Considerations regarding the composition of the cockpit view for a modern simulator

Abstract

This study shows how to generate images and compose images in the modern simulator room by starting multiple work sessions running at the same time so that all active server stations and the station to connect to are continuously displayed. Each server handles specific functions of the simulation process and runs a dedicated software application for its specific functions. For a supervised flight simulator, the following functions need to have dedicated applications: 1) Flight Dynamics Simulation, 2) Graphical projection, 3) Cockpit and Flight instrumentation simulation and integration, 4) Supervisor station. Out of these functions, Graphical projections and Cockpit and Flight instrumentation and integration require the most computational resources. Simulators need to present the view from a cockpit which requires a field of view of at least 180 degrees. This requires at least three displays usually in the form of projectors. In legacy implementations due to computational bottlenecks, each projector needed a dedicated computer. Similarly, the Cockpit and Flight instrumentation simulation requires usually upwards of 100 flight instrument simulations and embedded processors to be managed. In legacy implementations, one computer is needed for each piloting station. In recent implementations due to the increased performance of multi-core processors, many of these functions can be handled by single computers: the flight dynamics simulation and graphical projection functions can currently be handled by a single computer, similarly, all Cockpit and Flight instrumentation simulation and integration can be handled by another computer. Thus, a minimum of three servers are required to ensure full functionality of supervised simulation using modern computing systems.