PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Simulator "Ground Handling" Characteristics
Old 15th Nov 2017, 11:04
  #17 (permalink)  
Uplinker
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: UK
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Think how far the aircraft cockpit actually moves sideways over the ground during a 90 degree turn say - for an A320 it's about 30 meters ! There is no way the SIM can physically move that far, so it cannot reproduce the correct physical sensation.

It can give an idea of some forces, for example on take-off to simulate the acceleration, the whole SIM pitches up about 40 degrees, but it keeps the window views and the PFDs level so your brain thinks you are sitting level but you are pushed into your seat because unseen by you, the SIM has actually reclined, so gravity is being used to simulate forward acceleration.

I don't know if the SIM rolls to simulate sideways accelerations, but none of the many SIMs I have been in have given very good sideways rendition, especially with engine failures around V1 - it’s mostly visual and audio. Although, to be fair I have never actually had a real engine failure at around V1, so I don’t know what it feels like !

On every type I have flown so far; when I get out to fly the real aircraft, it flies much better than the SIM, and is much easier !

{Incidentally, the reason we sometimes have motion-sickness is because when the signals from our balance organs and our eyes disagree, the brain assumes we must have eaten a neuropoison, so it wants to empty the stomach! Closing your eyes - if you can ! - removes one source of disagreement and usually prevents the feeling of sickness.}
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