Calculation of the acceleration force components and roll and pitch link angles of the CFS and SDT

Abstract

Pilots of modern combat aircraft are exposed to the devastating effects of high acceleration forces and unusual orientation. The pilots’ ability to perform tasks under these extreme flight conditions must be examined. A centrifuge flight simulator (CFS) for pilot training is designed as a three-degree-of-freedom 3DoF manipulator with rotational axes. Through rotations about these axes, acceleration forces that act on aircraft pilots are simulated. The spatial disorientation trainer (SDT) examines a pilot’s ability to recognise unusual orientations, to adapt to unusual positions and to persuade the pilot to believe in the aircraft instruments for orientation and not in his own senses. The SDT is designed as a (4DoF) manipulator with rotational axes. Through rotations about these axes, different orientations can be achieved; different acceleration forces acting on the pilot can also be simulated. In this paper, the acceleration forces and angular velocities that act on the simulator pilot in the CMS and SDT are calculated along with the roll and pitch angles of the gondola for these forces.