The old Concorde Sim at Filton
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The old Concorde Sim at Filton
Here’s a thought
What ever happened to that Concorde simulator at Filton? Did it get mothballed??
Has anyone ever thought of getting it up and running as a stand alone company?? Maybe MCC or Sim. Experience ??
What ever happened to that Concorde simulator at Filton? Did it get mothballed??
Has anyone ever thought of getting it up and running as a stand alone company?? Maybe MCC or Sim. Experience ??
Join Date: Jul 2005
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hard to find info..
I agree that this could be very popular! It's also hard to get information about the facility, let alone whether the simulator still works!
Are there any pictures of it?
Are there any pictures of it?
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Check out www.concordesst.com for some answers...
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When I flew it back in the late 80s it was using a "flying camera" on the model scenery stacked upright against a wall in the back room somewhere - we were told we wouldn't be able to "crash" for fear of damaging the optics. Did it ever get converted to computer graphics?
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In brief, there was no way found to salvage it.
Airbus wanted the building back, and there was no way the sim could have been dismantled, moved and brought back to life (never mind the cost). Ask the people who maintained it about the black magic needed to keep it running even when it was still in place.
So the cab was taken off the moving base and moved to Brooklands museum in two sections, where it still is.
This is not rumour... I sat in it, in May '05. Last I saw it was October '06, when university students were working on the first steps of bringing some of it back to life.
I have no idea what happended to the rest of the equipment...
What pancho saw in the BA training centre Cranebank at LHR, was probably the external visual system, which BA recovered, because it was not specifically Concorde, so it could be re-used.
Airbus wanted the building back, and there was no way the sim could have been dismantled, moved and brought back to life (never mind the cost). Ask the people who maintained it about the black magic needed to keep it running even when it was still in place.
So the cab was taken off the moving base and moved to Brooklands museum in two sections, where it still is.
This is not rumour... I sat in it, in May '05. Last I saw it was October '06, when university students were working on the first steps of bringing some of it back to life.
I have no idea what happended to the rest of the equipment...
What pancho saw in the BA training centre Cranebank at LHR, was probably the external visual system, which BA recovered, because it was not specifically Concorde, so it could be re-used.
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Concorde sim
I flew it some years back (it was digital then). It was first prize in a school raffle, and the winner had no interest in it, so said I (knowing I am nuts about anything that flies) could have the prize instead for nothing!.
I found it truly amazing, having only flown Chipmunk's for real until then.
One ironic point, is that the instructor "flew" us through the twin towers in New York, and joked that of course it could not be done for real!. The whole thing is still fresh in my mind, including landing in Japan.
I found it truly amazing, having only flown Chipmunk's for real until then.
One ironic point, is that the instructor "flew" us through the twin towers in New York, and joked that of course it could not be done for real!. The whole thing is still fresh in my mind, including landing in Japan.
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Thanks barnstormer1968 ! Even if I'm now stinking jealous !
I flew the old Filton development simulator, up to Mach 2.11.... I'm sure not that many have heard the sound of that overspeed warning....
It's a real pity neither of the simulators could be saved in situ.
We'll now have to see how much can be done with what's left.
Christian
I flew the old Filton development simulator, up to Mach 2.11.... I'm sure not that many have heard the sound of that overspeed warning....
It's a real pity neither of the simulators could be saved in situ.
We'll now have to see how much can be done with what's left.
Christian
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Carrier Landings as party pieces were fairly common in the late 1970s/early 1980s (United Airlines in St. Louis had a 707 simulator with carrier landing capability).
There was even carrier landing capability in some U.S. Navy simulators but as far as I know I built the first one that was a real simulation, not a party piece. It was the A-6E night carrier landing trainer and contained a real model of a real aircraft carrier as well as appropriate visuals (computer generated). Unlike the party pieces this was a real simulation because it became obvious that the A-6E was a bit more of a handfull than desired to get aboard and too many people were killing themselves (and banging up aircraft in the process) and there was no dual control TA-6.
