Enhancing Motion Cueing Using an Optimisation Technique

Abstract

Virtual engineering tools are currently not extensively employed during the certification and commissioning of rotorcraft flight simulator motion platforms. Subjective opinion is regarded as sufficient for most applications, as it provides verification that the motion platform does not cause false cueing, and subsequently no negative training. However, the result are systems that are far from optimal for their specific purpose. This paper presents a new method to objectively tune simulation motion platforms, using new virtual engineering tools. Enhancement of motion utilisation is shown through assessments conducted with rotorcraft pilots. The results show promise for the use of the method as a standard process for the continuous, and application based tuning, of future rotorcraft motion platforms.