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Flight simulation

Absorbing and Developing Qualified Fighter Pilots. The Role of the Advanced Simulator

This technical report (MG-597-AF) was produced by The RAND Corporation in 2007 and was written by Richard S. Marken, William W. Taylor, John A. Ausink, Lawrence M. Hanser, Clarence R. Anderegg and Leslie Wickman. What does an individual need to be considered an experienced fighter pilot? The current formal definition is based on how many flying hours a person has, but in practice, the question is more complex and sometimes subjective because an individual requires different kinds of experience for combat positions and staff positions. The authors surveyed training experts to discover practical bases for judgments about the experience needed for different jobs. For flying positions, they found that time in advanced simulators is now also considered to be an important component of experience. Upgrade levels (say, from wingman to flight lead) and types of sorties flown are factors for both flying and staff positions. The results suggest that it is time for the Air Force to consider revising the view that a pilot is experienced or not is based only on the number of hours flown. The Air Force needs to measure and credit different types of experience — including time spent in advanced simulator systems — when revising its definitions of pilot experience. [Taken from abstract]. This is a PDF file, so Adobe Acrobat software will be required in order to read it.

Advances in Flight Testing

This is Research and Technology Organization(RTO) AGARD Conference Proceedings, AGARD-CP-593, dated December 1997. This proceedings was sponsored by the Flight Vehicle Integration Panel Symposium, held in Lisbon, Portugal, 23-26 September 1996. The Symposium comprised six sessions, each being devoted to a particular field, with one session on Systems Evaluation, including avionics, navigation, propulsion and weapons aspects, two sessions on Technological Advances covering all technical fields such as avionics software, simulation, instrumentation, aerodynamics, test methods etc., one session devoted to an Overview of Current Programmes, one session on Flight Dynamics, incorporating handling qualities, performance and flight controls, and one session addressing Management Problems in Testing. The symposium closed with a discussion between government representatives and manufacturers on "The role of governments in development testing in the 21st century". Bibliographic and abstract details are available in HTML format. A table of contents, and the full text of the document can be accessed online in PDF format. The document is contained in the RTO's Full Text Publication Library.

Aeromedical Aspects of Aircrew Training

This web site provides access to a Research and Technology Organization Meeting Proceedings, RTO-MP-021, Paris, June 1999. The documents contains papers presented at the Human Factors and Medicine Panel (HFM) Workshop held in San Diego, USA, 14-18 October 1998. The objectives of the workshop were to discuss current aeromedical training programmes and to present some new approaches to training. Bibliographic and abstract details are available in HTML format. A table of contents, and the full text (7.97 Mbytes) of the document can be accessed online in PDF format. The document is contained in the RTO's Full Text Publication Library.

Air Traffic Technology International

This magazine is published by UK and International Press and contains information on the latest air traffic control technologies, products, services, simulation and training. Those involved in the aerospace sector are able to register to receive free copies of the journal.

Aircraft and sub-system certification by piloted simulation

This is Research and Technology Organization (RTO) AGARD-AR-278, dated September 1994. There is a steadily increasing tendency to use piloted flight simulators for official clearance of selected areas of flight envelopes and of system behavior or malfunctions. This is a natural and desirable evolution from the wide use of simulation during the development of new aircraft. However, there is a lack of guidance for certification authorities and aircraft manufacturers on simulation standards, validation procedures and general information on the advantages and disadvantages of using simulation as part of a clearance program. This could lead to either inappropriate use of simulators, or unnecessary (and costly) reluctance to use simulation when it is appropriate. In particular, there is concern by many involved with research and engineering development simulators that subjective pilot opinion is often the primary criterion for acceptance of simulators for certification activities. However, clearance demonstrations on a simulator will not usually be experienced in flight until an operational pilot encounters the conditions or configurations of the clearance. Thus validation of the simulator for clearance tasks must involve rigorous model and simulation system validation as well as pilot subjective tests. Subjective adjustments are unacceptable. Working Group 16 was formed by the Flight Mechanics Panel of AGARD to produce an Advisory Report on this subject. The aim was to provide advice and guidance to Certification and Acceptance Authorities, and Aircraft Manufacturers on the appropriate use of piloted simulation as the sole demonstration for aircraft and system flight clearances. The Group included members from Canada, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States. Government R&D Establishments, Armed Service R&D Establishments, and aircraft and simulator manufacturers were all represented. Bibliographic and abstract details are available in HTML format. A table of contents, and the full text (8.35MB) of the document can be accessed online in PDF format. The document is contained in the RTO's Full Text Publication Library.

Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee

The Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee (AEEC) is an international body of airline representatives. AEEC sets the standards for avionics equipment used on the world's commercial air transport aircraft. Over 5000 engineers and scientists representing nearly 500 organisations participate in the AEEC standards setting process. AEEC standards are coordinated with many airline organisations including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The web site, which is hosted by ARINC Inc. provides access to information on AEEC project groups including: Communication, Navigation, Surveillance, Aircraft Systems and Support, Data Buses, Cabin Equipment, Technology Application, Maintenance, and, Simulator Engineering and Maintenance. The full text of draft standards and summary meeting reports are also available. These are PDF format documents. The AEEC newsletter, Aeroline, can also be accessed online as downloadable PDF files.

AIRSIM, a Desktop Research Flight Simulator

This technical report (NLR-TP-1998-338) was published by NLR (the National Aerospace Laboratory of the Netherlands) in 1998 and was written by J. Groeneweg. AIRSIM, which is short for Avionics Integration Research SIMulator, is an integrated desktop research flight simulator, meant for avionics development and tests checkout of research simulator and research aircraft experiments, accident investigation analysis and Air Traffic Control (ATC) simulations. Developed at the National Aerospace Laboratory NLR, AIRSIM can be used as a high fidelity, low cost flight simulator, as a computer-based trainer and as a familiarization tool for aircraft behaviour and cockpit instruments. AIRSIM offers the same basic functionality as NLR?s research flight simulator and has a highly configurable and flexible setup. [Taken from abstract]. This is a PDF file, so Adobe Acrobat software will be required in order to read it.

