Bihrle Applied Research, Inc.: Products

PRODUCTS
	Software
	• D-Six
	- Key Features
	- Tools & Modules
	- Applications
	- Package Desc.
	- FAQs
	• Aeroport
	Hardware
	• Reconfigurable Engineering Cockpit
	• Plasma Screen
	• Balance Hardware

Success Stories:
Development of the Pilatus PC-21 Training Aircraft

"after 20 minutes from the Flight Test flight
we are able to replay the flight in D-Six!!!"- Pilatus flight test engineer

Pilatus Aircraft of Stans, Switzerland has revolutionized the training aircraft industry with the development of their latest PC-21 trainer. This exceptional new aircraft possesses the most advanced aerodynamic performance of any airplane in its class, using the familiar Pratt and Whitney PT-6A turboprop engine and a novel 5 bladed graphite propeller. Outfitted with the latest aircraft technologies such as a full glass cockpit, heads up display, the latest ejection seat system and an on-board digital recorder for replay and debrief, the aircraft will provide it's users with the most representative performance and cockpit systems for training pilots for the latest military aircraft. These features, combined with the ability to tailor the aircraft performance and handling qualities to the student and syllabus requirements, demonstrate the future of training aircraft - aircraft fully integrated into a computer based training syllabus and progressing in performance as the students' capabilities increase. In this fashion, the PC-21 represents a single system pilot training device.

The development of such a ground breaking aircraft is a tribute to the engineering skill of the small airframe builder. In support of the development of this airplane, Bihrle Applied Research provided several support and software functions. Cockpit

BAR participated throughout the airframe development with wind tunnel testing and engineering support. The airplane's static and dynamic aerodynamic characteristics were identified through testing at BAR's LAMP wind tunnel facility in Neuberg A.D. Germany. These data, along with other test data, were assembled into the original engineering simulation that was used throughout the development program to evaluate the flight characteristics of the vehicle. The development of the engineering simulator began with the assembling of all the data in BAR's reconfigurable simulation environment, D-Six. The rapid development and evaluation tools that D-Six provides allowed the engineers to quickly host and analyze the new airframes characteristics, using the embedded visualization capabilities. Once the simulation was operational and flying at the engineer's desk, the model was easily ported to Pilatus's engineering flight simulator facility using the reconfigurable hardware interfaces D-Six provides.

Cockpit Since Pilatus uses D-Six as the flight model host for the engineering simulation facility, any model developed at the engineer's desk can be quickly rehosted on the simulator hardware by merely changing the hardware configuration file. This allowed the engineers to rapidly evaluate pilot comments and assess the impact of configuration changes on the flying qualities and performance. This simulation was also used to familiarize the test pilots with the airplane's handling qualities and performance, as well as to further refine these characteristics prior to first flight. Once the flight program started, the engineers were able to immediately visualize the flight results in the simulation environment, as well as identify any discrepancies between the simulation and flight. These powerful flight support tools allowed the rapid incorporation of flight results and quickly increased the pilot's confidence in the simulation's ability to accurately predict the flight behaviors. Because of the reliability of the system and its ability to support the flight program, the simulation system has over 750 hours of flight time at this point in the flight test program. To quote one of the Pilatus engineers, "With the Overdrive Routine, after 20 minutes from the Flight Test flight we are able to replay the flight in D-Six!!! Not only that, now after 10 flights and 14 flight hours, the pilot is doing a 1 to 1 comparison between the Engineering Flight Simulator and the aircraft and they are really happy about the fidelity!!!!"

The ability of a small aircraft manufacturer such as Pilatus to bring such an advanced training system to successful demonstration is a commendation to the creativity and hard work of the engineers and the manufacturer's staff. Bihrle Applied Research is proud to have been part of such a successful program.