A Variable Stability Flight Simulator is being developed in the School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering at the University of Sydney, Australia. The device is being developed both as a teaching tool for use in flight mechanics courses in the department and as a research tool. It is reasonable to state that learning is enhanced through the experience of concepts outside of the classroom environment. It is intended that the device will be integrated into the department�s teaching program in aircraft flight mechanics. Initial studies centred around a PC based flight simulation developed at the Cranfield College of Aeronautics in the United Kingdom. This system utilises a distributed architecture with several computers connected via Ethernet. It also employs a Primary Image three channel visual system. The system has been further enhanced by the addition of a Link flight simulator provided by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The RAAF had been using the simulator as a training tool for some years until it had become surplus to requirements. Most of the work in the project has centred around re-engineering this simulator into a viable research/education tool. The Cranfield system has been incorporated into the Link simulator�s hardware to provide a fixed base simulation. The majority of the work described in this thesis revolved around the re-engineering of the flight control loading and motion systems. Previously these items were controlled by analogue circuitry with minimal digital interfaces to the main simulation software. The systems have been re-designed to replace much of the single model analogue circuitry with re-configurable digital control software. Doing so allows changes to be made to the systems in real time through a software interface. The software resides on a common computer that extensively interfaces with the rest of the simulation. To support the hardware involved and to provide for system operation and safety, an extensive Supervisory system has also been implemented. This system along with the motion and control loading software has been implemented in the Matlab / Real-Time Workshop environment. This gives the capability of making real-time changes to any part of the overall simulation. A variable stability module (vsm) is under development. The addition of this module will allow changes to be made to the simulation itself in real-time. The simulator is now functional with the motion and control loading systems operating as designed. Tuning of both systems has been done subjectively by the author. An initial objective analysis of the motion system has been undertaken in an attempt to verify the fidelity of the motion cues generated. A significant outcome of this project has been to create a safe, easily maintainable, re-configurable flight simulator from a large, complex, legacy system. The facility now forms a significant research and teaching tool in areas such as flight mechanics, propulsion, aircraft handling qualities and human factors.

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Os simuladores de vôo têm sido uma importante ferramenta para treinamento de pilotos e análise de vôo sem ter que se desembolsar grandes quantias monetárias, economizando combustível e evitando acidentes. Conseqüentemente, a demanda por simuladores de vôo tem aumentado tanto na indústria quanto na pesquisa. Com o intuito de futuramente construir um simulador de vôo, foi desenvolvido um projeto para elaboração de um software capaz de simular uma aeronave em vôo, do ponto de vista de dinâmica de vôo. O software SIMAERO foi desenvolvido na linguagem de programação C++ e simula a dinâmica de vôo de uma aeronave. Esta simulação consiste em resolver as equações de movimento da aeronave, utilizando o modelo matemático de equações diferenciais ordinárias proposto por ETKIN & REID, et al (1996). O modelo matemático é solucionado através do método de integração numérica Runge-Kutta de 4ª ordem conforme apresentado em CONTE (1977). Como parâmetros de entrada são informadas as seguintes características da aeronave: dados geométricos, dados aerodinâmicos e derivadas de estabilidade. Os resultados das simulações são apresentados em gráficos cartesianos e gravados em arquivos. Os gráficos são úteis para que possa ser feita uma posterior análise do comportamento da aeronave. Os arquivos gravados com os resultados das simulações podem ser utilizados em alguma aplicação futura, como sinas de entrada para uma plataforma de simulação, por exemplo. Neste trabalho será descrito como o SIMAERO foi desenvolvido e ao final serão apresentados alguns resultados obtidos. / Flight simulators have been an important tool for pilots training and for flight analyses, without having to spend a high quantity of money, saving gas and prevent accidents. Because of this, the demand for flight simulators has increased both in industry and in research centers. With the objective of in future build a flight simulator, a project to develop a software that is able to simulate the dynamics of flight of a flying aircraft was developed. The SIMAERO software was developed using C++ and its principal functionality is to simulate the dynamics of flight of an aircraft. This simulation basically is the solution of the system of motion equations of the aircraft, using the mathematical model described by ETKIN & REID, et al (1996). The mathematical model is solved using the 4th order Runge-Kutta numeric integration method, as presented in CONTE (1977). For the simulation, the geometric data, the aerodynamic data, and the dimensional derivates are passed to the software as input arguments. The results of the simulations are displayed as cartesians graphics and recorded as data files. The graphics are useful for visual analyses of the aircraft behavior, and the file, with the results of the simulation, can be used as input data for ground based simulator, for example. In this work, the development of the software SIMAERO will be presented, and then some results of the simulation of one aircraft will be shown.