Analogue Signal Conditioning for Flight Test Instrumentation

This is Research and Technology Organization (RTO) AGARD-AG-160-17, dated April 1986. This Flight-Test Instrumentation AGARDograph in the 160 Series addresses the application of analog signal conditioning to flight-test data-acquisition systems. Emphasis is placed on practical applications of signal conditioning for the most common flight-test data-acquisition systems. A limited amount of theoretical discussion is included to assist the reader in a more complete understanding of the subject matter. Nonspecific signal conditioning, such as amplifications, filtering, and multiplexing, is discussed. Signal conditioning for various specific transducers and data terminal devices is also discussed to illustrate signal conditioning that is unique to particular types of transducers. The purpose of this document is to delineate for the flight-test instrumentation engineer the various signal-conditioning technique options, together with tradeoff considerations, for commonly encountered flight-test situations. Bibliographic and abstract details are available in HTML format. A table of contents, and the full text (237KB) of the document can be accessed online in PDF format. The document is contained in the RTO's Full Text Publication Library.

Assessing the Impact of Future Operations on Trainer Aircraft Requirements

This technical report (MG-348-AF) was published by The RAND Corporation in 2005 and was written by John A. Ausink, Richard S. Marken, Laura Miller, Thomas Manacapilli, William W. Taylor and Michael R. Thirtle. This monograph examines how the skills needed to perform future military missions might affect the capabilities required of new pilot training systems. In the next few years, the Air Force must decide to replace or extend the lives of two of its trainer aircraft. This monograph addresses which skills should be taught in undergraduate flying training, which are so different that they cannot be taught in current training aircraft, and what impact these issues have on decisions to replace or extend the lives of the aircraft. [Taken from abstract]. This is a PDF file so Adobe Acrobat software will be required in order to read it.

Aviation Industry CBT Committee (AICC)

The Aviation Industry CBT (Computer-Based Training) Committee (AICC) is an international association of technology-based training professionals. The AICC develops guidelines for the aviation industry in the development, delivery, and evaluation of CBT and related training technologies. The site includes the following: an interaction area with electronic forum and mailing lists; membership information; news; sub-committees and their activities; and compliance related issues. There is a section on AICC meeting information including minutes of past meetings. Access is also provided to AICC publications, including AICC guidelines and recommendations (AGRs), technical reports, and working documents. The AICC has developed a sample piece of Web-based learning content (requires Authorware Web Player to run) as a reference implementation for any developers wanting to create web-based content that complies with AGR-010 (AICC/Web-Based CMI guidelines). The AICC has also developed an automated testing programme for verifying conformance with selected CMI-related AICC AGRs. This programme is freely available to any person or organization provided that they complete and sign the downloadable license agreement. A link is provided to the AICC's Members Only web site.

Current Aeromedical Issues in Rotary Wing Operations

This web site provides access to a Research and Technology Organization Meeting Proceedings, RTO-MP-019, Paris, August 1999. The documents contains papers presented at the RTO Human Factors and Medicine Panel Symposium, held in San Diego, USA, 19-21 October 1998. This symposium provided a review of the state-of-the-art concerning the various human factors implicated in helicopter operations, new methods and systems for increasing safety and efficiency of the helicopter operations, and new methods and systems for increasing safety and efficiency of the helicopter crew. Bibliographic and abstract details are available in HTML format. A table of contents, and the full text (36.8 Mbytes) of the document can be accessed online in PDF format. The document is contained in the RTO's Full Text Publication Library.

Effect of Airfoil Geometry on Performance with Simulated Ice Accretions, Volume 2: Numerical Investigation

This technical report (DOT/FAA/AR-03/65) was produced by the Aviation Research office of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in August 2003 and was written by Jianping Pan and Eric Loth. A computational study was completed in parallel with the experimental study to investigate the level of robustness of numerical methodologies for iced airfoil aerodynamic performance for a range of Reynolds and Mach numbers and to examine the effects of airfoil shape as well as ice shape location and height. The primary computational methodology employed herein was the WIND code. The grid sensitivity, turbulence model effect, and three-dimensional (3-D) capability aspects of WIND were assessed though detailed validations of selected clean and iced airfoil/wing cases. Of the various Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) turbulence models considered, the Mentor Shear Stress Transport and especially the Spalart-Allmaras models gave the best overall performance, and the latter was chosen for all the performance simulations. The WIND methodology was able to consistently predict the subtle measured trends associated with Reynolds and Mach numbers as well as the dramatic measured trends noted for variation in ice shape height and location, especially for upper surface ice locations and thick airfoils. For a leading-edge iced airfoil, the size effect is still significant but not as large and, in general, the variations in lift, drag, and pitching moment tend to vary more linearly with ice shape size. However, a significant shortcoming of the numerical methodology was the inability to predict a maximum lift coefficient (though such a maximum was noted in the experiments) for airfoils with a large upper surface ice shape; this result was consistent with other codes that use RANS turbulence models. To improve the predictive performance for iced airfoil aerodynamics with respect to stall conditions, unsteady 3-D numerical methodologies, which capture the vertical dynamics (such as Detached Eddy Simulations or Large Eddy Simulations), should be considered. [Taken from abstract] This is a PDF file, so Adobe Acrobat software will be required in order to read it.

Effectiveness of Personal Computers to Meet Recency of Experience Requirements : Final Report

This provides access to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) report, DOT/FAA/AM-03/3, by H.L. Taylor, D.A. Talleur G.L. Bradshaw et al, dated February 2003.The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effectiveness of Personal Computer Aviation Training Devises (PCATDs) and Flight Traning Devices (FTDs) to meet FAA recency of experience requirements for instrument flight. The full text of the report is available in PDF format, from the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) Library's online collection of Aerospace Medicine Technical Reports.

