Most hands-on pilot training occurs not in the air, But on the ground. The classroom in which this instruction takes place Is a flight simulator -- A high-tech replica of the aircraft cockpit. Through the magic of sophisticated computer software, The simulator mimics the process and feel of flying the aircraft. The flight simulator can produce darkness or daylight, Clear or stormy weather, Or an emergency such as engine failure
Or a runway tire blowout. Simulators are modeled after specific aircraft, Such as a boeing 737.
The simulator manufacturer buys the technical data From the aircraft manufacturer So it can build a cockpit Which is an exact replica in both look and feel. After assembling a steel frame And building the instructor's station behind the cockpit, They mount a sound system beneath the cockpit. This enables crew communication And produces realistic aircraft and weather sounds. A computer-driven image generator Produces the cockpit view
on a large, spherical mirror Made of a thin polyester film. A vacuum pump sucks it flat and wrinkle-free.
The image reflecting on the mirror creates the illusion Of the infinite view pilots have in a real aircraft. The image generator doesn't send the visuals Directly to the spherical mirror facing the pilots. A projector first shoots the image Onto a flat, rectangular mirror that reflects the image Onto a front projection screen -- That round part at the top. The image on the projection screen then reflects In the spherical mirror in front of the pilots. This diagram illustrates how the image travels. Technicians prepare the cockpit throttles, Adjusting the lever tension To be identical to that of the real aircraft. Inside each throttle, they check the thrust reverser That pilots activate upon touchdown To reverse air flow and stop the plane.
Next come the control panels, With all the buttons and switches to operate everything From the engines to the air-conditioning to the lights. Next, the motion actuators -- Giant legs which move the cockpit. They attach to a concrete slab with jumbo bolts. Technicians attach conduits Through which electrical cables and air hoses run To the actuators. The motion is electropneumatic, Meaning that air assists the electric motor That moves the legs.
To attach the actuators, Technicians activate the brake inside each one. This enables the leg to stretch far enough to reach the base. After checking the alignment with this tool... ...They insert a pin.
Then they test the movement of the entire apparatus. The test pilot runs the finished flight simulator Through different maneuvers To ensure it performs perfectly. The image generator is run by highly sophisticated software. It knows the design of every airport in the world, Enabling the instructor To conjure up any scenario imaginable... Takeoffs, landings, and taxiing at a specific airport, Any weather conditions or runway hazards, Or any unforeseen events, such as a blackout That plunges the entire airport into darkness. Faking it doesn't get any more real than this.
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