as accepted by the qualifying authority. A periodic re-evaluation, called a recurrent qualification, is performed regularly, generally in one year intervals (although the interval can be as low as six months for some FAA evaluations and as high as three years for some European evaluations), and the performance of the device is evaluated against the MQTG. Any significant deviations may result in the suspension or revocation of the device's qualification. The criteria against which an FSTD is evaluated are defined in one of a number of regulatory and/or advisory documents. In the United States and China, FSTD qualification is regulated in 14 CFR Part 60. In most of Europe, as well as several other parts of the world, the relevant regulations are defined in JAR-FSTD A and JAR-FSTD H. The testing requirements vary between the different levels of qualification, but almost all levels require that the FSTD show that it matches the flight characteristics of the aircraft or family of aircraft being simulated. The main exception to the above process is the evaluation of an ATD by the FAA. Rather than other FSTD, where each device is evaluated on an individual basis, ATDs are evaluated as a model line. When a manufacturer wishes to have a model of ATD approved, a document that contains the specifications of the model line and that proves compliance with the appropriate regulations is submitted to the FAA. If this document, called a Qualification Approval Guide (QAG) is approved, all future devices conforming to the QAG are automatically approved, and individual evaluation is neither required nor available. Until the publication of Part 60, qualification was called certification, and QTGs were called Approval Test Guides (ATGs). The terms certification and ATG no longer have any regulatory meaning other than for FSTD that remain qualified under FAA AC 120-45 or any other legacy standard.

Flight Simulator levels and other categories

US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Flight Training Devices (FTD)
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FAA FTD Level 4 - Similar to a Cockpit Procedures Trainer (CPT). This level does not require an aerodynamic model, but accurate systems modeling is required. Helicopter only. FAA FTD Level 5 - Aerodynamic programming and systems modeling is required, but it may represent a family of aircraft rather than one specific model. FAA FTD Level 6 - Aircraft model specific aerodynamic programming, control feel, and physical cockpit are required. FAA FTD Level 7 - Model specific. All applicable aerodynamics, flight controls, and systems must be modeled. A vibration system must be supplied, and this is the first level to require a visual system. Helicopter only.

Full Flight Simulators (FFS)

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FAA FFS Level A - A motion system is required with at least three degrees of freedom. Airplane only. FAA FFS Level B - Requires three axis motion and a higher-fidelity aerodynamic model than Level A. The lowest level of helicopter flight simulator. FAA FFS Level C - Requires a motion platform with all six degrees of freedom. Also lower transport delay (latency) over levels A & B. The visual system must have an outside-world horizontal field of view of at least 75 degrees to each pilot. FAA FFS Level D - The highest level of FFS qualification currently available. Requirements are for Level C with additions. The motion platform must have all six degrees of freedom, and the visual system must have an outside-world horizontal field of view of at least 150 degrees, with a Collimated (distant focus) display. Realistic sounds in the cockpit are required, also a number of special motion and visual effects.

European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA, ex JAA)

Flight Navigation and Procedures Trainer (FNTP)[6]
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EASA FNPT Level I EASA FNPT Level II EASA FNTP Level III MCC - Not a true "level" of qualification, but an add-on that allows any level of FNPT to be used

for multi crew cooperation training.

Flight Training Devices (FTD)

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EASA FTD Level 1 EASA FTD Level 2 EASA FTD Level 3 - Helicopter only.

Full Flight Simulators (FFS)

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EASA FFS Level A EASA FFS Level B EASA FFS Level C EASA FFS Level D

Manufacturers
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Flight Safety International (FSI) (United States), Frasca International, Inc. L-3 Link Rockwell Collins Opinicus CAE Inc. Mechtronix Systems (Canada) Sim Industries in the Netherlands Indra Sistemas in Spain Indra Systems (United States) Havelsan in Turkey AXIS Flight Training Systems in Austria Thales Group in France and the UK CSTS Dinamika in Russia Aerosim

Instructor operating stations

Most simulators have Instructor Operating Stations (IOS). At the IOS, an instructor can quickly create any normal and abnormal condition in the simulated aircraft or in the simulated external environment. This can range from engine fires, malfunctioning landing gear, electrical faults, storms, downbursts, lightning, oncoming aircraft, slippery runways, navigational system failures and countless other problems which the crew need to be familiar with and act upon.
Figure 1 - The TL39 3-DoF motion simulator with IOS at MAI University