Enhancement of Aircraft Ground Handling Simulation Capability

This web site provides access to a NATO Research and Technology Organization (RTO) document, AGARD-AG-333, August 1998; sponsored by the Flight Vehicle Integration Panel. This report is a guide to methods of representing in a flight simulator, the stability and control of an aircraft on the ground. It updates an earlier publication, AGARDograph 285, in the light of simulation technology improvements over a ten year period. Emphasis is placed on the modeling of the vehicle dynamics, and on the modeling of the tire forces generated by the runway surface. Areas are identified where some current simulators are deficient. The different needs of pilot-in-the-loop and non-real-time simulations are discussed, and topics for further research are identified. Bibliographic and abstract details are available in HTML format. A table of contents, and the full text of the document can be accessed online in PDF format. The document is contained in the RTO's Full Text Publication Library.

Evaluation of Triple Independent Instrument Landing System Approaches to Runways Spaced 4,000 Ft and 5,300 Ft Apart Using A Precision Runway Monitor System

This provides access to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) report, DOT/FAA/CT-TN02/16, by Sherri M. Magyarits and Richard E. Ozmore, DOT/FAA/CT-TN02/16, dated May 2002. The MPAP (Multiple Parallel Approach Program) test team introduced aircraft blunders to test the air traffic control system ability to maintain adequate separation between aircraft on final approaches during critical situations using the proposed runway configuration. The full text of the report is available in PDF format, from the online catalogue of the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center Library.

FAA Advisory Circular AC 120-35B - Line Operational Simulations: LOFT, SPOT, LOE

This advisory circular (AC) presents guidelines for the design and implementation of Line Operational Simulations, including Line-Oriented Flight Training (LOFT), Special Purpose Operational Training (SPOT), and Line Operational Flight Evaluation. This document does not interpret the regulations; interpretations are issued only under established agency procedures. The full text is available as an HTML format document. It is featured on the web site of The Industry CRM Developers Group.

Fidelity analysis of ATFS Series 400 G-FET II Motion-Based Flight Simulation

This is a full text thesis by Kenneth L. Ray which was presented to the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIt) in 2004. Environmental Tectonics Corporation (ETC) has recently designed and manufactured one of the latest centrifuge-based motion flight simulators. The simulator is called the ATFS400X GFET II. The ATFS400X is being marketed as a full fidelity combat tactical flight simulator (8). However, due to phenomena such as coriolis effect and miscommunications between the different bodily systems which sense motion, the ATFS400X cannot authentically replicate the forces experienced by the pilot in flight with a high level of fidelity. Therefore, the goal of ETC is to create a synthetic environment that will immerse the pilot into their simulator experience to such a degree that they feel as though they are in the actual aircraft. The focus of this thesis is to analyze how well the ATFS400X can authentically replicate the G-forces the pilot would feel in the actual aircraft during tactical combat maneuvering. In January of 2004, the author attended an event organized and conducted by ETC at their Southampton, PA facility which they called Operation Orange Flag. A survey was given to each participant following their flight with questions about their experience with the ATFS400X. The results showed a generally less than favorable reaction to the ATFS400X. Participants complained about physiological effects such as spatial disorientation and motion sickness. More often, pilots complained about the lack of quality of visual cues produced by the ATFS400X. It can be shown that by increasing the fidelity of the visual cues in a motion-based flight simulator, artifacts present in the motion cues are more easily accepted by pilots. This is due to a higher level of immersion experienced by the pilot. As visual cueing decreases in fidelity, the effects of artifacts become more noticeable and will produce problems for the pilots including spatial disorientation and motion sickness. The visual systems within the ATFS400X currently are not sufficient for effective combat tactical flight simulation. Additionally, it will be shown that the ATFS400X can not work as a high fidelity combat tactical flight simulator. The physics of centrifuge devices do not allow for comfortable head movements required to conduct such training. This is due to a frequent mismatch between the information given to the brain by the visual and vestibular systems. This mismatch creates sensations of motion not expected by the pilot and causes spatial disorientation and motion sickness. [Taken from abstract]. The full text of the thesis is available in PDF format and is provided by the Air University ResearchWeb site.

Flight Crew Training : Cockpit Resource Management (CRM) and Line-Oriented Flight Training (LOFT)

This provides access to a UK Civil Aviation Authority Publication Civil Aviation Paper CAP 720, 1st edition, August 2002. This document is a reprint of the 1989 ICAO Human Factors Digest No. 2, and concerns Crew Resource Management (CRM) (previously Cockpit Resource Management) principles and training concepts. It has been republished by the CAA with permission from ICAO. (Note: The original ICAO HF Digests have now been merged into the ICAO Human Factors Training Manual published by ICAO in 1998). The text is available in PDF format (320 kb) from the CAA's publications web site.

Flight in an Adverse Environment

This is Research and Technology Organization (RTO) AGARD-LS-197, dated November 1994. The environment in which an airplane must operate is a major cause of aircraft accidents. This lecture series focuses on specific aspects of the environment, both natural and man-made, which are the major contributors to these accidents as follows: (1) wake turbulence and the generation of trailing vortex systems; (2) the results of an extensive flight test program concerning winter storms off the east coast of Canada including effect on aircraft operations; (3) electromagnetic effects including electrical discharge properties, in-flight test program, in-flight lightning models and lightning simulation techniques; (4) response of an aircraft to wind shear and methods of detection and quantifying this natural hazard; (5) heavy rain effects on aircraft systems performances in the light of full scale and model tests; (6) measurements of atmospheric turbulence, treatment of aircraft response to random turbulence and discrete gusts. For individual titles, see N95-14894 through N95-14900. Bibliographic and abstract details are available in HTML format. A table of contents, and the full text (50.10MB) of the document can be accessed online in PDF format. The document is contained in the RTO's Full Text Publication Library.

