our latest integration project

[arb65912]

Thanks for the link, Keith. I will look it up. Waiting for the day you have mentioned, that would be great.

[theskunk]

I'm not sure about anybody else, but I just want the stomach drop of a base-> final stall in a 757...

[Daddy O]

So that one had the electric actuators, not hydraulic? Looked hydraulic. With the older hydraulic systems there is as much sim below the ground as above. On the floor below what you see in the pic is where all the hydraulics and machinery run.

I have tried both the hydraulic style, and the newer electric, and though everyone raves about the electric-motor driven systems, I really was underwhelmed by their performance (and I rolled the 737, then flew it upside down through that sphere-thingy on top of the skyscraper downtown of DFW.)

But like Kieth said, full motion is a really cool toy, but it really does not have much training value. You should never fly by the seat of your pants, that's how pilots get killed when they accidentially fly into IMC.

The best part of the big sims is really truly the force-feedback yoke and pedals. No home sim ever really captures the feel of a jet yoke in flight. They stiffen up so much that you actually fly the plane mostly by trim tab. You can build one of your own, but they get pricey very fast.

Way cool that you're picking up the contract. You'll get the others soon enough since you have no competition. Question: I can only imagine that they are paying a much bigger fee than us lowly home simmers. You gotta know that they will be running the service from 0700-2200, and on PE at least 60% of the time, times the ten or so simulators at each site...it'll be like a fly-in every day. Hope you charge by the hour.

[Keith Smith]

The sim has electric actuators. All new sims do these days.

They can't simulate continuous -1G, so flying it upside down isn't going to yield a realistic result. That's ok, that isn't part of any profile that they normally fly.

Yes, like all commercial customers, they will pay by the hour. We're excited about getting them on board, it's a great direction for the company.

[dc8flightdeck]

Full motion is nice, for sure. It doesn't have any specific training value that I'm aware of, beyond the workload induced by turbulence, but it does have the potential to increase the level of immersion.

I dont agree with that. The motion affects the feeling of the plane and helps the pilot to be proficient in the wey they handle the aircraft in emergencies, a sim without motion is just a procedures trainer.

Its awesome that you got to add a Level D to your network, communication is as big a factor in a sim as having outside visuals. Thumbs up!!

Justin

[Andrew Miller]

Even without the motion, I can contest that flying a spherical 220 degree view simulator really does give you the sense of movement. The first time I flew the Phenom, I had to look back just to see that I wasn't moving. I've also known several people to get ill in them, and it wasn't from my flying.

[Daddy O]

The F22 simulator is supposed to be built onto a centrifuge so it can simulate up to 9Gs. When you firewall that sim, it pushes back, hard.

And actually if you are doing a perfectly controlled roll then you should feel nothing to averse. You should be able to roll with an open cup of coffee if you maintain positive Gs throughout the roll.

My dream for a motion system is a bumpy box. A simple system that creates the bumpy effect of flying or driving. I think exposing a student to washboard air in a c152 during approach is a better use of the system. It would tell you a lot about your landings as well. But take less space to operate, and cost half what a cheap 3 axis system.

[Keith Smith]

Pfc's motion system does exactly that.

[Andrew Doubleday]

Yeah, the motion bars that PFC throws under their sims are great... Everything from light chop in turbulent weather to the turns and even the stall buffet is simulated. Really adds to the effect.