Phase 2 cockpit frame fitted with a test display screen frame
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Phase 2 cockpit frame fitted with a test display screen frame |
July 2003
With the GS-1 certified as a synthetic trainer (you can see it in action in the tour video), we have been turning our attention to the next model, the so called "Phase 2" or TS-1. The Phase 2 simulator is a tour de force of different technologies, so we have been back in R&D mode for a number of areas. We are somewhat ambitiously aiming for a far higher level of certification so we have a number of areas to address.
Cockpit
As the TS-1 will have a high fidelity real cockpit, we have been designing new microcontrollers to deal with the expanding requirements. For those cockpit builders out there or simulation freaks (why else would you be reading this page?), recreating a non-glass cockpit is considerably more difficult than doing a glass cockpit aircraft. Each of the instruments has to be recreated accurately.
Now there is some off the shelf hardware you can get for this type of development TRC's SimKits (www.therealcockpit.com) and Sim-Instruments take very different approaches to the same problem. SimKits have a single big microcontroller and fairly unsophisticated instruments. Good if you want to do a simple sim, but not up to scratch for what we need (eg: their AH can't actually do full rotation). At the other end of the scale, you have Sim-Instruments (www.sim-instruments.com) and their fairly sophisticated model. They are looking to have a microcontroller per instrument and hook them up presumably by some sort of two wire high speed serial interface. They ship the whole instrument (or will - at the time of writing they seems to be having a little getting started) which is not really much good for us either. We take a different approach again. We want the flexibility to build our own instruments, but keep the high fidelity performance, so we are designing specific microcontrollers to deal with specific areas, all with USB connectivity. Since the start of the year, we have been moving to a much higher speed more flexible microcontroller family and it is beginning to pay off.
We have been working on a Stepper Motor design that will handle 20 or 30 small high speed steppers with optical switch support, all with independently programmable deceleration curves... on one USB connection. This has completed prototype testing and is currently in PCB QA phase before being sent to our PCB board contractor.
Since we wanted a board that could handle 60+ servos, we have just completed a prototype for this as well. It is in PCB design stage. We have begun work on actual instrumentation using some really cool microservos. It looks fabulous. Anyway.... these are two of about ten new boards required to accurate the various features we wish to replicate. So we have a lot of work to do...
Force Feedback
We have done some initial design on this. This is not the Sidewinder joystick type force feedback, this is correctly weighted Piper Seminole control column type feedback so it is quite a challenge!
Visual Display Hardware
In the GS-1, you fly a whopping great big screen. In the TS-1, we are looking at wrap around DLP projection. You think this would be easy... but it isn't. Below you can see some advanced screen mounting prototypes, mocked up in wood. We are looking at angles, throw ratios, screen sizes, projector positioning and the like. Since we are on a moving platform with space restrictions, it is pretty tough, but we think we have made good progress and are on the way to selecting appropriate hardware.
Flight Dynamics
An awful lot has been happening in this area, but it is all embryonic. More about this next update!
February 2003
We did it! Following two years of development, on Wednesday, the 5th of February, CASA approved the GS-1 motion simulator for use as a synthetic trainer under the standards and requirements of FSD2 (similar to the US FAA FTD Level 2).
Sporting four PCs, three microcontrollers, a three degrees of freedom hydraulically powered motion system, 200W of sound and an advanced touchscreen instructor workstation, it is about as much fun as you can have in a simulator. Better still, you can use it for approved instrument training activities as part of GFPT, PPL and CPL licences as well as instrument approach recency.
It is the only motion based simulator/synthetic trainer available at Moorabbin and one of the very few general aviation motion simulators in Australia.
The GS-1 has a airy new home - the new simulator centre at MFS. Drop in and take a peek... and look out for its big brother taking shape just next to it - the AFS TS-1, coming end of 2003.
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November 2002 - January 2003
CASA has reviewed the Operations Manual for the Phase 1 - Generic Simulator. Next step is the actual CASA certification process of the Generic Simulator itself, which is scheduled to happen in the beginning of February.
Occupational, Health & Safety has reviewed our Generic Simulator and we are now close to achieving "sign off" from them.
Fine tuning of flight models has continued!
We have been tuning the hydraulic performance for better fidelity.
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November 2002 - January 2003
We have continued designing, developing and testing new instrumentation controllers - the latest efforts being the Switch and Relay/LED controllers. The switch controller handles up to 128 throw and momentary switches, synchronised back to Flight Sim via AFS Instrument Server - all on a single USB cable. Instrument Server can directly set Flight Sim parameters, send keystrokes (if needed) or send data onto other instrument modules based on switch settings. Likewise the Relay/LED controller handles 64 LEDs and/or Relays with selectable onboard current limiting. Instrument Server allows a mix of Flight Sim parameters to be used to drive a single LED or relay (eg: If the Left Gear is down, the Battery Master Switch is on and there is no electrical failure, turn the Left Gear light on).
 Relay / LED Controller |
 Switch Controller |
November 2002 - January 2003
The never ending task of working on Moorabbin scenery has continued. We have concentrated on getting a few structures ready, so we can texture them - not to mention resizing our earlier structures, as they were about 20% smaller than they should have been... Having said that, we did manage to get SOME texturing done as well!
We also had our first attempt at creating some trees in GMax - can't have Australian scenery without some Australian flora!
 A view of the MFS buildings, with our first attempt at trees in the background |
 Moorabbin buildings |
 And another building... |
September / October 2002
We've finally completed the Operations Manual for the Phase 1 - Generic Simulator. Our very colourful manual details everything from a "Quick Start Guide" on how to use the sim, to a Training Syllabus.
We designed and developed a hydraulic safety "watchdog" microcontroller. This is an important safety feature, as it will shut down the hydraulics in the event of a computer failure.
The Generic simulator is in the process of being finalised for CASA certification.
We have started fine tuning the flight models, for greater fidelity. This is an ongoing process!
 Hydraulic Watchdog PCB Layout |
September / October 2002
We started testing our first PCB "production" boards for Phase 2 - and are learning from our mistakes as we go along.
We have continued to design, test and build for avionics components.
September / October 2002
Work on Moorabbin scenery has continued. Very time consuming work as we are texturing with actual photos, but thus far we are happy with our results (even though the images below do not do the scenery justice!).
 Control tower and other Moorabbin buildings |
 Side view of King Island Airlines |
 View of Moorabbin runways |
 Overhead view of Moorabbin scenery |
August 2002
The Phase 2 cockpit requires an awful lot of automation and our simulation "avionics" are gradually moving from prototypes to PCB designs to reality. With any luck, we should be testing our first "production" boards in late August. Design, test and build for these components will continue over the next few months. The pictures below are for just one particular cockpit function...
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August 2002
We have started work on enhancing the Moorabbin scenery. Ok, so it's a great expanse of asphalt, but at least we have hangar! We will be preparing a photo realistic version of YMMB right down to runway signs. This will be a long and detailed process, but we think it will be worth it.
 MFS hangar |
If you're interested in seeing our progression, have a look at the links below.