Description:
How can a pilot practice landing a plane in icing conditions with gusty wind at night or dog-fighting against enemy aircraft over a desert? How do pilots learn the controls of a new aircraft or practice new FAA procedures? How can gamers immerse themselves in realistic aircraft scenarios? They can stay safe and sharpen their skills using flight simulators!
In this semester-long course, students will examine a variety of flight simulators used in entertainment, recreation, and professional development, such as training both combat and general aviation pilots. Students will learn about the history and development of early flight simulators, from the wooden fuselage "Link Trainer" mounted to inflatable air bellows to today's state-of-the-art Level D systems. This immersive learning experience allows students to gain insight into the aviation industry, technology, and career prospects while providing a solid foundation in flight simulation.
In this course, students will explore the hardware components of flight simulation, focusing on flight control hardware systems, mechanical feedback, control loading/force feedback systems, including sticks, yokes, and pedals. They will also investigate the visual systems employed in flight simulation including the advantages and disadvantages of various system types, from monitors and projection to VR and mixed reality setups. Additionally, students will discover the intricacies of audio systems, learning about speaker systems, analog and digital audio, headphones, and audio cabling connections, all of which play a crucial role in creating an immersive flight simulation experience that translates into better proficiency in the cockpit and higher retention of learned information.
The instructor will bring his trailer-mounted mobile simulation lab to Compass for the class's use, and field trips will be schedule some weeks instead of classroom time. This is a 16-week, semester-long class led by a professional in aviation.
Please note that the first three weeks of overview and introduction to flight simulators will repeat information from spring semester 2023, but weeks 4+ will be new content focused on systems and hardware.