Flight Simulation Fatigue Crack Growth Guidelines

This technical report (NLR-TP-2001-545) was published by NLR (the National Aerospace Laboratory of the Netherlands) in 2001 and was written by R. J. H. Wanhill. Flight simulation fatigue crack growth tests are used to evaluate fatigue-critical areas and details in aerospace structures, compare candidate materials, joint designs and surface treatments, and provide data for checking crack growth prediction methods. However, such tests evoke complicating issues that need to be addressed by guidelines. This paper gives a number of guidelines obtained from NLR research on test specimens and, more recently, aircraft pressure cabins. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available as a PDF file.

Flight Simulation: Where are the Challenges?

This is Research and Technology Organization(RTO) AGARD Conference Proceedings, AGARD-CP-577, dated April 1996. This proceedings was sponsored by the Advisory Group for Aerospace Research and Development. Effective Flight Simulation is an important capability for NATO nations, and it will become even more important in the face of reductions in defence budgets. This symposium reviewed the state of the art in flight simulation, in order to identify weaknesses where additional research and development are needed. Presentations dealt with simulation used for engineering and for training, both on the ground and in-flight. Session topics were: Visual and Motion Cueing and Requirements; Advances in Modelling; Simulation in Design and Development - Rotorcraft; Simulation in Design and Development - Fixed Wing and Systems; Simulation in Training; In-Flight Simulation; and Future Applications. For individual titles, see N97-10547 through N97-10580. Bibliographic and abstract details are available in HTML format. A table of contents, and the full text of the document (129 Mb) can be accessed online in PDF format. The document is contained in the RTO's Full Text Publication Library.

FlightGear

The FlightGear flight simulator project is an open-source, multi-platform, cooperative flight simulator development project. The goal of the FlightGear project is to create a sophisticated flight simulator framework for use in research or academic environments, for the development and pursuit of other interesting flight simulation ideas, and as an end-user application. The site provides all the downloads and support required to run the software.

Flow Simulation Using a Boundary Conforming Discontinuous Galerkin Finite Element Approach for the Operational Loads Survey Helicopter Rotor in Forward Flight

This technical report (NLR-TP-2002-461) was published by NLR (the National Aerospace Laboratory of the Netherlands) in 2002 and was written by O. J. Boelens, H. van der Ven, B. Oskam and A. A. Hassan. The main issue explored in the present paper is the ability of the boundary conforming discontinuous Galerkin finite element approach to simulate the flow around a helicopter rotor in forward flight. A CFD flow solver based on this approach was developed by researchers from the National Aerospace Laboratory NLR and the Boeing Company. Comparison of the results of the simulation of an Operational Loads Survey helicopter rotor in forward flight using this DG algorithm with the results obtained using more conventional algorithms and wind tunnel measurements shows that the present DG approach yields the same or better agreement between CFD and experimental data. In the discussion of these results special attention will be given to the rotor trimming procedure developed at NLR and to the grid adaptation procedure. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available as a PDF file.

Free Flight Store Simulation Using Beggar

This is the full text of a Master's thesis by Second Lieutenant Judson T. Babcock, USAF, AFIT/GAE/ENY/06-M02, which was presented to the Faculty Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics of Air University's Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), in March 2006. The complete numerical solution of the airflow around a store in extended free flight is of particular importance to the United States Air Force. Beggar is the primary Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) program used by the USAF to obtain solutions for store separations. However, Beggar's ability to simulate a store in free flight is limited because the store must fall through a static background mesh, eventually reaching a point where the solution will fail. The length of any free flight simulation is consequently limited by the height of the background mesh. Code modifications are made to Beggar to remove this requirement by pinning the store in the background mesh at its center of gravity. Rotations are accomplished within the background mesh, but translations are reflected as changes in the grid speeds of the background mesh. This allows the numerical simulation to continue indefinitely. Beggar's ability to model moving components (e.g. control surfaces) in multi-body problems is fully preserved. The modified code is applied to the MK-84 AIR model, which demonstrates that the solution of a pinned store using the modified code adequately matches the solution of a translating store using the unmodified code. In addition, extended free flight simulations are conducted in which the dynamic behavior and long term trajectory of the store are observed. The longest simulation lasts for 135 seconds of solution time. Testing of a generic store body with multiple moving fins results in good agreement between the unmodified and modified solution methods. The modified code reduces overall computational cost by 17% for simulations of similar length because of the smaller background mesh. The combination of indefinite runtime and control surface modeling will make Beggar a powerful tool for studying the non-linear dynamic behavior of stores in free flight. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format on the Scientific and Technical Information Network (STINET) which is provided by the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC).

General Aviation Pilot Performance Following Unannounced In-Flight Loss of Vacuum System and Associated Instruments in Simulated Instrument Meteorological Conditions : Final Report

This provides access to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) report, DOT/FAA/AM-02/19, by K.M. Roy and D.B.Beringer, dated October 2002. Forty-one instrument-rated pilots were exposed to an unannounced failure of attitude and heading instrumentation during flight in single-engine general aviation aircraft.The full text of the report is available in PDF format and is provided by the FAA web site.

International Aircraft Fire and Cabin Safety Research Conference 2001

The International Aircraft Fire and Cabin Safety Research Conference was co-hosted by the United States (US) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA), the European Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA), the Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB), and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority Australia (CASA). It is a follow-on to the International Fire and Cabin Safety Research Conference held in November 1998. The objective of this Conference was to apprise the aviation community of recent, on-going and planned research activities in the areas of aircraft fire and cabin safety since the November 1998 Conference. The Conference comprised presentations and discussions in the areas of fire safety (including materials flammability, fuselage burnthrough, halon replacement, fuel tank explosion, and advanced materials), crash dynamics, evacuation, and operational issues. The presentations are available in powerpoint and PDF format. The PDF documents of some of the presentations are also accessible.

