Swedish Flight Simulator Adds G Forces

jonerik writes "According to this article in Aviation Week and Space Technology, Sweden's Dynamic Flight Simulator (DFS) is believed to be the first flight simulator which actually allows fighter pilots to experience G forces under simulated conditions. Designed and built by California-based Wyle Laboratories, the DFS is essentially a flight simulator capsule (in this case for Sweden's JAS 39 Gripen fighter) located at the end of a 30-foot centrifuge arm. 'We wanted to give pilots the ability to "fly" and interact with the environment rather than just be a passive [centrifuge] rider,' said Will Roberts, program manager for Wyle Laboratories' DFS programs. 'We've come a long way in being able to translate the six degrees-of-freedom you get in an aircraft into the three degrees-of-freedom that we can control in a centrifuge. It's not perfect, but we think it's pretty good. There's room for more research to make it even better.'"

Comments

Great work, but why?

[soluzar22]

That's a real step forward in a technological sort of a way, but why? Have we had a problem with poor standards in fighter pilot training in recent years? I have to admit that if either the US or anywhere else, including my beloved UK has had this problem I had not heard.
Seems like a lot of effort for not too much reward to me but what do I know?

Re:Great work, but why?

[Visigothe]

It's also interesting that this is getting investigated from a security perspective, as the possibility of foreign nationals being trained inside our our jets becomes a larger concern. Publicity on longer "grounded" training could discourage moles/spies from enrolling in the programs, knowing in advance that they wouldn't be granted access to real equipment.

Although isn't the point of a simulator to simulate as closely as possible the real thing? I would assume that the cockpit in the simulator is the same [or fairly close] as the Real Thing.

Also, training has two parts: Simulation and "real world" trials. Once you are qualified in the sim, the next step is to get time in the actual vehicle. This means that when the "bad guys" get in the real vehicle, they will be that much more comfortable with the situation.

Re:Great work, but why?

[alexatrit]

As closely as possible, given limiting criteria. There are a lot of reasons why simulators are used instead of the real thing, mostly cost and liability.

Simulators are vastly different in some ways. In a simulator, things like radar are provided by a computer on the backend - easily tweaked - the real capabilities of the real equipment can be kept secret. You can teach someone how to fly without exposing them to classified components. You can teach someone to fly a Stealth fighter/bomber by way of a simulator without giving them access to the raw materials that coat the skin.

Also, these days there is a large backlog of background investigations for clearing personnel. So much that many contractors are being given interim clearances - which are like a benefit-of-the-doubt until the background investigations are completed. Extended sim-training can give investigators more time to complete background investigations before sticking people in the cockpit for real.

Re:Sweedish suburbs?

[October_30th]

That's not a mistake.

Both Finns and Swedes (don't know about the Norwegians) design national highways so that parts of them can be used as runways - improves the dispersion of the planes.

That was actually one of the quoted reasons why Finland opted for the Navy version of F-18s: it won't break down if you bring it down hard on a short, bumpy runway.