Link Trainer Project..
 

OK, maybe this is not the right forum but it is as near as I could find!

We are building a functioning Link Trainer replica for our aviation museum. It will have a pitch, bank and yaw axis and the engine room will have MS Flight Simulator.

The replica 'aircraft' is being fitted with basic flying controls and moving elevator, rudder and ailerons. There will be an instrument panel driven by MS Flight Simulator. In normal operation there will be no outside view for the pilot and with the hood closed it will be dark inside. There will be voice connection between the pilot and an 'instructor' who will sit at a table complete with A3 size plotter to replicate the actions of the original Link Trainer installation.

All 'aircraft' movement will be by stepper motors which will move the aircraft to follow the attitude of the virtual aircraft model in the Flight Simulator software. Movement range will be 25 degrees ,up and down, for pitch and bank and of course 360 degrees for the yaw axis.

In a typical exercise the pilot will be seated in the darkened cockpit and use basic panel instruments to control movement of the aircraft and to follow various instrument flying procedures, cruise, navigate, approach etc.

Hopefully visitors to the museum will be able to experience at least some of the challenges of blind flying in the 1940-50s era.

Aaaahhhh ! - memories of hours spent in the 'huff-puff' machine (pneumatic bellows operation for those not familiar). Especially sought out in Khormaksar in the 50s, as it was almost the only place with air conditioning.

The Flixton Air Museum near Bungay, Suffolk UK apparently has two working link trainers.

I think the Boscombe Down museum at Old Sarum had/has an operating one?

John , sounds like a great project . Where away in NZ are you ? Our 'Boi emigrated , so were out again in July . Waiuku way .
Have been looking for a working link for some time , as we had 40-50 hrs in them back in '72 . and I'm wondering ... can I still do it ?
The Boscombe one was not quite up , 2 years back when visited .
Went to 'skool in Bungay , so will look up when next visit 'Sis .

rgds condor

It is a rare aviation museum that does not have at least the bones of a Link Trainer on display but it is even more rarely that they show a fully operational one. However we do have one in our museum at Ashburton** NZ that has movement however all the clever bits including the instruments are long dormant. We have a 'crab' that appears to be in operating condition but we do not have the other stuff to make it all work.

Of course our museum trainer is 80(?) years old so we will not be opening that up to the attention of the hoi polloi!

The current project is to be available for providing 'blind flying' experiences to museum visitors where they will be able to practice instrument flight and the use of various radio aides including the 'four leg Radio Range'.

Condor, I trust we will have it operational when you next come this way!

** Waiuku is I believe near 'Orkland' ? Ashburton is an hour drive south of Christchurch.

Our trainer will have a glass instrument panel and unlike the original we may include a view ahead. So when you peer ahead on descent after crossing the beacon you may be rewarded with a view of a runway and a simulated touchdown!

That’s about 15 miles from my Mum. Might have to visit and see if I can talk my way into it.

Oh no ! ... takes all the magic out of looking at the crab tracks ! ;)

OT - are you the JH contributor on Model Engineer Forum ?

The museum is, believe it or not, free to enter. The collection of aircraft outside is impressive and the inside displays are suoerb too, it's a real gem.
I think the whole point of having the Links working is for people to use try them - just go and ask.

I have visited, the last time about ten years ago. Yes it is a superb little museum. Previous memories of it was from young childhood, my late father used to fly for the parachute centre at Flixton in the late Seventies / early eighties and the Flixton Buck was the post flying /jumping watering hole. Children not allowed in the bar so I was sneaked onto the brass foot-bar underneath and fed crisps and soft drinks. I loved walking past the aeroplanes on way from the car-park, and so qualified as my first ‘favourite pub.’ (Pubs a decade or so later had different requirements.)

We have an A3 plotter to produce replica crab tracks.


I may have posted on ME forum some time in the past that I have forgotten about!

A couple of years ago I had the chance to fly, for a few minutes, the EC135 simulator. State of the art, with real-world graphics courtesy of Google Earth. I have also "flown" the Link, sort of "operationally". It was part of the RAF flying training syllabus at the time. That covers quite a period, and I suppose does at least show a looong time involved in aviation in various forms.

Link
 

There will be a fewex aircrew who will remember the "Link" at RAF Oakington.Also the Varsity Cockpit trainer in the next room!
I spent about 14 months looking after them and servicing,my boss was Master Pilot Al Boyse a real gentleman!
Students thought it beneath them having to do 20 hours on the link!Used to enjoy switching off certain instruments to see how long it took them to notice!

The last time I saw one used for training was at Aer Lingus in Dublin some 30+ years ago. It had been modified to incorporate an FD109 too! Quite impressive.

I had some fun in the one at the De Havilland Museum at Salisbury Hall last year. Got a bit easier when I realised the gyro compass was not working and I switched to old liquid one!

Stage 2 Sonics Trainer
 

The Link Crab had another less well known application. It acted as the "submarine" for the RAF's Stage 2 Sonics Trainer. Stage 2 simulated the Sonics 1C sonobouys used by the Shackleton and Nimrod MR1.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....3a528a5f4c.jpg
The aircraft operated a few miles offshore and transmitted the position of the simulated sonobouys it dropped to the Stage 2 operators. They positioned the "cans" on the rails above the plotting table in the correct relative positions. A wire was pulled from the base of the "can" and attached to a Link crab on the plotting table below. The bearing and distance was calculated from the orientation of the wire and converted to a sonobouy signal which was transmitted to the aircraft. The cables connecting the "cans" to the transmitters can be seen going up to the aerials on the roof. The "crab" was driven by the Stage 2 operators and produced a trace on the plotting table. You can see the umbilical cable in the photo. The plot was annotated with the sonobouy positions, weapon release points and assessments of attack accuracy. The plot was then collected by the crew for the debrief. Stage 2 had its limitations, but actually worked quite well and provided useful training.

YS

I have vague memories, or maybe nightmares, of sitting in a Link in the LGW Beehive to requalify for VDF approaches. Whose was it and what happened to it?

JH , thats correct , he's on Dash 8s AKL based . So don't think we'll get that far S. this trip . Maybe UK Spring '24.
Like the sonobuoy training use , not sure if I'd have been able to keep situational awareness of it all .. Bad enough on raw data NDB or VDF in the Link if memory serves
MS flight is useful for IF practice before revalidating my IRR [ IMC ] rating on light a/c.

rgds condor .