Investigation of Visual Flight Cues for Timing the Initiation of the Landing Flare

This web site provides access to an Australian Bureau of Air Safety Investigation (BASI)Research and Analysis Report (Grant 20050119) written by Steve Palmisano ...[et al] dated June 2006. While improper execution of the flare manoeuvre has been implicated in many landing incidents, very few human factors studies appear to have examined this problem. Our flight simulation study examined three different visual strategies that pilots could use to time the flare. On each trial, non-pilots, student pilots or private pilots were required to judge either: (i) their time-to-contact with the ground; or (ii) an idealised time to initiate the flare. Our data provided some support for the hypothesis that pilots initiate the flare when their perceived time-to-contact with the ground reaches a critical value. Pilot performance was generally superior to non-pilot performance. However, both pilots and non-pilots were found to demonstrate flare timing biases during impoverished visual conditions (i.e. reduced depth cues) - indicating that strategies based on perceptions of environmental distance and/or critical runway angle must also have played a role. Importantly, very accurate timing judgments were possible with richer visual displays (i.e. additional depth cues) that provided performance feedback. Thus, we conclude that entry-level flight simulators can be used for flare timing training if certain minimum visual display conditions have been met. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software will be required in order to read it.

Leveraging DMO's High-Tech Simulation Against the F-16 Flying Training Gap

This is the full text of a thesis by Major Shaun McGrath which was presented to the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in 2005. The task of training pilots to become and remain combat ready in modern fighter aircraft is an increasingly difficult endeavor. The U.S. Air Force’s proliferation of high-tech simulators such as those found in the Mission Training Centers (MTC) present a viable solution to closing the gap in training created by the complexity of advanced fighter aircraft. However, this proliferation resulted from a desire to fill gaps in realistic combat environment training produced by peacetime safety constraints. The purpose of this research is to examine leveraging hi-tech simulation assets against the every growing gap in training caused by a systematic reduction in the average fighter pilot’s flying hours, coincident with a massive increase in fighter aviation technology. The F-16 community in particular, experienced a quantum leap in software and hardware technology advancement over the past decade. The most recent is the implementation of the Common Configuration Implementation Program (CCIP). Taking a basic day-VFR designed fighter, CCIP now merges technologies such as JHMCS, LINK 16, HTS, TGP, AAI, and all the associated “smart precision” weapons into one platform. This exponential leap in capability on a single platform adds to an ever-widening training gap. The MTCs or DMO provides the best means to leverage simulation technology against those major training gaps created by multiple factors- keeping our fighter pilots proficient and combat ready. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format and is provided by the Air University ResearchWeb site.

MAPLESIM : Tailored Solutions for Networking Legacy Flight Simulators - an HLA Based Approach

This technical report (NLR-TP-2001-409) was published by NLR (the National Aerospace Laboratory of the Netherlands) in 2001 and was written by A. J. J. Lemmers and P. J. Kuiper. Traditionally the Flight Simulation Department of the National Aerospace Laboratory NLR is strong in high fidelity human-in-the-loop flight simulation. In order to open up more possibilities for NLR flight simulators as participants in networked simulation exercises, NLR started the project MAPLESIM. During the first part of this project a high-performance network has been created between several of NLR's military flight simulations in combination with computer generated forces using the simulation package ITEMS. This network makes use of NLR's deterministic reflective memory network (SCRAMNet) for real-time distribution of the critical data. This enables data to be distributed at high rates (50 Hz). The next step in this project is a connection between this high performance network and "external" simulations. Two different approaches are followed to realise this connection with the outside world. The first has been a DIS (Distributed Interactive Simulation)-based connection. This DIS gateway has been developed in the summer of 2000. For the second gateway to external simulations an HLA (High Level Architecture) protocol interface unit will be developed. This will make it possible to integrate the NLR simulation environment into a complete synthetic environment, together with Command & Control systems, tactical wargaming tools and exercise observation and evaluation tools. SmartFED, an in-house developed tool that facilitates that proprietary simulators at various geographic locations participate in a joint simulation, will control this environment. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available as a PDF file.

Multi-Method Approach to Understand Pilot Performance in a Sociotechnical Aviation System

This is a Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering PhD dissertation, by Jason J. Saleem, dated June 17, 2003. This research examined human-machine performance in a General Aviation (GA) environment under dynamic conditions using a combination of field study and laboratory experimentation. Using this combination of methods, the functional system of pilots performing a landing approach (both instrument and visual) with a Cessna 172 was described and analysed. Also of interest was how pilot performance was affected by the introduction of nighttime and deteriorating weather conditions to this GA environment. The study also provides an enhanced understanding of the the GA pilot/cockpit system and a systems-oriented cognitive model of this aviation environment as described by the ME/DC method for both VFR and IFR pilots. Further, procedural comparisons were performed between the flight simulator and the actual Cessna 172 used in the field study to provide an increased understanding of how to improve the validity associated with using simulators in research. Findings from both the laboratory and field studies in this research support new designs and technologies envisioned for future aviation systems that would assist the pilot during a landing approach such as weather information systems, head-up displays, synthetic vision, three-dimensional auditory displays, increased automation, and communications filters. Potential future applications of this research are also explored. Bibliographic and abstract details are available in HTML format. The full text of the document is accessible online in PDF format [1.62 Mb]. This title is part of Virginia Tech’s Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Collection (VT ETD).

Patch Repair of Cracks in the Upper Longeron of an F-16 Aircraft of the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF)

This technical report (NLR-TP-2002-294) was published by NLR (the National Aerospace Laboratory of the Netherlands) in 2002 and was written by W.G.J.'t Hart and J.A.M. Boogers. Cracks were detected in the flange of the upper right longeron 16B1111-21, FS 186.90 - FS 247.89 of an F-16 aircraft of the RNLAF. The National Aerospace Laboratory NLR was asked by the RNLAF to consider the possibility of a bonded patch repair. The repair had to last 400 flight hours, at which point the specific F-16 aircraft would be retired from service. Titanium 6A14V sheet was used for repair of the 2 mm thick 2024-T62 aluminium longeron flange. A symmetric bonded repair could be done with a room temperature curing acrylate based adhesive. The feasibility of the proposed repair geometry was determined by performing spectrum fatigue tests. After repair of the F-16 aircraft, periodic inspections were done to check on debonding and fatigue crack propagation. With the retirement from service of the specific F-16 aircraft the project was successfully completed. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available as a PDF file.

