Virtual Reality

Flight

Flight simulation is an artificial construction of the environment of an aircraft complete with its dynamics which tries to mimic the flight environment as closely as possible which has been highly effective for flight training.

For training

1. Flight simulation is used to train pilots and other flight crew in civil and military aircraft to hone their skills in handling the aircraft in unusual operating conditions and to familiarise themselves with flight characteristics of new aircraft and maintenance engineers in the modelling and creation of aircraft systems.

2. It has also lessened the training risk while improving the quality of the training as it allows severe weather conditions to be selected by the instructors to test the skills of the pilots and the exercises could be repeated continuously to allow the pilot to repeat the motions. This enables the training of manoeuvres and assist them in test situations that might be impractical or dangerous to carry out in the aircraft.

3. Also alleviates airborne congestion.

 

Example

The Boeing 747 simulator with an identical control panel in its cockpit to that of the real plane. To replicate the actual situation, the windows of the flight simulator displays. Computer Generated Images, allowing the trainee to be able to view an identifiable airport and its surroundings, not to mention hear sounds related to his flight experience such as the rush of air around his wings. The simulator is also tilted with 6 hydraulic systems created to simulate turbulence. Almost every type of failure that could happen to the plane such as electrical system, instrument, environmental system and flight control failures can be simulated. This enables the pilots to train and learn at their own pace while providing them with constructive feedback on their performance.

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For research and design

1. Aside from training, it is also used in designing and developing the aircraft and for research into the aircraft’s characteristics and its control handling qualities.

2. This helps in research, development and evaluation of aerospace systems.

3. Simulation helps to try out new aerospace systems as it is modelled and analysed in a synthetic environment, allowing the designer to assess the system performance without having to go through the tedious repeated process of development of the aircraft system.

 

Example

Synthetic environments (SEs) can be used to monitor and assess the whole life cycle of a system from the initial conceptualising to the production and development right up to the flight test and in service use.