Development and Optimization of Motion Cueing for Flight Simulation of Maritime Helicopter Operations

Abstract

Maritime helicopter operations such as helicopter ship deck landings are highly demanding for both the pilot and the helicopter. In the absent of potential safety risks during an offshore mission a maritime simulation environment offers a benefit for pilot training and development of new systems and procedures. Such a maritime simulation environment requires a specific optimized motion system. In the recent past years new methods have been developed to tune the motion system in an easier, faster and objective way. Unfortunately, these methods are not sufficiently validated because however suitable validation methods are still missing. This master thesis presents a methodology to implement a Classical Washout Algorithm (CWA) in the simulator. To develop suitable motion parameter sets for a helicopter ship deck landing procedure the fitness function is used as a novel optimization method. The validation is conducted with piloted simulator flight test trials that are new developed. Additionally, an unpiloted validation is carried out with the Objective Motion Cueing Test (OMCT). The results of both validation methods are compared to each other.