Flight simulators are widely used by the military, civil and commercial aviation. Visual cues are an essential part of helicopter flight. The required cues for hover are especially large due to closeness to the ground and small movements. In this thesis, density and height parameters of the 3D (Three Dimensional) objects in the scene are analyzed to find their effect on hovering and low altitude flight. An experiment is conducted using a PC-based flight simulator with three LCD monitors and flight control set. Ten professional military pilots participated in the experiment. v Results revealed that object density and object height are effective on the horizontal and vertical hovering performance. There is a peak point after which increasing the density does not improve the performance. In low altitude flight, altitude control is positively affected by smaller object height. However, pilots prefer the scenes composed of the high and mixture objects while hovering and flying at low altitude. Distance estimation is affected by the interaction of the object density and height.

This study raises some issues for training pilots to fly forced landings and examines the impact that these issues may have on the design of simulators for such training. It focuses on flight trajectories that a pilot of a single-engine general aviation aircraft should fly after engine failure and how pilots can be better simulator trained for this forced landing manoeuvre. A sensitivity study on the effects of errors and an investigation on the effect of tolerances in the aerodynamic parameters as prescribed in the Manual of Criteria for the Qualification of Flight Simulators have on the performance of flight simulators used for pilot training was carried out. It uses a simplified analytical model for the Beech Bonanza model E33A aircraft and a vertical atmospheric turbulence based on the MIL-F-8785C specifications. It was found that the effect of the tolerances is highly sensitive on the nature of the manoeuvre flown and that in some cases, negative transfe r of training may be induced by the tolerances. A forced landing trajectory optimisation was carried out using Genetic Algorithm. The forced landing manoeuvre analyses with pre-selected touchdown locations and pre-selected final headings were carried out for an engine failure at 650 ft AGL for bank angles varying from banking left at 45° to banking right at 45°, and with an aircraft's speed varying from 75.6 mph to 208 mph, corresponding to 5% above airplane's stall speed and airplane's maximum speed respectively. The results show that certain pre-selected touchdown locations are more susceptible to horizontal wind. The results for the forced landing manoeuvre with a pre-selected location show minimal distance error while the quality of the results for the forced landing manoeuvre with a pre-selected location and a final heading show that the results depend on the end constraints. For certain pre-selected touchdown locations and final headings, the airplane may either touchdown very close to the pre-selected touchdown location but with greater final h eading error from the pre-selected final heading or touchdown with minimal final heading error from the pre-selected final heading but further away from the pre-selected touchdown location. Analyses for an obstacle avoidance forced landing manoeuvre were also carried out where an obstacle was intentionally placed in the flight path as found by the GA program developed for without obstacle. The methodology developed successfully found flight paths that will avoid the obstacle and touchdown near the pre-selected location. In some cases, there exist more than one ensemble grouping of flight paths. The distance error depends on both the pre-selected touchdown location and where the obstacle was placed. The distance error tends to increase with the addition of a specific final heading requirement for an obstacle avoidance forced landing manoeuvre. As with the case without specific final heading requirement, there is a trade off between touching down nearer to the pre-selected location and touching down with a smaller final heading error.

Os simuladores de vôo têm sido uma importante ferramenta para treinamento de pilotos e análise de vôo sem ter que se desembolsar grandes quantias monetárias, economizando combustível e evitando acidentes. Conseqüentemente, a demanda por simuladores de vôo tem aumentado tanto na indústria quanto na pesquisa. Com o intuito de futuramente construir um simulador de vôo, foi desenvolvido um projeto para elaboração de um software capaz de simular uma aeronave em vôo, do ponto de vista de dinâmica de vôo. O software SIMAERO foi desenvolvido na linguagem de programação C++ e simula a dinâmica de vôo de uma aeronave. Esta simulação consiste em resolver as equações de movimento da aeronave, utilizando o modelo matemático de equações diferenciais ordinárias proposto por ETKIN & REID, et al (1996). O modelo matemático é solucionado através do método de integração numérica Runge-Kutta de 4ª ordem conforme apresentado em CONTE (1977). Como parâmetros de entrada são informadas as seguintes características da aeronave: dados geométricos, dados aerodinâmicos e derivadas de estabilidade. Os resultados das simulações são apresentados em gráficos cartesianos e gravados em arquivos. Os gráficos são úteis para que possa ser feita uma posterior análise do comportamento da aeronave. Os arquivos gravados com os resultados das simulações podem ser utilizados em alguma aplicação futura, como sinas de entrada para uma plataforma de simulação, por exemplo. Neste trabalho será descrito como o SIMAERO foi desenvolvido e ao final serão apresentados alguns resultados obtidos. / Flight simulators have been an important tool for pilots training and for flight analyses, without having to spend a high quantity of money, saving gas and prevent accidents. Because of this, the demand for flight simulators has increased both in industry and in research centers. With the objective of in future build a flight simulator, a project to develop a software that is able to simulate the dynamics of flight of a flying aircraft was developed. The SIMAERO software was developed using C++ and its principal functionality is to simulate the dynamics of flight of an aircraft. This simulation basically is the solution of the system of motion equations of the aircraft, using the mathematical model described by ETKIN & REID, et al (1996). The mathematical model is solved using the 4th order Runge-Kutta numeric integration method, as presented in CONTE (1977). For the simulation, the geometric data, the aerodynamic data, and the dimensional derivates are passed to the software as input arguments. The results of the simulations are displayed as cartesians graphics and recorded as data files. The graphics are useful for visual analyses of the aircraft behavior, and the file, with the results of the simulation, can be used as input data for ground based simulator, for example. In this work, the development of the software SIMAERO will be presented, and then some results of the simulation of one aircraft will be shown.

