The Use of Low-Cost Microcomputers as Medium-Fidelity Simulators for Prototype Development, Training and Research

Research time in state-of-the-art flight simulators is in heavy demand. The demand is even more acute when future aircraft and future cockpit systems are the targets of the investigation. Configuring the simulator properly and then training pilots to function in that configuration are substantial time drains. We believe that we have solved many of the problems associated with limiting the cockpit crew station designs to optimal configurations before committing simulator resources to further investigation. Further, we have also resolved a major training requirement in a way that we believe will minimize the need for insimulator training time.