Feasibility Assessment of the Development of a Cost Effective Type-Specific Small Aircraft Simulator

Current flight simulation technology is aimed at the commercial aviation industry, with larger simulators used to simulate larger aircraft. There are currently only a limited number of high fidelity type-specific aircraft simulators available and even then, at a much higher cost than most flying clubs can afford. This project aims to produce a proof-of-concept of a Diamond DA20 aircraft simulator to determine the feasibility to produce the simulator at a low cost while meeting Transport Canada requirements for a minimum of Level 5 Flight Training Device certification. Reducing cost without sacrificing fidelity of the flight simulator comes with many technical challenges which will require the collaboration of the Carleton University research team, OAS Flight Centre principals and staff, and the B-Con Engineering team. This project will provide OAS Flight Centre with a viable option for increasing its simulator capacity and student throughput. For B-Con, this project will provide a platform to demonstrate its technology for the projection of images onto non-flat surfaces. The feasibility assessment will be followed by the simulator manufacturing and eventual addition of motion cueing.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Robert Langlois

Student:

Suzanne Swaine & Jonathan Plumpton

Partner:

B-Con Engineering Inc.

Discipline:

Aerospace studies

Sector:

Aerospace and defense

University:

Carleton University