Many simulators allow the instructor to control the simulator from the cockpit, either from a console behind the pilot's seats, or, in some simulators, from the co-pilot's seat on sorties where a co-pilot is not being trained. Some simulators are equipped with PDA-like devices in which the instructor can fly in the copilot seat and control the events of the simulation, while not interfering with the lesson. Flight simulators are an essential element in individual pilot as well as flight crew training. They save time, money and lives. The cost of operating even an expensive Level D Full Flight Simulator is many times less than if the training was to be on the aircraft itself and a cost ratio of some 1:40 has been reported for Level D simulator training compared to the cost of training in a real Boeing 747 aircraft.

Modern high-end flight simulators

High-end commercial and military flight simulators have large field-ofview (FoV) image generation and display systems of high resolution. All civil Full Flight Simulators (FFS) and many military simulators for large aircraft and helicopters also have motion platforms for cues of real motion. Platform motions complement the visual cues and are particularly important when visual cues are poor such as at night or in reduced visibility or, in cloud, nonexistent. The majority of simulators with motion platforms use variants of Figure 2 - Stewart platform the six cylinder Stewart platform to generate cues of initial acceleration. These platforms are also known as Hexapods (literally "six feet") and use an operating principle known as Acceleration onset cueing (which see). Motion bases using modern hexapod platforms can provide about +/- 35 degrees of the three rotations pitch, roll and yaw, and about one metre of the three linear movements heave, sway and surge. The NASA Ames Research Center in "Silicon Valley" south of San Francisco operates the Vertical Motion Simulator. This has a very large-throw motion system with 60 feet (+/- 30 ft) of vertical movement (heave). The heave system supports a horizontal beam on which are mounted rails of length 40 feet, allowing lateral movement of a simulator cab of +/- 20 feet. A conventional 6-degree of freedom hexapod platform is mounted on the 40 ft beam, and an interchangeable cabin is mounted on the hexapod platform. This design permits quick switching of different aircraft cabins. Simulations have ranged from blimps, commercial and military aircraft to the Space Shuttle. In the case of the Space Shuttle, the large Vertical Motion Simulator was used to investigate a longitudinal pilot-induced oscillation (PIO) that occurred on an early Shuttle flight just before landing. After identification of the problem on the VMS, it was used to try different longitudinal control algorithms and recommend the best for use in the Shuttle programme. After this exercise, no similar Shuttle PIO has occurred. The ability to simulate realistic motion cues was considered important in reproducing the PIO and attempts on a nonmotion simulator were not successful (a similar pattern exists in simulating the roll-upset accidents to a number of early Boeing 737 aircraft, where a motion-based simulator is needed to replicate the conditions). AMST Systemtechnik (Austria) and TNO Human Factors (the Netherlands) have developed the Desdemona flight simulation system for the Netherlands-based research organisation TNO. This large scale simulator provides unlimited rotation via a gimballed cockpit. The gimbal sub-system is supported by a framework which adds vertical motion. Furthermore, this framework is mounted on a large rotating platform with an adjustable radius. The Desdemona simulator is designed to provide sustainable g-force simulation with unlimited rotational freedom.

Radio-controlling simulators
A specific field for flight simulation are radio-controlled models - mostly airplanes and helicopters - that are steered from the ground by a transmitter. Here a major part of the learning curve for the pilot is the coordination between finger movement - typically via two joysticks for pitch/yaw and nick/roll - and the model reaction. RC flight simulator software thus uses an input, mostly an USB cable, from the same transmitter that is used for the actual model. With this setup the pilot can learn basic flying procedures without the risk of damaging the model. Current products use photographic textures from real flight fields and mimic the model and weather behaviour with complex physical models.

Advances in modern electronics

Advances in electronics are now starting to bring pitch & roll motion platforms down into the realms of the high end home pilot. A simple combination of COTS (commercial off the shelf) hardware & software now allows home builders to construct simple pitch & roll platforms with some even building hexapod type platforms. These advances are also making it possible to home build controls with Force Feedback which simulates external forces on the control surfaces of the aircraft including hydraulic failures in control systems & the sensation of a landing on the controls. See also Force Feedback Australian flight & helisim builder Rainman Simulators currently has some of these systems in the development stage.