Aircraft flight simulating instrument trainer

Abstract

A flight simulator instrument trainer has operational controls and instruments similar to a conventional aircraft. An AC driven position simulator moves a simulated station position according to simulated power, attitude, flap condition direction and distance traveled to control simulated ADF, ILS and VOR instruments. Angularly offset phases are generated and are provided to potentiometers on directional instruments. Wipers on the potentiometers move with simulated direction indicators. Signals from the wipers are fed to other devices, and phases are compared with one of two ninety degree offset reference phases. The latter are shifted according to simulated flight characteristics, and the thus-varied output of the phase comparators are used to drive instruments and to shift angle position accumulators and distance position accumulators. Logic arrays control initiating signals which prevent attitude and altitude instrument changes until flight conditions are reached and indicate stalls and prevent stall indications during touchdown. An astable vibrator applies minor amplitude perturbations to motor drives for simulated altimeters and directional and attitude instruments. A stable vibrator provides selectively and cyclically variable counts which are converted to analog turbulence signals. The vibrator and a counter also provide signals to an up-down counter for a flap position indicator. Throttle setting controls an engine power signal and a count down counter to produce fuel consumption indications and engine sound. The counter is reset by a simulated fuel tank change switch.