Motion Simulation of Transport Aircraft in Extended Envelopes: Test Pilot Assessment

The European research project SUPRA (“Simulation of Upset Recovery in Aviation”) produced an extended aerodynamic model for simulation of a generic transport aircraft, capturing the key aircraft behavior beyond aerodynamic stall. As described in the current paper, a group of 11 test pilots with in-flight experience in stall conditions assessed the validity of this aerodynamic model, in combination with new motion cueing solutions in a conventional hexapod platform as well as a centrifuge-based device. Results showed that the SUPRA model was considered representative outside the normal flight envelope, and on both simulators the enhanced cueing solutions received higher subjective ratings than the comparison condition. The pilots unanimously rejected exercising these conditions without motion. It is concluded that the SUPRA model successfully demonstrates upset conditions, including stall, and that conventional hexapod motion cueing can be improved for the purpose of upset simulation. If available, a ground-based g-device is recommended to provide g-awareness training