Questions tagged [flight-simulator]
Flight simulators are ground-based devices designed to replicates aspects of aircraft flight. They can range from full-motion airline cockpit simulators to relatively simple PC software, and are often used for flight training.
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How many significant digits should I use for simulating aircraft equations of motion?
I have coded the equations of motion in Matlab, and I am using the ode45 function to simulate the nonlinear dynamics of F/A-18 Hornet without any controller (just the airframe). I have given initial ...
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Procedure for simulating nonlinear flight dynamics
I am trying to simulate F/A-18 Hornet on Simulink. So, here is how I have made the model:
Firstly, the initial flight parameters(Alpha, beta, V(magnitude), rho) are being calculated based on the ...
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What frame of reference should I use for my Simulink simulation of the F/A-18 Hornet?
I want to simulate the Equations of Motions for F/A-18 Hornet (12 states & 6 DOF) on MATLAB using Simulink. I have the Aerodynamic model, from which I will get CL, CD, CY, Cl, Cn, Cm that are ...
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Why can’t level D simulators produce a G-force affect?
From what I know so far, simulators can’t simulate this feeling, I’ve heard some say it will never be possible. Is that true? There’s really no way of producing this in a simulation?
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How “full-motion” is a full-motion simulator?
How "full-motion" are simulators? Do they just simulate the major motions of the airplane in response to the flight controls, or do they also simulate the minor forces of the flight, such as the ...
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Can PC joystick simulate aerodynamic lock in spin?
I never explored joysticks for playing simulators on PC. Can some kind of joystick simulate aerodynamic lock during spin? You do hands off control stick and it stays there, won’t center as usual. I ...
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1answer
111 views
How to learn the back end of flight simulators? [closed]
I am an engineering student very passionate about aviation and especially flight simulation. I want to know more about how a flight simulator is coded but unfortunately there's not much available on ...
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187 views
On FSX flight lesson on climbs and descents, what does “free ride” mean?
The following is from a lesson on Microsoft Flight Simulator X regarding climbs and descents:
While engine power moves a car uphill, gravity pulls it down. Without your foot on the accelerator, the ...
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227 views
What turn to intercept a radial and how to tune in B737ng sim?
Forgive my very amateur questions, I have been out of flying for years now and I am getting fit to fly again after slight setback.
I have an opportunity of doing some refresher flying in 737NG ...
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How to use Rudder during takeoff in single engine propeller aircraft? e.g. Cessna 172
Background: I am a complete beginner on Flight Simulator X: Steam edition, using a simulator setup with rudder pedals with realism set to the max (to simulate more realistic flying).
I understand ...
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Is there a reason why it would be a good idea to log ATD and FTD time separately?
Historically, I have a column in my logbook that is "Ground trainer", which encompasses all flavors of flight simulators/legally recognized training devices.
I encountered a student passed to me by ...
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What are the abilities and limits of a hexapod-based flight simulator?
So, that's a professional hexapod- a. k. a. Stewart platform-based flight simulator (image source: Wikipedia - "Stewart platform"). By moving the simulated cockpit, it simulates the movements of a ...
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What are accurate flight simulation models called? Is there a standard model?
I'm risking a question that might be "opinion based", but I hope it will not be seen as that.
This question is touched upon in the following questions:
What are the differences between PC and ...
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Is it right to call out out “50…40..30..RETARD” in a C172 simulator?
Playing flight simulator in a C172 (since we don't have any in my local schools) and the 'co-pilot' I fly with (only know him online) insists on calling out "50...40..30..RETARD, RETARD".
I know ...
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How much simulator time can I use towards a part 61 instrument rating?
I am doing Instrument Rating under part 61 with a CFII.
To meet the 50 hours cross country requirement (d 1), can I log some of the PIC time in a simulator?
There is a 20 hours limitation on the use ...
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1answer
390 views
Are there any IFR training plugins / addons for Microsoft Flight Simulator or X-Plane?
