Flight Simulator Whips Trainees Around With ‘Gut Wrenching G-Forces’
- Posted on December 2, 2011 at 4:22pm by
Liz Klimas
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Universal Motion Simulator provides realistic training experience to fighter pilots. (Photo: Deakin)
Although this may look like a single-armed version of a carnival scrambler — nausea factor included — it is actually a new virtual training simulator for fighter pilots.
The robotic arm of this Universal Motion Simulator, which the creators say is unlike any of its kind, was built at Deakin University in Australia. The press release states it will provide trainee pilots and drivers with a “safer, cheaper and more realistic training environment than currently available elsewhere in the world.”
Check it out:
“This next generation simulator uses its oversized robot arm to spin users at high speeds in any direction,” explained Professor Saeid Nahavandi, the Director of Deakin’s Centre for Intelligent Systems Research, in the press release.
“No other simulator can provide the full experience of flying a military jet with all the gut wrenching G-forces while only seven metres off the ground.
“While suited for training pilots, the UMS is also the perfect platform for simulating land based vehicles including tanks and other armoured vehicles, trucks, race cars and motorbikes. Its training capabilities are endless.”
Split screen showing what the trainee pilot sees and other angles. (Image: Screenshot from Deakin video)
Nahavandi says that other flight simulators have restricted movement, hampering their flying experience. He says that UMS has a better range of motion and haptics capability — meaning the pilot can “feel” forces from the virtual reality he or she is seeing. The program also has pilot performance tracking capabilities.
Nahavandi explains more here:
[H/T Popular Science]
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ghampton106
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 11:29amThis doesn’t seem terribly realistic to me…it does not appear that the pilot is being exposed to all of the rage of motions and still being required to perform all fot he functions has to perform while in flight, such as manipulation of thrust controls, flaps controls, speed brakes, landing gear, communications, navigation equipment….pilots have alot going on in the cockpit as they fly. If this is intended to expose brand new pilots to certain concepts it has some value, but limited value…and given todays focus on cutting spending in DC…and the progressive policy preference for cutting defense spending first….we should not be wasting dollars on limited use items like this.
Report Post »RaptorEP
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 3:17pmYour wrong GHAMPTON106, it’s prob as close as you can be to flying a jet while on the ground. It can mimic forces that other sims can’t come close to achieving. It’s also a prototype and not kitted out with all the controls of a cockpit, and it is FAR cheaper the using a real aircraft, take this into consideration. A gal of 90 octane gasoline costs roughly $4, a gal of JetA fuel costs roughly $12, a fighter jet mpg is 0.3 and holds 300+gals of fuel so a full load of fuel costs $1,200+ with a flight time roughly 30min to an hour without mid-air refuel. Now to practice with other aircraft times that to a flight wing of 6 aircraft and your paying $7,200+ of fuel costs alone, not to mention pilot pay and maintenance expenses. having this sim is a VERY REAL cost saver.
Report Post »SamIamTwo
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 7:23amOur fighter plans have the ability to push way more than 9gs…so stated in the late 70′s…a good pilot can take about 9gs with their pressurized suits. (a g-suit)…In a simulator some have been able to withstand 46.2Gs, that’s over 7k lbs on your body…John Stapp in the 40′s-50′s http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/space/gravity-forces.html
Some day we will see pilot-less jet fighter that will unleash the real maneuverability of our war planes. JIMHO…Yeah, and on that day we will scare the hell out of every nation.
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 10:39pmI love watching other people scar themselves to death….the expressions are priceless…LOL..
Report Post »INOGAWD
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 11:48pmWonder if you can put it in the ground ? HMMM !!
Report Post »Secessionista
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 5:15pmYeah, me and a friend did that back in 2001. It’s way fun. But this is NOT new. Just go look at some of the videos on the internet using cincy milacron bots, those were posted even before youtube came into existence.
