Flight Dynamics, Simulation, and Control, 2nd Edition

9 Piloted Simulation and Pilot Modelling

DOI: 10.1201/9781003266310-9

9.1 Introduction

Human-in-the-loop simulations of aircraft are commonly referred to as flight simulators. A simulator is a device that imitates the dynamic behaviour of a real system. A mathematical or other simulation is employed to create a simulator. A simulation is the implementation of a dynamic model over time. While a dynamic model could be either a physical or a mathematical representation of a real-world entity, it is the mathematical model that is normally implemented within a flight simulator. Flight simulation attempts to provide a pilot with enough sensory information to sufficiently convince the simulator pilot that he/she is flying an actual aircraft. Sensory ...