I am an IFR student, looking for software/plugins/add-ons/extensions to either Microsoft Flight Simulator or X-Plane to enhance the IFR training experience.
Specifically, I was wondering if there was ...
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Compute great-circle track from longitude
The Aviation Formulary defines Clairut's formula to compute the intermediate track (bearing) for a GC based upon latitude, but any given GC (ignoring one passing through the poles), crosses a given ...
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What are the differences between PC and professional simulators?
It looks like there are a differences between the models used in the schools and the simulators you can run in a PC .
I'm curious to know the differences and price of both type of simulators.
I ...
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Does a large simulator bay have standard public address announcements?
We are simulating a "simulator bay" (with simulators) within a simulation and were wondering if there were any announcements made over the loudspeaker audible to people inside or outside the ...
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1answer
194 views
What does the orange colored text in a SkyVector route indicate?
If you use a pre-made route in skyvector.com, sometimes there will be orange text.
For example: from KIAD to KTPA with default cruise settings, the second route in the list will have DADES6 in orange....
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Can I log PIC instrument time in a sim without a current medical or flight review?
Just wondering if one is on land and in a simulator, if you need a current medical and flight review to train and log PIC time?
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Can an orienteering compass be used in place of a protractor?
First off, please forgive me if this is a stupid question.
I was given a protractor during flight training, learnt to use it and obviously works quite well.
However, I've started using my old maps ...
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1answer
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First airplane to use a flight simulator?
Icarus, Pegasus, da Vinci's flying machine and Wright brothers airplane probably didn't have a flight simulator, since computer science was not yet developed enough (Antikythera ancient analogue ...
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Can a simulator (FFS) be used in place of a Technically Advanced Aircraft (TAA) to meet the commercial experience requirements?
14 CFR 61.129(a)(3)(ii) lists the aeronautical experience requirements for a commercial certificate. It says:
(ii) 10 hours of training in a complex airplane, a turbine-powered
airplane, or a ...
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2answers
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Is the whole world's airspace covered by ATC? [closed]
I'm an enthusiast and have only flown flight/atc simulators (on the VATSIM network). Obviously sometimes the airspace you are flying in is not covered by any ATC (so I have to set my frequency to ...
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What would be a simple aerodynamics simulation software for a student? [closed]
I have a project due 2 weeks from now that demands we make a glider using Styrofoam. I'd like to simulate the results as I plan my glider before I build it.
Which simple software, which allows ...
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2answers
389 views
What is a “natural flight loop”?
I'm roughly (edit: very well) familiar with flight simulation, but recently I came across a new term. In this brochure (scroll to the second page) by Airbus about flight simulators, they talk about
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4answers
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Can time spent in consumer flight simulators increase the safety of flying light sports aircraft for licensed pilots? [duplicate]
I've asked this question to my flight instructor, who believes flight simulators do a very poor job of modelling flight physics for very light airplanes, which makes them useless for preventing ...
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1answer
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Vortex Lattice Method with eliptical panels
I implemented vortex lattice method (or deeper here) into my aircraft simulation program. The problem is that sometimes trailing vortex filaments from Horse Shoe Vortexes of main wing hits panels of ...
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Can a zero hour pilot actually launch a Bombardier Q400 with only simulator experience? [duplicate]
The thief of the Bombardier Q400 at SEATAC stated that he had a lot of simulator flying (I'm guessing like Flight Simulator for the PC?) Some "experts" stated that he must have had more than that to ...
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Is it allowed / legal to produce a Type Rating CBT without the manufacturer's permission?
Pelesys, Navcon, Flyco, CPAT Global - just to name a few companies - all provide and sell various aircraft Computer Based Training Programs.
Is it allowed / legal to program and sell products that ...
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Is the FlightGear sim accurate in 2018, specifically Cessna 172 aircraft? [closed]
So, I fly on FlightGear as I like the fact its free. But is it accurate enough to train to fly the real Cessna 172? Are there any better free flight sims? Please give your honest opinion and please ...
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308 views
Has anyone built a paragliding simulator?