Report Post »motorcycleboy
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 5:28amThat ride you provided a link for is like a primitive carnival ride compared to this. The user has no control of it, so it isn’t reactive. Not to mention that the robot arm has fewer points of articulation. The whole core basis for believable simulation is the relationship between visual and sonic projection, user input, and dimensional movement. A carnival ride has only one of these parameters.
This UMS is nice but to truly simulate flight, especially high-g load flight, it would need a spherical range of motion, instead of only hemispherical.
Report Post »godhatesacoward
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 5:08pmI’ve been a commercial fisherman for years, fished in some pretty nautical weather and only got sick once.(hungover but worked through it). I rode“ Mission to mars” at Disney World w/ my wife and that 4 minute experience completely ruined my day! I‘ll take high seas over high g’s anyday!
Report Post »Maidoff101
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 3:40pmThis thing spins almost as fast as the White House talking points, and the MSM!
Report Post »BOMUSTGO
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 3:26pmI have been a flight simulator nut since 1985.Started witht thee old Commodor 64.
Report Post »AR485
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 5:31amI wonder if they do home installation.
Report Post »cyclops
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 12:45pmLOL!!!! I was gonna say, I bet former or current Astronauts and Pilots would love to stand in line to have this installed in their homes………
Report Post »jvrat
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 3:16amso What’s new? Ya it is newer yet much cheaper instead of on board it uses head set vids and much less hardware so nothing new -just a little more refined and much -much cheaper
Report Post »BehindBlueEyes
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 6:21amEasy for you to say.
Report Post »Al J Zira
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 2:48amAll I want to know is how much and when can I get a turn?
Report Post »johnsonlb
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 2:23amLooks like a great simulator for ground based operations: rough terrain, etc. In reality, it’s absolutely useless for TACTICAL aircraft simulation. I have flown at 9 Gs in a Navy jet. This type of experience CANNOT be duplicated except within special devices which are moving at high speeds in order to induce high-G loading. Why? The simple answer is the physics involved. The arm of the device does not extend far enough, and the motion of the device is simply unable to reproduce high-G loading. In the end, this looks like a great device for simulating rough ground-based operations, but is simply not suitable for reproducing high-G loading experienced in a real-world tactical aircraft.
Report Post »RaptorEP
Posted on December 5, 2011 at 3:31pmThey also never claim to do High-G loads either, it’s for flight training, and probably can do 3g by the speed i saw in the vid. It cheaper and minimal risk for new pilots to train in before getting in a multi-million dollar aircraft.
Report Post »schlepnier
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 1:41amWill that be available for the play station 25?
Loks like a blast to use fo all us flight simulator nuts.
Report Post »grayling646
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 1:20amThat’s an ABB robot painted black.
There’s already amusement rides using these robots.
Report Post »AxelPhantom
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 1:01amI love positive g’s, it‘s the negative one’s that make me think twice! Always wanted to try one of these things.
Report Post »Wheelerdude
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 11:17pmAwesome! I always wanted to barf my toenails!! This looks like a great training tool.
Report Post »db321
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 11:38pmI want a ride.
Report Post »longun45
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 12:24amMake it take quarters and it will be a winner.
Report Post »FaithfulFriend
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 11:12pmFor the same affect just ride with my wife when she drives.
Report Post »smokey888x2
Posted on December 2, 2011 at 11:19pmaaaah, you really don’t want a comment to that statement:)
Ok, how soon will we get one of these at home – looks like a great toy.
Report Post »ICRedifURBlue
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 12:12amHook that baby to my xbox 360………………
Report Post »onebigassmistakeamerica
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 2:11amOh, boy.
Report Post »shagstar
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 11:48amthat’s too funny!! lmao
Report Post »INOGAWD
Posted on December 3, 2011 at 11:58pmYou got one of those too?? I brake a sweat everytime My truck
Report Post »brakes down and I have to get her to give me a ride, rather call
a Cab !!