Performance of a Component-Based Flight Simulator Architecture Using the HLA Paradigm

This technical report (NLR-TP-2002-470) was published by NLR (the National Aerospace Laboratory of the Netherlands) in 2002 and was written by A. J. J. Lemmers, P. J. Kuiper and F. R. Verhage. Simulation components are the building blocks for simulators and can be used in more than one type of simulator. To enable cost-effective simulator development through reuse and exchange of simulator components, component and distributed simulation technologies can play an important role. Based on the principles of the High Level Architecture (HLA), a component-based simulation architecture for a training system has been proposed by Dutch Space, TNO-FEL and the National Aerospace Laboratory NLR. The federate is composed of various simulation components that interact using the same architecture and infrastructure as well as the overall HLA federation. Verification of the improved architecture performance has been performed by the NLR. The NLR Pilot Station has been restructured in accordance with the component-based concept and an experiment has been set up and carried out to measure the performance with an emphasis on latency issues. Comparison of the component-based simulation architecture with the performance of the validated NLR flight simulation facilities shows the capabilities. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available as a PDF file.

Piloted simulation Study to Develop Transport Aircraft Rudder Control System Requirements Phase 1 : Simulator Motion Reuirements and Initial Results

This provides access to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) technical report DOT/FAA/AR-09 written by Robert Hoh, Paul Desrochers and Thomas Nicholl dated March 2009. This report documents Phase 1 of the Federal Aviation Administration piloted simulator study. The overall objective of this study was to provide guidance to develop rudder flight control system requirements. During the piloted simulator study, pilots flew through large lateral disturbances that required rudder inputs to augment the aileron. The objective of this Phase 1 study was to determine the type of flight simulator required and more specifically, the required lateral motion of the simulator. Once the appropriate type of simulator is determined, additional tests will be performed in Phase 2 of the piloted simulator study. As a result of this study, it was determined that a simulator with large lateral travel should be used in future phases. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available in PDF format so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Research on Noise Abatement Procedures

This technical report (NLR-TP-1998-066) was published by NLR (the National Aerospace Laboratory of the Netherlands) in 1998 and was written by L. J. J. Erkelens. This paper focusses on the noise abatement problem around major airports. Special attention is paid to the noise regulations as applied to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. A series of technical operational measures is subject of current NLR research. The objective of this research is to investigate how community noise, caused by arriving and departing aircraft, can be reduced without degradation of the present level of safety and without significant reduction of airport capacity during peak hours. Two noise abatement procedures, being subject of present research at NLR, are highlighted. These concern a concept for an advanced approach procedure (ACDA) and an advanced procedure for flying Standard Instrument Departures. Results of preliminary research are shown and a combined flight and ATC simulation program, to be carried out in the near future, is explained. [Taken from abstract]. This is a PDF file, so Adobe Acrobat software is required in order to read it.

Selection and Training Advances in Aviation

This is Research and Technology Organization(RTO) AGARD Conference Proceedings, AGARD-CP-588, dated November 1996. These proceedings include the Technical Evaluation Report, Keynote Address, Paper Presentations, and Poster Display Presentations of the Symposium sponsored by the AGARD Aerospace Medical Panel and held at the Ministry of Defence, Prague, Czech Republic, 28-31 May 1996. Over the last few decades, aircraft and air operations have become more sophisticated. Technological innovations have resulted in higher-performance, more-complex weapons systems. That increased performance and complexity have placed greater physical and psychological demands upon aviators. Refinement of materiel and improvements in selection and training technologies have enabled aviator selection and training processes to evolve. The purpose of this Symposium was to unite military and civilian experts in the field of selection and training. The papers addressed aviators election and training, including: human abilities measurement; anthropometric accommodation; gender differences; crew resource management; flight simulators; spatial disorientation; cost effectiveness; centrifuge training; and g-tolerance. These proceedings will be of interest to those concerned with selection criteria, progression in selection techniques, training processes, physiological training, and facility advances in aviation. Interaction of medical, physiological, cognitive, psychomotor, and personality factors in the selection process are highlighted. For individual titles, see N97-16790 through N97-16818. Bibliographic and abstract details are available in HTML format. A table of contents, and the full text of the document (72 Mb) can be accessed online in PDF format. The document is contained in the RTO's Full Text Publication Library.

Simulation AGARD conference proceedings

This is Research and Technology Organization (RTO) AGARD-CP-79, dated January 1971. A review is given on the state of the art of simulation. After short discussion definitions of the term "simulator", the analytical treatment of the simulation problem is explained along general guidelines. Use is made in this connection of the modern (linearised) control theory approach. Some typical examples of fixed-based, moving-based and in-flight simulators are given. Additionally, the tasks which can be tackled by simulators are also discussed in one of the chapters. Considerable efforts is spent for ground simulators with respect to the simulation of the environmental factors, so called cues. The motion, visual and psychological cues, methods of their simulation and their influence on the quality of the simulation is also analysed. Evaluating simulation results can only partly be done by quantitative measurements. The pilot opinion rating is considered of high importance and discussed on one of the chapters. Finally, this report deals with differences between simulation on the ground and in the air, as well as with a danger to thoughtlessly use simulation as a data production facility. Bibliographic and abstract details are available in HTML format. A table of contents and the full text (29.1MB) of the document can be accessed online in PDF format. The document is contained in the RTO's Full Text Publication Library.