Doing this simulation properly was a real trick, and a fair amount of art was needed for the visuals of the FLOLS and other deck lighting to make it work. As the ol A-6 is now not in the active inventory don't know what happened to the trainers, but would be great for leisure centers and amusement parks if bought for 10 cents on the dollar (they cost about 12M each to build and were worth every penny)
Would be very interesting to see the software for the Concorde simulation, as transonic is always a trick and would like to see how the different possible configurations (weight, CG shifts, v. geometry nose, etc) were done. How far into unusual flight conditions did the training simulators go? And who had the guts to collect the ground truth real data to build them?
edited for fat fingers
There was even carrier landing capability in some U.S. Navy simulators but as far as I know I built the first one that was a real simulation, not a party piece. It was the A-6E night carrier landing trainer and contained a real model of a real aircraft carrier as well as appropriate visuals (computer generated). Unlike the party pieces this was a real simulation because it became obvious that the A-6E was a bit more of a handfull than desired to get aboard and too many people were killing themselves (and banging up aircraft in the process) and there was no dual control TA-6.
Doing this simulation properly was a real trick, and a fair amount of art was needed for the visuals of the FLOLS and other deck lighting to make it work. As the ol A-6 is now not in the active inventory don't know what happened to the trainers, but would be great for leisure centers and amusement parks if bought for 10 cents on the dollar (they cost about 12M each to build and were worth every penny)
Would be very interesting to see the software for the Concorde simulation, as transonic is always a trick and would like to see how the different possible configurations (weight, CG shifts, v. geometry nose, etc) were done. How far into unusual flight conditions did the training simulators go? And who had the guts to collect the ground truth real data to build them?
edited for fat fingers
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so it finally made it then
So, there I was wondering around another museum a common practice while home on leave and then I saw it.
Back in 2004 I asked the question, it only took 12 years
I have this as the number one on my things to do next leave
http://brooklandsconcorde.co.uk/imag...-simulator.pdf
So happy you cant imagine
Back in 2004 I asked the question, it only took 12 years
I have this as the number one on my things to do next leave
http://brooklandsconcorde.co.uk/imag...-simulator.pdf
So happy you cant imagine
Would have loved to have "flown" that - back in 60/70 I was given the job of production controlling assemblies for the first 2 visors and droop noses Marshalls designed and built. Heady days.
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Hi all, I was lucky enough to have sim session at Brooklands Museum about 2 years ago (birthday present) - as a Concorde fan it was so good and although fixed base nowadays, the sim team have done an amazing restoration with excellent visuals that make the ride so realistic. The control response is, I am told - also realistic, no wonder Concorde pilots say it handled like a sports car, if you have the inclination then just go for it - you will have no regrets and you also have instruction from a former BA Concorde pilot sitting in the r/h seat!.
Or - drop very heavy hints to your family �� (And keep your fingers crossed!)
Muzzey
Or - drop very heavy hints to your family �� (And keep your fingers crossed!)
Muzzey
A non-pilot friend of mine flew the Concorde sim and sent me some pictures. He particularly enjoyed doing this:
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Only ten years later
Today , was the day to have a go with Concorde ,, I was a 48yrs old child last night and at was awake at 5am .. just couldn't sleep with excitement..
Was it worth the wait and the money.... Hell Yes!!!!!!!
Was it worth the wait and the money.... Hell Yes!!!!!!!
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I remember the Concorde sim, it was on the factory floor at Redifusion in Crawley in 1977/78. Us RAF types were on a 16 week Hawk Sim course in same factory learning all types of weird things such as R2000A computer (all assembler language and paper tape with the infamous Cat A Linkage (i.e. interface between the computer and the cockpit)). Sitting in the left hand seat of Concorde and flying in 1977 was a memory not to be forgotten - after all the Hawk T1, which at that time flew more like a C130, was never going supersonic heading west over the Bristol channel.. Fond memories.......
