What Is a Computer Flight Simulator?

Flight training simulator is a kind of equipment for training pilots. It generally consists of a cockpit, interface equipment and various instruments, a vision system and a training computer. The computer is the control center of the flight training simulator. During the training, students can perform various operations while sitting in the cockpit: open the electric door, push and pull the throttle, operate the flight stick and rudder, and also obtain various data, such as flight speed, distance, position, altitude, wind direction, wind speed, etc. . The vision system can provide students with simulations of the scenes. When operating, the trainees feel as if they are sitting in an airplane. They can feel the dive, tilt, and hovering movements. They can also see various scenes (clouds, fog, rivers) , Buildings), can also set up a variety of flying environments, in order to comprehensively exercise technology, learn to master difficult and dangerous operations. Therefore, as long as the simulation conditions are realistic, students who have passed the flight simulation training can fly the aircraft immediately after graduation. ^[1]

Flight training simulator is a training device used to practice flying operation skills under various conditions. Can simulate the static characteristics and dynamic characteristics of aircraft

Flight training simulators generally consist of computer systems, mobile cockpits, vision systems, instrumentation systems, control loads and sound systems. In addition to understanding the equations of motion of the flight simulator and the dynamic equations of the rocket, the computer must also solve a large number of mathematical models of airborne systems and mathematical models of simulation equipment. A large amount of information is exchanged and processed between the computer and the simulation device through the interface device. ^[3]

The manned space flight training simulator can be divided into several categories according to its mission and dynamics.

1.Single task training simulator and full task training simulator

The manned space flight training simulator can be divided into a single mission flight trainer and a full mission flight simulator according to the training mission.

1) Single mission flight simulation trainer

The single mission flight simulation trainer is a simulator developed for the training of a certain flight phase or a certain operational task. Such as attitude control training simulator, instrument operation training simulator, rendezvous and docking training simulator, and moon landing flight training simulator. The advantage of the single-task training simulator is that it can easily carry out selective repetitive training on key operations in flight training, highlighting the principle of key training, and reducing the occupation time of large comprehensive training simulators.

2) Full mission flight training simulator

The full mission flight training simulator is a training simulator that takes the entire flight process and all flight missions as mission targets. In view of the fact that different types of manned spacecraft have different aircraft structures and different missions and procedures, they must have different full-mission flight simulators. For example, the Russian "Soyuz" and "Salute" space stations, the US "Apollo" spacecraft and manned spacecraft such as space shuttle have their own flight simulators. The advantage of the full-mission flight training simulator is that it can conduct comprehensive and comprehensive training of astronauts in flight missions and flight procedures. Therefore, a full mission training simulator is essential for astronaut training in manned spaceflight engineering.

2.Activity-based training simulator and fixed-based training simulator

The main technical indicators and technical requirements of the flight training simulator are as follows:

1) Simulation cockpit

The internal layout, shape, size, appearance, and visual interface characteristics of the simulated cockpit are the same as those of the return capsule and orbital capsule of a real manned spacecraft.

2) computer and network

The computer system of the flight training simulator uses a main control computer, a vision computer, and multiple computers to form a heterogeneous multi-machine distributed system.

3) View and sound

The computer-generated vision system is used, and the maximum frame rate controlled by real-time simulation is 25Hz (that is, the frame period is 40ms). The digital sound system is used to simulate environmental noise and operating sound.

4) System software

All software design and development of the flight training simulator are managed in accordance with the engineering requirements of the manned spacecraft engineering software.

5) System delay

The system delay of the flight training simulator (referring to the response input to the system response output showing the entire process) 150ms.

6) System reliability and maintainability

The MTBF of the flight training simulator is 400h and the MTTR is 12h. ^[4]