ANSYS BLOG
October 11, 2018
Build Your Own Flight Simulator on Prepar3D to Streamline Cockpit Design
When you feel the need for speed, building a custom flight simulation that is compatible with Lockheed Martin’s Prepar3D is just cool.
However, engineers build flight simulators for a more practical reason — to help optimize cockpit designs.
These flight simulators can be made using Ansys SCADE solutions for ARINC 661 (A661) standards. These results can then be integrated into Prepar3D v4.
The cockpit of Lockheed Martin’s F-22 Raptor (F-22) simulated using ANSYS SCADE and Lockheed’s Prepar3D
From there, you can request as many flybys as you want as you ensure your new human-machine interface (HMI) is ready for the flight deck.
How Customized Flight Simulators Optimize Cockpit Design
A661 is a standard that aims to normalize cockpit display systems (CDS) and their communications with user applications (UA). The layout and control logic to these systems can all be made compliant to A661 standards using SCADE.
An F-22 flying over a lake within a custom-made flight simulator
In fact, SCADE contains a library of A661 widgets and can be used to create the definition files, user applications and communication code between the cockpit and the applications run by the aircraft’s computer.
This library of control code helps engineers ensure their cockpits control the aircraft properly from the first test flight to the dogfight.
SCADE can do a lot more than ensure the quality of aircraft control code. Engineers can integrate Ansys SCADE Display into Prepar3D v4 to simulate their designs. Engineers can then share these simulations with real pilots before they build a physical prototype.
This enables engineers to test new HMI concepts faster and on a smaller budget. These tests can bring up integration challenges and human factors early in the development cycle when designs are more maneuverable.
Flight Simulators Train Pilots Earlier
Once the designs are all finalized these custom-made flight simulations can serve another important purpose.
It takes time to build a fleet of fighter jets and train pilots to use them effectively in battle.
Check out a video of the F-22 Raptor simulation for yourself.
Since a simulation of the cockpit exists, why not use it to train pilots as soon as the designs are finalized? In theory, this means an air force could have a trained fleet of pilots as soon as their new fleet of planes arrive.
Why not take your own flight into the danger zone by watching this simulation of Lockheed Martin’s F-22 Raptor? Once you’re done, why not check out SCADE solutions for A661?