PALICH, K. The use of fixed-base simulators in pilot training. Brno: Brno university of technology, Faculty of mechanical engineering, 2013. 80 s. Diploma thesis head: Ing. Jiří Chlebek, Ph.D. This diploma thesis deals with aircraft simulators and syntethic training devices which are used for pilot training. One of the chapters consist of division of syntethic training devices, which is defined by ordinance. In the next chapter there is general description of the basic function of those devices, history of simulators and their development from the very beggining to the present. A significant part of this diploma thesis is about flight simulator Jeppesen Flite Pro, which is at Institute of Aerospace at VUT. In the following chapters there is information about usage of this simulator in the education at this institute and there are picked specific subjects, where this simulator can be used.

This diploma thesis is dealing with the concepts behind the Stewart platform based flight simulation phenomena along with the method of inverse kinematics computation. Further, a washout algorithm to provide appropriate vestibular sensing to the pilot and ensuring that platform will not reach its limits is presented. Digital filters designed to be used in the implementation of the washout algorithm and their characteristics are also covered. The last part describes the architecture of the whole system and the implementation of individual parts.

This work discusses the creation of an interface between theX-Plane flight simulator and the TactSuit X40 haptic vest,the class architecture and design choices, as well asmeasuring the real-time operation of the program. Theefficiency of the program was measured by logging theexecution times of certain parts of the code. We found thatthe program can operate within defined parameters of whatconstitutes real-time but has an upper limit on how well itcan perform. The upper limit is dependent on the number ofpotential events provided by the user. We also discoveredthat the most time-consuming part of the code is the part thatis responsible for reading the user input into Python. Wesuggest that future work may want to examine and improvethis aspect.

The global infrastructure gap has continually widened over the last few decades. Industry reports and academic publications suggest that, in terms of road infrastructure, both advanced and developing economies have not paid sufficient attention to modernize their infrastructure assets. A wider road infrastructure gap signifies that highway conditions have declined because governments have not had enough resources for maintenance and rehabilitation. In the same way, it also indicates that congestion levels have grown and the level of service in most road networks has dropped because public agencies have not had sufficient funds to generate new highways and expand existing corridors. This dissertation, therefore, provided insights into the difficulties associated with improving the existing highway assets and the barriers related to expanding the current roadway capacity through public-private partnerships (PPPs). The research involved three interdependent studies. In the first study, I examined the continuous deterioration of the US highway system through a system dynamics model, which focused on the dynamics of capital investments and maintenance expenditures in the US road infrastructure. The results confirmed that the American highway system is currently stuck in a capability trap. This makes it difficult for the system to improve at the rates required by the country's economic growth. In my second investigation, my attention shifted toward the governance challenges related to building new roads and expanding highway capacity through PPPs. I developed a systems map of governance variables informed by past-published evidence from actual projects. By specifically examining the shaping phase of public-private initiatives, the work uncovered the effects of feedback relationships and interdependencies on PPP feasibility. This offered insights about the relationship between governance mechanisms and successful PPP development. In the third study, I utilized variables and relationships identified in my second investigation to develop a management flight simulator in order to better explain governance difficulties in the procurement phase of PPP projects. The simulator was implemented during an educational exercise with graduate students of civil engineering. By doing so, I confirmed that the simulator has the potential to increase our understanding of PPP procurement processes. Results indicated that the simulation tool was a suitable instrument to explain how government capacity, project uncertainty, and technical complexity influence PPP tendering. Overall, my findings across the three studies illustrate different means to understand why closing the global road infrastructure gap is challenging. Together, the three inquiries indicate that examining the road infrastructure sector as a socio-technical system contributes to improve our understanding of the expenditure dynamics related to existing assets and to enhance our comprehension of the governance challenges associated with developing new roads. / Ph. D.