D-Six Engineering Workstation / Flight Test Preparation and Analysis Tool
Background
The evaluation of new aircraft flying characteristics as part of the configuration development cycle has traditionally been a significant component of military aircraft development. However, the difficulty and expense of simulation development and hardware deployment has typically
restricted the use of simulation as a configuration development component in the general aviation world. The use of D-Six, with it's embedded model development tools to simplify and expedite model development and deployment, has enabled the general aviation industry to utilize this
effective tool in the configuration evaluation process.
D-Six was successfully used in the pilot evaluation of a major general aviation manufacturer's latest business jet configuration. Following the development of a detailed flight model by Bihrle, a comprehensive simulation station was assembled to provide both pilot as well as flight test
engineer interfaces. While the test pilot typically employs the simulation to familiarize himself with aircraft characteristics, the flight test team rarely has the opportunity to work together in a simulated flight test environment. This is a result of the difficulty in configuring
most traditional simulations to support multiple linked workstations. Utilizing D-Six's modular networking capability, the entire flight test team was able to simulate, develop and refine the flight test program, for greater efficiency and safety during actual flight testing.
Workstation Description
In addition to the pilot's cockpit interface, the D-Six Engineering Workstation assembled for this application utilized commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) PC networking hardware to communicate with the flight model's output. This was accomplished over an Ethernet connection using UDP/IP
communication protocol to connect the main simulation PC with the monitoring PC. The functionality needed to communicate was added to D-Six dynamically through plug-in software modules. This workstation replicated the functions of an actual flight test ground monitoring station. The
Engineering Workstation function provided the user with configurable strip chart and model viewing perspective control. As a result of efficient networking, real-time performance of the main simulation PC in unaffected. The real-time strip charting was available for any combination of
simulation variables. These included typical state variables and individual incremental effects from the simulation database. The ability to readily analyze individual component data to determine the aerodynamic source of any unusual effects greatly enhanced the utility of the
workstation as an analytical support tool. Visual tracking options included "chase plane" perspective, as well as matching cockpit HUD display. Simulation time history storage and replay functions allowed ongoing analysis and review.
Summary
The combination of D-Six's simulation engineer workstation along with a functional cockpit and visual environment can allow a flight test pilot / engineering team to evaluate an aircraft as well as develop a comprehensive and efficient flight test plan. The use of efficient UDP/IP
networking allows the real-time analysis of flight test simulation.
Typical D-Six Simulation Cockpit / Engineering Workstation Components
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