THE NETHERLANDS National Aerospace Laboratory (NLR) has inaugurated the National Simulation Facility (NSF), a research flight-simulator which initially simulates the Lockheed Martin F-16A fighter in mid-life-update (MLU) configuration.
The Amsterdam-based NSF includes a 5m-diameter dome visual-display system mounted on a six-axis motion system. The dome is removable, to enable the NLR to reconfigure the simulator with other cockpits. A helicopter simulation is under development for the NSF.
The visual system consists of an Evans & Sutherland (E&S) ESIG-3000GT image-generator and a VistaView projector slaved to head movement so that a high-resolution inset is displayed wherever the pilot looks within the dome. E&S have also supplied a visual database modeling system.
Saab says that its JAS39 Gripen research simulator will be able to be networked with the Swedish air force's Loral-built JAS39 mission simulators. It will be used in the development of advanced and export versions of the Gripen, including development of a helmet-mounted display (Flight Inter- national, 22-28 November).
SEOS Displays' 3m-diameter dome will feature Barco cathode-ray-tube projectors, to provide a high-resolution display ahead of the pilot, with Barco liquid-crystal-display projectors.
Source: Flight International