Simulation and Flight Test Assessment of Safety Benefits and Certification Aspects of Advanced Flight Control Systems

This technical report (DOT/FAA/AR-03/51) was produced by the Aviation Research office of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in August 2003 and was written by James E. Steck, Kamran Rokhsaz, U. J. Pesonen, Sam Bruner and Noel Duerksen. An adaptive inverse controller for customized fight control systems for general aviation aircraft is presented. The purpose of the system is to render a general aviation aircraft easier to fly via decoupling its flight control system. Artificial neural networks are used to counteract the errors due to nonlinearities and noise and to adapt to partial control failure, thus allowing the pilot to continue to safely control the aircraft. The system was verified with MATLAB simulations for longitudinal flight. Simulations of changing configurations, payload, and partial control system failures have shown that the controller does rapidly adapt to these changes without a need for pilot response. It has also been demonstrated that the controller code can be generated from the Simulink model that is compatible with existing code in the flight computer on a Raytheon Beech Bonanza F33C fly-by-wire test bed. The longitudinal flight theory was extended to lateral-directional flight and an inverse controller was derived. The potential increased safety and certification issues are discussed. [Taken from abstract]. This is a PDF file, so Adobe Acrobat software will be required in order to read it.

Skill - Transfer of PC-Based Simulation to Real Flight - A Comparison of In-Flight Measured Data and Instructor Ratings

This technical report (NLR-TP-2002-693) was published by NLR (the National Aerospace Laboratory of the Netherlands) in 2002 and was written by J. J. M. Roessingh. Three groups of novice pilots received training to fly a complex sequence of aerobatic maneuvers in a light aircraft. Trainees in the control group received in-flight instruction and were given the usual pre- and post-flight briefings by a flight instructor. Trainees in the two experimental groups received extra ground-training: each in-flight lesson was preceded by solo practice with a PC 'game' that simulated the aerobatic maneuvers to be flown in the aircraft. The difference between the two experimental groups concerned the training equipment. One group used a basic PC-configuration, the other used a more advanced PC-configuration in a cockpit-like environment and received more advanced instructional feedback. Progress in individual skill level was measured by the accuracy with which trainees could fly the maneuvers in subsequent flights in the real aircraft. A total of 2053 aerobatic maneuvers were analyzed on the basis of flight-data recordings on board the aircraft. In addition, instructor ratings were collected for each maneuver. We hypothesized that complex manual flying skills, learned on the ground, transfer to the aircraft. The experiment, however, provided no objective support for this hypothesis. There were no significant differences between the three groups as measured by the flight profiles, nor significant differences between the learning curves of the groups. The only difference between the control group and the experimental groups was that the latter groups flew significantly more maneuvers in the same amount of flight time in the aircraft, indicating that PC-based simulation results in a procedural advantage in the air. However, this did not result in more accurate flight profiles. We also found that instructor ratings deviated significantly from the in-flight measured data. In the discussion, we compare these findings with ten published transfer-experiments with PC-based simulation. In these ten studies it is hard to find any evidence for the transfer of manual flying skills from PC-based simulation to real flight. [Taken from abstract.] The full text is available as a PDF file.

Spatial Disorientation Training – Demonstration and Avoidance

This is a Research and Technology Organization (RTO) Technical Report RTO-TR-HFM-118, dated October 2008. Recent accident statistics reveal that Spatial Disorientation (SD) is still a major threat to flight safety in many NATO countries. A review of SD training programmes as applied in most NATO countries, in agreement with STANAG 3114, shows that SD training is not fully developed. The goal of the report is to provide the necessary information to improve these SD training programmes. To this purpose, the report provides many detailed examples of ground-based and in-flight SD training scenarios. Ground-based training devices range from Barany chairs to Full Flight Simulators; in-flight SD training scenarios are described for rotary wing as well as for fixed wing aircraft. A separate chapter is devoted to SD avoidance training for Night Vision Devices. The report also pays attention to the optimization of the SD training programme by selecting the appropriate SD scenarios, by choosing and training the right personnel and by the suitable integration of basic and continuation SD courses into the pilot training programme. An adequate training programme will enhance SD awareness, and consequently, flight safety. A table of contents, and the full text of the document can be accessed online in HTML format. The document is contained in the RTO's Full Text Publication Library.

System Identification for Integrated Aircraft Development and Flight Testing

This web site provides access to a Research and Technology Organization Meeting Proceedings, RTO-MP-011, Paris, March 1999. The document contains papers presented at the the Systems Concepts and Integration Panel (SCI) Symposium held in Madrid, Spain, 5-7 May 1998. The objectives of the symposium were to review the state-of-the-art of flight vehicle system identification, and to provide a critical appraisal of current methods developed and applied to flight test data in a number of NATO countries. Bibliographic and abstract details are available in HTML format. A table of contents, and the full text (35.6 Mbytes) of the document can be accessed online in PDF format. The document is contained in the RTO's Full Text Publication Library

Technical evaluation report on the Guidance and Control Panel 49th Symposium on Fault Tolerant Design Concepts for Highly Integrated Flight Critical Guidance and Control Systems

This is Research and Technology Organization (RTO) AGARD-AR-281, dated May 1990. Twenty-three papers were presented at the Guidance and Control Panel 49th Symposium including the keynote address, covering the following headings; trends in integrated flight critical systems; advanced fault tolerant design concepts; system architectures, mechanization, and integration issues; high integrity software design methodologies and algorithms; and system validation, simulation, and flight test experience. Bibliographic and abstract details are available in HTML format. A table of contents, and the full text (3.78MB) of the document can be accessed online in PDF format. The document is contained in the RTO's Full Text Publication Library.

Technologies for Highly Manoeuvrable Aircraft

This is Research and Technology Organization (RTO) AGARD-CP-548, dated March 1994. The new generation of combat aircraft incorporate significant advances in maneuver capability, especially in such areas as post-stall control and sustained supersonic maneuver. These technologies expand the operational capabilities, and are essential for survival in a sophisticated threat scenario, and also to obtain favorable exchange ratios against an opponent using the current generation of fighters. The aim of this symposium was to review the various technologies, which combine to give this increased operational capability, and the techniques which are available or being developed, to overcome the design problems associated with the attainment of these goals. The symposium was divided into six sessions covering propulsion and integrated flight control, aerodynamics and control at high angles of attack, post-stall flight and control, flying qualities applied criteria, agility and simulation. For individual titles, see N94-34606 through N94-34631. Bibliographic and abstract details are available in HTML format. A table of contents, and the full text (88.29 MB) of the document can be accessed online in PDF format. The document is contained in the RTO's Full Text Publication Library.

