FLIGHT SIMULATOR TECHNOLOGY AS A TEACHING AID

Simulators. For many, the very word conjures up visions of mammoth box-like machines articulating on hydraulic legs as if controlled by some remote alien intelligence rehearsing for a part in War of the Worlds. For others, a simulator or “sim” is simply a joystick, mouse, and a favorite desktop flight simulation program. Although the term simulator or full flight simulator (FFS) technically does refer specifically to those larger than life, multi-million dollar box-like machines mentioned above, simulator has become the all-encompassing word used almost universally to mean nearly any flight simulation setup.

Simulators, no matter how you choose to refer to them, have been around in one form or another almost as long as flight itself. They come in many flavors; the spectrum running the gamut from off-the-shelf mass appeal products that you can pick up at nearly any electronics superstore, to the specialized one-of-a-kind machines used in the space program. In this brief flight simulation introduction we’ll be focused toward the more down-to-earth variants, on the types of devices utilized in General Aviation (GA). A typical such device usually includes physical flight controls (e.g., joystick, yoke, rudder pedals), flight simulation software, and a computer.

It’s interesting to note that although the adoption and acceptance of simulators within the GA community has previously been rather conservative, sims have long been a training staple of the military, airlines, and NASA. Thanks however to rapid advances in the power of personal computers and wider acceptance of technology in general, sims in GA have become much more commonplace. No longer are sims considered some unobtainable technology requiring rooms full of computers and a budget that could run a small country. Rather, sims are now accessible by almost any individual or training organization wanting to integrate the numerous benefits of this technology into their training programs.

Why Simulators?

As the famous story goes, a person on the streets of New York asks a man, “Pardon me sir, but how do I get to Carnegie Hall?” The man replies, “Practice, practice, practice.” Indeed, practice is the key to becoming fundamentally good at anything. Flying is no different. But why practice using simulators as opposed to just going out and flying? There are actually several good reasons but paramount among them is the fact that simulators provide a unique opportunity to practice in a safe, distraction-free environment that is conducive to the concentrated focus necessary for true learning to take place. It’s just a fact that the actual aircraft cockpit can simply be a poor classroom depending on what is being taught, workload, weather, traffic, etc. In addition, there are some things that can be practiced in a sim that would be impractical and/or possibly dangerous to do in an actual aircraft. It should be noted however that simulators are uniquely suited to yield greater benefits for some disciplines within the art and science of flying more than others. An excellent example of this is instrument flying.

Blind Flight in Theory and Practice

In this first book on instrument flying published in 1932, authors William C. Ocker and Carl J. Crane used the term “blind flight” to refer to flight without reference to the “natural instrument” (the visually observed natural horizon). Although not immediately apparent or accepted as fact at the time, Ocker and Crane’s research determined that flight by reference to the instruments inside the aircraft became the only way for a pilot to survive the insidious effects of spatial disorientation (vertigo) when an aircraft was in cloud, fog, or when the pilot could not otherwise see the “natural instrument.” To combat this and to provide a means for the pilot to maintain spatial orientation, Ocker and Crane not only studied various instrument solutions but designed the “Aerial Flight Integrator” (an illustration of which appears from their 1936 patent). If you look closely you’ll notice that what Ocker and Crane proposed over 70 years ago looks like an amazingly similar mechanical version of today’s glass cockpit PFDs (primary flight displays).

As it turns out, simulators are excellent platforms for practicing the discipline of instrument flight. By their very nature simulators are the perfect tool to allow pilots to practice their instrument thinking and flying skills (i.e., instrument scan, procedure visualization, situational awareness, what-if scenarios, aeronautical decision making, etc.) before getting in the actual aircraft. Utilizing the sim in this manner is really nothing more than a sophisticated thought experiment in which the pilot mentally and physically rehearses the very processes he or she will use when aloft. Similar to “muscle memory” referred to in sports physiology, flight simulation helps pilots internalize procedures so execution becomes second nature, thus greatly improving safety, proficiency, and confidence.

Entertainment vs. Training

Who’s to say the pursuit of aeronautical perfection can’t be accompanied by some fun? Yes fun, that taboo word that is surgically removed from an adult’s vocabulary just when it becomes critical to mere survival. There are many simulation options available for people that don’t necessarily want to become pilots and yet long to experience what it’s like to maneuver an aircraft. Many aviation enthusiasts and pilots alike use simulation for entertainment purposes as well as for training and proficiency. In fact, many of the very products once thought to be games have become quite sophisticated over time giving them dual-purpose functionality as both entertainment and training tools. Clearly, the distinction between what is an entertainment product and what can be used for serious training has been somewhat blurred in recent years. Yet although blurred, there are some key elements to each, which are worth mentioning. Typical off-the-shelf variety mass-market flight simulation software products tend to have an abundance of rich, visual scenery—what the pilot sees looking out the virtual window—which appeals to a greater audience. These often do an excellent job all around and can be used by aviation enthusiasts or anyone seeking to experience the thrill of flight without having to become a pilot. (It’s noteworthy to mention that many pilots and flight instructors also use these products for training.) On the other hand, software and systems created specifically for instrument training tend to focus on flight model fidelity—how closely the aircraft flies to its real-world counterpart¬—and precise instrument depiction. These systems also typically have more tools with which a pilot and/or instructor can use to evaluate flight performance.

Abbreviation Soup

Many of the simulation systems in use today by flight schools and training organizations fall under the designation of ATD or Aviation Training Device. These FAA-approved systems are often used as an integral part of an initial flight training curriculum or as part of a recurrent training program. Students log the time spent on these devices based upon the allotted time allowed by the FAA for each certification level. For example: The system pictured here is certified as a BATD (Basic Aviation Training Device) which can be used to log 2.5 hours toward the Private Pilot License, 10 hours toward the instrument rating, and to maintain instrument currency. Other system designations such as FTD (Flight Training Device), AATD (Advanced Aviation Training Device), FSTD (Flight Simulation Training Device), to name a few, all have corresponding approval specifications and loggability allowances.

Is the Glass Half Full?

Perhaps no more timely an application for flight simulation exists than to learn the complex integrated avionics systems now proliferating General Aviation. These advanced “glass” cockpit systems found in second generation “Technically Advanced Aircraft” (TAA) literally represent the coming of a new age and the promise of nearly unlimited potential. At the same time however, the arrival of these sophisticated aircraft have created an unprecedented training and operational challenge never experienced in GA. The days of just jumping in an unfamiliar rental and going flying are all but gone. These integrated systems demand a level of understanding and functional proficiency as never before. It goes without saying that good stick-and-rudder skills are still vastly important, but now pilots must also become systems managers, learning to balance the combined skills of aircraft control, task management, systems management, and the complex flight environment of today’s busy airspace.

Pilots training in simulation devices equipped with glass cockpits gain a tremendous advantage by becoming familiar with these complex systems before jumping in the actual aircraft. The applicable training opportunities provided by such a device are nearly endless as pilots learn everything from basic instrument interpretation to emergency procedures, and beyond.

Simulation Information

Great resources on flight simulation abound. Any internet query using your favorite search engine will return relevant results. Additionally, here are two of the many publications available which can explain the ins and outs of using flight simulation in a training environment.

Advances in technology have made flight simulation tools of all kinds more widely accessible. This greater accessibility, along with precarious fuel costs and a need for meeting the training challenges posed by increasingly complex aircraft and airspace have helped to create a simulation renaissance. No doubt simulation use in General Aviation will continue to grow as more and more people embrace this beneficial technology and realize its great potential. After all, from the brain’s perspective it’s “virtually reality!”