Fantatsic news from Keith

[Keith Smith]

I can't discuss the details of the implementation, sorry. I can tell you that a plugin was not used, since they're not using X-Plane.

[Calvin Waterbury]

Keith,
I'm mighty proud of what you have accomplished! I have some neat things happening too.
Hint: What does a flight simulator and an intermodal crane have in common? Give up? well, once it gets built and I get some pictures it will all be revealed.
I am very excited about the future holds for both of us.

[Daddy O]

I had a feeling when I was looking at the sims for Southwest that they would likely need a hardware interface that would jack into the existing microphone system on the sim. Didja get to fly one of the big sims?

What always perplexed me was that in these commercial flight sim places, they have 8-10 full time simulators (at over $2mil each) running from 0800-2200, six days a week, booked solid, every day. Why the facilities weren't already running their own little mini-ATC systems for the non-stop training that was going on there, day in, day out? The concept of PilotEdge seems like something they should have been implementing years ago.

[Calvin Waterbury]

...Why the facilities weren't already running their own little mini-ATC systems for the non-stop training that was going on there, day in, day out? The concept of PilotEdge seems like something they should have been implementing years ago.

Shhh! Someone might hear you!

[Keith Smith]

Yes, I spent about 2 hours in the CJ3 and ended up being the pilot for the acceptance flight while the customer watched remotely via a Skype video conference while one of the sim techs worked the FMS and autopilot as needed. I'd estimate that 60% of that time was spent getting in and out of it. Unbelievable how tight it was.

I later did an end to end flight with the same fellow, LAX-SAN with vectors for the RNAV RWY 27 approach over there. I handled more of the automation and initial programming of the FMS (turns out it's very much like the one in the CRJ2). The plane was simple to fly (as long as you watch the power when leveling off). I conducted pattern work having only been told a rotate and approach speed.

The one thing that struck me was the incredible fidelity of the controls...spectacular. That, and just how terrible the visuals were compared to what FSX and X-Plane can do. That's ok, they replicate supported airports with amazing precision, which is all that matters, I guess, but when I was enroute at 11k heading to SAN, it was literally like running with XP10 with every single rendering setting turned down/off.

It's not surprising, though...these are not general purpose training/entertainment devices. They're purpose built to meet certain training requirements, and that's about it. That said, if you took XP10, got the lighting levels within spec and had a professional team develop each of the required airports, you could build a truly stunning visual system.

[Keith Smith]

What always perplexed me was that in these commercial flight sim places, they have 8-10 full time simulators (at over $2mil each) running from 0800-2200, six days a week, booked solid, every day. Why the facilities weren't already running their own little mini-ATC systems for the non-stop training that was going on there, day in, day out? The concept of PilotEdge seems like something they should have been implementing years ago.

Lufthansa did this. It's not generally done because there is no formal requirement for it and it costs money.