I am searching for a manual on how to build a paragliding simulator, where you can practice controlling the paraglider. My idea of the project is that you sit in a paraglider seat and you can ...
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Why do light taildraggers swirl uncontrollably on runways in a simulator? [duplicate]
When a pilot chooses to run at a speed way above its takeoff speed on the runway in a simulator without taking off, the plane begins to skid and spins 360 uncontrollably around the yaw axis, what is ...
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What types of data can be extracted from a non-motion flight simulator?
What are the types of data that can be extracted from a non-motion flight simulator?
Based on the type of data I want to do:
A comparison study between flight simulator data and ground-based systems ...
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How should I read these climb and descent profile notations?
I use a tool called SimBrief to build virtual flight plans for a desktop flight simulator. As I've been getting more familiar with procedures, I've also been exploring more advanced settings in the ...
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How do one day simulator courses work?
There are companies such as this that offer one day full simulator experiences where you take several attempts at landing a 747 or something similar. Some people report success after a couple of ...
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Which simulator is appropriate to learn the minimum to land an airliner?
If one has zero flight training, but wants to learn the basics, so that they might be able to land an airbus in a Helios 522 type scenario (or any double pilot incapacitation for that matter), what ...
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Why do pilots cut the reverse thrust below 40 km/h?
In a Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 Boeing 747 landing tutorial, it was said to cut the reverse thrust after decelerating to 40 km/h.
What happens if that was ignored all the way to a complete stop? ...
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What's the appropriate course of action if an airliner bounces 5-10 feet on touchdown?
I regularly fly in a PC flight simulator, and I'm currently trying to refine landings in medium-to-large airliners in various weather conditions.
A problem I've faced in some conditions while flying ...
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Is center tank fuel required to start the 737-800 engines?
I have been doing some flights with the 737-800 and when there is no fuel in the center tank, the engines won't start. Is it like that in real life?
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Can I log simulated instrument time in a simulator as a CFII?
I started working as a flight instructor and have a couple of questions about logging sim time as a CFII:
If I fly a sim session with my student can I log the sim time as dual-given time?
If the sim ...
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9answers
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Is this opinion on personal computer flight simulators too strict or is it actually true?
A couple of days ago I had a discussion with a commercial pilot and his opinion on personal computer flight simulators were a bit surprising to me.
He said that flight simulators, even with ...
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206 views
Are lessons available for FlightSim X? [closed]
I have Flight Simulator 2008, and there were some really good lessons for student pilots.
Are there flight lessons in FlightSim X, either part of the software, or available from external sites?
The ...
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How to calculate altitude in a flight simulation?
I guess altitude from sea level in the real aircraft is read from barometer, while for the altitude from ground a radar is used. For the purposes of very simple simulation, and assuming aircraft is on ...
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Why does X-Plane 11 show the SR-71 at 200 knots but Mach 3 at 80,000 ft?
So I noticed on X-Plane 11, the SR-71 reaches Mach 3 at 80000 feet, but the equivalent airspeed is only around 200 knots. What explains this difference between the mach number readout and the EAS ...
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Do airline transport pilot trainees ever fly a passenger-less aircraft?
Do airline transport pilot (ATP) trainees ever fly an empty aircraft? Consider the example where a pilot is under training to operate a 777. Would the pilot ever fly the real aircraft without any ...
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How can I avoid flight simulator software reinforcing bad habits?
While looking into getting into flying I've seen in several sources that using flight simulator software typically creates and reinforces bad habits. Most articles say that it reinforces "instrument" ...
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What happens if the pilot tries to do a loop in a full-motion simulator?
I know that full-motion simulators, typically used to train pilots on commercial aircraft, have limits to how much they can tilt. They can't go upside down, for example. What happens if the pilot goes ...
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How do I log simulator time in my logbook as a CFI?
I'm a CFII at a 141 flight school, and when I give instrument instruction in our AATD flight simulator I'm kind of confused on how to log it. Should I log "As Flight Instructor" time even though it's ...
