wp79a64e3b.gif
wpa02cc22d.png

Find your way into flight simulator cockpit construction

wp3f700144.png

wpff68f246.png

wpdd04d1c2.png

wpda213504.png

wpd5668e1c.png

wp194e5702.png

wpf52761ff.png

wp14ce2be8.png

wp6e5db520.png

wp93819598.png

wp49241629.png

wp4ff9199a.png

wp496a802e.png

wpb2f8378b.png

wp88f0bee0.png

wp44007d4e.png

wp0f2c152b.png

wp32907e7b.png

wp8b5b4125.png

wp82eea3c4.png

wp5f447324.png

wp4de61fb8.png

wpd3c4be8f.png

wpc9831395.png

wp0bbe0c54.png

wpeeb0d022.png

wpf3cd619b.png

wp94b8c651.png

wpcc2a4aa0.png

wpe2bcd87f.png

wp495ee559.png

wp640e7a31.png

wp76837222.png

wpa7345e60.png

wpd27f4c7c.png

wpab21ab1e.png

wp4ef3d274.png

wp877b4945.png

wp29c9e306.png

wp93b8f035.png

wp2d022973.png

wpd89e40b8.png

wp7851a27f.png

wpe197c0ad.png

wpa494af00.png

6.14 Complementary simulation

 

However good the functionality of the Microsoft Flight Simulator, on various areas in your flight simulator cockpit you will at some stage want to add additional simulation functionality.

 

A very advanced supplier of complementary simulation is Project Magenta. They offer a product family mainly focused on Boeing and Airbus. This is a site "jet builders" have to visit. Of special interest is the product pmSystems that allows users to define (simulate) aircraft systems on top of the Microsoft Flight Simulator using FSUIPC. By means of WideFS pmSystems can be used on a client PC. For area's defined by the user where the Microsoft Flight Simulator does not provide enough advanced simulation pmSystems takes over. The pmSystems software has a point and click interface and can be connected to custom flight simulator cockpit hardware.

 

An other example for the A320 is HCSDT (HCSDT). Basically they simulate on top of the Flight Simulator whole flight systems of the specific aircrafts (both systems will be discussed in more detail).

 

All parts of an aircraft are exposed to malfunction, either because of (material) failure or because of being exposed beyond their operating limits. For this group of simulation effects special software is available that can be used on top of the Microsoft Flight Simulator.  Using these types of add-ons your flight simulator cockpit experience can become "frightening" real. An example is FS Reliability Factor (download from AVSIM) which is a failure simulator that allows you to set the reliability percentage (based on flight time) for over sixty flight simulator sub- systems grouped in seven system categories: Autopilot, Control, Electrical, Engine, Fuel, Instrument and Radio. It then uses these reliability factors to simulate sub- system failures during flight. The package does not check on the envelope of limitations of your aircraft.

 

Depending on your ambitions and aircraft type you still will end up with the need to model additional complementary simulation yourself. Examples are:

  • When the aircraft is (too) heavy, breaks will get hot fast. This will eventually result in malfunctioning (like fire or blocking).
  • In some aircrafts the engines can only be turned off after they reach a certain temperature.
  • When moving the needle of an analogue gauge, the needle movement is also influenced by the mechanics of the gauge.
  • Some procedures only work if they are performed in the correct order and with the correct timing (e.g. starting an old piston engine).

 

So finally in a more advanced flight simulator cockpit setup there is the need for a "complementary simulation manager" as shown in the figure below.

wp2634e424.gif

Figure: Complementary simulation

 

In total 5 basic mechanisms for complementary simulation can be distinguished (see figure above):

1.

 

Generating additional data to be used in the cockpit based on data from the Microsoft Flight Simulator and custom made calculations.

 

2.

 

Calculating data for the Microsoft Flight Simulator based on data from the cockpit and custom made calculations.

 

3.

 

Generating additional data to be used in the cockpit based on data from cockpit and custom made calculations.

 

4.

 

Calculating data for the Microsoft Flight Simulator based on data from the Microsoft Flight Simulator and custom made calculations.

 

5.

When more than a hand-full of complementary simulations are to be used a central application (complementary simulation manager) is needed to manage all the data, keep a record of shared parameters and facilitate the exchange of data between the various complementary simulation modules.

wpa55cb1f7.png