The Boundary Conforming Discontinuous Galerkin Finite Element Approach for Rotorcraft Simulations

This technical report (NLR-TP-2002-460) was published by NLR (the National Aerospace Laboratory of the Netherlands) in 2002 and was written by O. J. Boelens, H. van der Ven, B. Oskam and A. A. Hassan. A numerical method has been developed for predicting the complex vortex-wake for a helicopter rotor in hover and in forward flight. The method is based on the solution of the three-dimensional, compressible Euler equations expressed in an Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) reference frame. A second-order accurate discontinuous Galerkin (DG) finite-element method is used to discretize the governing equations on a hexahedral mesh. Unstructured, local mesh refinement is performed to enable prediction of the structure of the vortex-wake. The capabilities of this CFD method are demonstrated by simulations of the flow around the Caradonna-Tung helicopter rotor in hover and simulations of the flow around the Operational Loads Survey helicopter rotor in forward flight. Accuracy of the method is assessed through comparison with wind tunnel data, if available. Special attention is given to a rotor trimming procedure developed by NLR, and the grid adaptation algorithm. [Taken from abstract]. The full text is available as a PDF file.

The Fourth Triennial International Fire and Cabin Safety Research Conference

Held every three years, the Aircraft Fire and Cabin Safety Conference is run on behalf of FAA, JAA, Transport Canada and the Australian, Brazilian, Japanese and Russian authorities. This conference was held in November, 2004 and comprised presentations and discussions in the areas of fire safety (including advances in the inerting of fuel tanks to reduce risk of explosions), crash dynamics, evacuation and operational issues. Advanced materials with low flammability for cabin interiors was another reseatch area of much interest and the subject of aircraft emergency evacuation was extensively covered, with a particular focus on the new generation of double deck aircraft, where software models have been a greater understanding of the factors involved when large numbers of people need to leave the aircraft very quickly. The presentations made under different topics are available in powerpoint format. The PDF documents of most of the presentations can also be accessed.

The Human-Machine Teams Create, Explain, and Recover from Coordination Breakdowns : a Simulator Study of Disturbance Management on Modern Flight Decks

This is a Ohio State University, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering PhD thesis, by Mark I. Nikolic, dated 2004. As the final step in a research programme that included jump-seat observations, a flight instructor survey, and an incident database analysis, the first full-mission simulator study in this area was conducted with twelve airline pilots in order to examine (the effectiveness of) current pilot strategies for diagnosing and recovering from disturbances, and the impact of current automation design on these processes. Pilots flew a one-hour scenario which contained challenging events that probed pilots’ knowledge of, and proficiency in using, the autoflight system. A process tracing methodology was used which integrated behavioural and verbal data in order to identify patterns in strategies across pilots. Bibliographic and abstract details are available in HTML and the full text of the document is accessible online in PDF format (0.88 Mb). This title is part of the OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD) Service

Transport Canada : Commercial and Business Aviation

This branch of Transport Canada is responsible for the safety regulation, inspection and monitoring of all Canadian business and commercial air operators, as well as foreign air operators who operate in Canadian airspace. The site links to information on the Directorate's various areas of responsibility including Airline Inspection; Aviation Occupational Health and Safety, Cabin Safety Standards; Certification Standards; Dangerous Goods Standards; and Operational Standards. There are sections of the site which describe Branch programmes such as the Approved Check Pilot Program, the Generated Minimum Equipment List (GMEL) Program, and the National Simulator Evaluation Program. The site also contains a copy of the Branch business plan and provides access to a number of databases including: Air Operators; Approved Aircraft Simulators and Flight Training Devices; and Minimum Equipment Lists (MMEL and GMEL. A range of full text documents and publications are also available including Commercial and Business Aviation Manuals Policy Letters and Advisory Circulars.

Variable Strategy Model of the Human Operator

This web site provides access to a Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering PhD dissertation, by John Michael Phillips, dated 27 July 2000. The thesis evaluates the performance of the Variable Strategy Model (VSM) by considering several examples, including the longitudinal control of an aircraft during the visual landing task. The author describes the development of a refined landing strategy that takes into account the specific aircraft's dynamic characteristics. The refined strategy is translated back into terminology similar to the existing pilot training literature. Bibliographic and abstract details are available in HTML format. The full text of the document is accessible online in PDF format [1.18 Mb]. This title is part of Virginia Tech’s Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Collection (VT ETD).

Virtual Interfaces: Research and Applications

This is Research and Technology Organization (RTO) AGARD-CP-541, dated May 1994. Recent advances in technologies for information display and sensing of human movements, combined with computer based models of natural and artificial environments, have led to the introduction of so-called virtual interfaces. Virtual interfaces offer increased flexibility and naturalness, so are considered for use in several domains including aviation, training, design, and simulation. Papers presented at this symposium considered issues of research and application in virtual interfaces broadly defined. Issues of technology integration for system development were considered separately from issues of movement monitoring or sensory display. Issues of human performance measurement were presented in the context of both research and application. For individual titles, see N94-37262 through N94-37281. Bibliographic and abstract details are available in HTML format. A table of contents, and the full text (47.37MB) of the document can be accessed online in PDF format. The document is contained in the RTO's Full Text Publication Library.

What is Essential for Virtual Reality Systems to Meet Military Human Performance Goals

This site provides access to a Research and Technology Organisation (NATO) Meeting Proceedings, RTO-MP-058. This contains papers from the RTO Human Factors and Medicine Panel, held in The Hague, The Netherlands, 13 - 15 April 2000. The aims of the workshop were to identify the functional requirements of potential military applications of Virtual Reality (VR) technology, to report the state-of-the-art and projected capabilities of VR technologies, and to propose future research requirements and directions for military applications. Bibliographic and abstract details are available in HTML format. A table of contents, and the full text of the document (10.5 Mbytes) can be accessed online in PDF format. The document is contained in the RTO's Full Text Publication Library.

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