Flight Simulator’s Energy Consumption Depending on the Conditions of the Air Operation

Protection of the natural environment is a key activity driving development in the transport discipline today. The use of simulators to train civil aviation pilots provides an excellent opportunity to maintain the balance between efficiency and limit the negative impact of transport on the environment. Therefore, we decided to determine the impact of selected simulations of air operations on energy consumption. The aim of the research was to determine the energy consumption of the flight simulator depending on the type of flight operation and configuration used. We also decided to compare the obtained result with the energy consumption of an aircraft of a similar class, performing a similar aviation operation and other means of transport. In order to obtain the results, a research plan was proposed consisting of 12 scenarios differing in the simulated aircraft model, weather conditions and the use of the simulator motion platform. In each of the scenarios, energy consumption was measured, taking into account the individual components of the simulator. The research showed that the use of a flight simulator has a much smaller negative impact on the natural environment than flying in a traditional plane. Use of a motion platform indicated a change in energy consumption of approximately 40% (in general, flight simulator configuration can change energy consumption by up to 50%). The deterioration of weather conditions during the simulation caused an increase in energy consumption of 14% when motion was disabled and 18% when motion was enabled. Energy consumption in the initial stages of pilot training can be reduced by 97% by using flight simulators compared to aircraft training.

A Design of Nonlinear Scaling and Nonlinear Optimal Motion Cueing Algorithm for Pilot's Station

Motion cueing algorithms (MCA) are often applied in the motion simulators. In this paper, a nonlinear optimal MCA, taking into account translational and rotational motions of a simulator within its physical limitation, is designed for the motion platform aiming to minimize human’s perception error in order to provide a high degree of fidelity. Indeed, the movement sensation center of most MCA is placed at the center of the upper platform, which may cause a certain error. Pilot’s station should be paid full attention to in the MCA. Apart from this, the scaling and limiting module plays an important role in optimizing the motion platform workspace and reducing false cues during motion reproduction. It should be used along within the washout filter to decrease the amplitude of the translational and rotational motion signals uniformly across all frequencies through the MCA. A nonlinear scaling method is designed to accurately duplicate motions with high realistic behavior and use the platform more efficiently without violating its physical limitations. The simulation experiment is verified in the longitudinal/pitch direction for motion simulator. The result implies that the proposed method can not only overcome the problem of the workspace limitations in the simulator motion reproduction and improve the realism of movement sensation, but also reduce the false cues to improve dynamic fidelity during the motion simulation process.

Electro-Hydraulic Servo-Valve and Motion and Control Loading of Full Flight Simulator

The present thesis is on the subject of electro-hydraulic servo-valve (EHV), and motion and control loading of a flight simulator with EHV. The fundamentals of EHV and hydraulic control systems are discussed in Part A. An electro-hydraulic servo-valve (MOOG 760 series) and a position servo control were constructed using an EHV and a linear hydraulic double-ended cylinder, which was modeled mathematically and implemented symbolically by Simulink. Part B examines the motion and control loading systems of a full flight simulator. Motion simulation algorithms and implementation are discussed in moderate depth. As a generic example, a typical elevator control loading channel is represented in state space; whose stability, linkage compliance and control scheme implementation analysis are conducted in detail by means of MATLAB. The same elevator control loading channel was symbolically modelled through Simulink, based on the EHV/actuator model that was developed in Part A. The results of different control schemes are discussed and compared.

Electro-Hydraulic Servo-Valve and Motion and Control Loading of Full Flight Simulator

The present thesis is on the subject of electro-hydraulic servo-valve (EHV), and motion and control loading of a flight simulator with EHV. The fundamentals of EHV and hydraulic control systems are discussed in Part A. An electro-hydraulic servo-valve (MOOG 760 series) and a position servo control were constructed using an EHV and a linear hydraulic double-ended cylinder, which was modeled mathematically and implemented symbolically by Simulink. Part B examines the motion and control loading systems of a full flight simulator. Motion simulation algorithms and implementation are discussed in moderate depth. As a generic example, a typical elevator control loading channel is represented in state space; whose stability, linkage compliance and control scheme implementation analysis are conducted in detail by means of MATLAB. The same elevator control loading channel was symbolically modelled through Simulink, based on the EHV/actuator model that was developed in Part A. The results of different control schemes are discussed and compared.

Evaluation of Vehicle Ride Height Adjustments Using a Driving Simulator

Testing of vehicle design properties by car manufacturers is primarily performed on-road and is resource-intensive, involving costly physical prototypes and large time durations between evaluations of alternative designs. In this paper, the applicability of driving simulators for the virtual assessment of ride, steering and handling qualities was studied by manipulating vehicle air suspension ride height (RH) (ground clearance) and simulator motion platform (MP) workspace size. The evaluation was carried out on a high-friction normal road, routinely used for testing vehicle prototypes, modelled in a driving simulator, and using professional drivers. The results showed the differences between the RHs were subjectively distinguishable by the drivers in many of the vehicle attributes. Drivers found standard and low RHs more appropriate for the vehicle in terms of the steering and handling qualities, where their performance was deteriorated, such that the steering control effort was the highest in low RH. This indicated inconsistency between subjective preferences and objective performance and the need for alternative performance metrics to be defined for expert drivers. Moreover, an improvement in drivers’ performance was observed, with a reduction of steering control effort, in larger MP configurations.