|
Flight simulator is a combination of two word flights and simulator. Flights mean general airline related flight which is used to travel from one place to another. Simulator actually consists of a machine on the ground that describes the actual status of a flying plane.
A simulation is a presentation of some real device or state of affairs in an unreal way. Simulation tries to represent certain features of the behavior of a physical or abstract system by the behavior of another system. Simulation is used in many ways. It can be used to model a natural system, human system to gain complete picture of the operation of that system.
A flight simulator is used to train pilots on the ground in an unreal way. Here pilots can crash his simulated "aircraft" without getting any injury. Flight simulators are used to train pilots to operate aircraft in extremely difficulty situations. It may be like aircraft with complete electrical or hydraulic failures. In that situation it very difficult to handle the aircraft. This particular test cannot be performed on the real aircraft. As it comes very costly. That is why simulator is preferred . It is cheaper to operate and maintain.
Flight simulator ranges from video games to fullsize cockpit placed on hydraulic rams which is controlled by computer. It is extensively used by the aviation industry and military organization. History
Then in the year 1960 digital computers were used for flight simulation. There are various categories of flight simulators used for pilot training. These categories range from simple "system trainers" to 6 degree of freedom motion simulators. There are minor differences within each of these categories, but they all provide the equivalent training capabilities.
There are devices like System trainers, Cockpit procedures trainer and many more. System trainer teaches pilot about the operation of various aircraft systems. They are not used for flight training. Once pilot gets enough information on the operation of the system they move to cockpit procedures trainer CPTs.
The CPTs gives complete feel of flight its atmospheric environment in which aircraft fly. It also gives the sound effect as produced by various aircraft like engine sound, landing sound, gear sound and other sounds. But it fails to give the full motion effect.
That is generated by a full motion simulator known as six-degree of motion (6-DOF). It gives complete effect of realtime environment. Along with all the features it also gives six possible movements of an aircraft as heave, roll, yaw, pitch and longitudinal and lateral movements. These simulator generates high gravitational force which makes it necessary to wear seat belts as in the real environment.
Known as VoIP, IP Telephony, Internet telephony and Digital Phone, Voice over Internet Protocol is the medium of voice conversations over the internet. Through this, the voice data get transported by packet-switched network instead of traditional dedicated, circuit-switched voice transmission lines. The protocols used for it are referred as VoIP protocols.
Flight simulators are an essential element in individual pilot as well as flight crew training. They save time, money and lives |
