Simulation Software Improves Pilot Training

January 19, 2017

Simulation of a helicopter landing on a ship. (Chair of Helicopter Technology/TUM)

Providing pilots with the best possible preparation for extreme situations is the goal of new simulation software. The program that combines flow mechanics and flight dynamics in real time. The numerical model is extremely flexible and does not depend on stored flow data. External conditions such as topography, global wind speeds, and aircraft type are input. During the simulation, the algorithms use that data to continuously compute the interacting flow field at the virtual aircraft’s current location.

The new program also lets pilots instantly "feel" the impact of the local airflow on the aircraft. This allows them to try out the effects of their control movements in a stress-free situation: perfect preparation for a soft landing that is easy on the aircraft.

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