In addition to the training of pilots in flying the aircraft, flight simulation has an invaluable role to play in other aeronautical areas, such as research, accident investigation, aircraft design and development, operational analysis, and other activities such as space flight. Research areas include new concepts, new systems, flying qualities, and human factors. Most aircraft manufacturers use research simulators as an integral part of aircraft design, development and clearance. Major aeronautical projects would now be impractical without the extensive use of flight simulation, on both cost and safety grounds.
7.3.1 SPECIFIC VS. GENERIC
The current pilot shortage is likely to last some time and there will be a continual need for pilots to move up from small piston aircraft via turboprop commuters to jets. The transition from propeller aircraft to jets may be aided significantly by the use of generic simulators. The basic cockpit layout will need to be fixed in hardware terms, but some variation in performance and handling qualities could be possible by the use of different software. In this way the implications of large speed ranges, the ability to think more quickly and the very different handling qualities at high altitudes and lower speeds can be taught and demonstrated cost-effectively. If this potential requirement is accommodated, then the knock-on effect for ATM and airspace evaluation would be beneficial.
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7.3.2 SPECIFIC AIRSPACE PROJECT USE
A significant amount of the planning task for Terminal Airspace Design can be achieved by the other assessment methods shown in this section and flight simulators, the primary use of which is for the training of pilots, were not originally designed to play a role in ATM evaluations per se.
However, there are several areas in which the use of a flight simulator can assist in the successful completion of Terminal Airspace projects. One example is in the achievement of credibility. In addition to the well known noise and emission effects on operations on and around runways, whether in existence or planned, environmental issues are now influencing the positioning of routes (and their associated altitude) within the whole of Terminal Airspace at an increasing number of locations throughout ECAC.
Of course, environmental matters are paramount in the importance of many interested parties such as local residents’ associations, environmental lobby groups, airport management to name but a few. It has become clear that it can be very difficult to convince these bodies that their environmental concerns have been addressed fully by the use of mathematical models and/or fast-time simulations.
This is where the flight simulator comes into its own. Using representative aircraft (simulators), the various options for airspace can be extensively flown and data recorded, such as airframe configuration (which affects the noise produced by the aircraft), fuel burn, track miles flown, altitude and so on. Depending on the requirements of a project and how sophistication of the data which is gathered, the results can be fed into analysis software for such parameters as aircraft noise and emissions.
Apart from intensive, expensive live flight trials which are difficult to integrate with on-going operations, the use of the flight simulator is the closest to reality. The credibility factor is further enhanced if operational line pilots are used to fly the flight simulator. Once the data has been analysed, it can then be presented in the most appropriate way for the target audience.
EXAMPLE 1
Use of a flight simulator for airspace projects can range from simple to highly detailed. Example 1 describes a simple use. For this hypothetical project, it was necessary to assess which of the alternative arrival tracks (at FL100 - Option 1 and Option 2) had least effect on an uninterrupted climb of the most common aircraft at this particular location. Altitude measurements were to be taken at specific distances from the departure end of the runway. In order to carry out the measurements across the widest spread of weight and temperature conditions, the aircraft was first operated at maximum take-off weight in the highest ambient temperature experienced at the location in question. This produced the lowest climb rate. The second parameter measured was when the aircraft was very light and the temperature was very low – thus producing the best climb rate. This was repeated several times to ensure that the results were not anomalous and the data was inserted in Table 7 - 1. (The figures shown here are representative only).
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