In many years of teaching and working with kids and families, I have yet to meet anyone who, at some point in their lives, has not fantasized or had dreams of flying. Millions of others dreamed the same dream for thousands of years before the Wright Brothers — and countless other pioneers, – gave us the ability to fly. However, for most, the opportunity to get behind the controls of an aircraft can be elusive and remains no more than fantasy.
Well, not anymore. Thanks to our technological evolution, almost anyone can take the controls of an aircraft through flight simulation. While little has changed in the past 70 years in how airplanes fly (they still have four fundamental forces of lift, thrust, weight and drag), the technology to simulate flight has changed quite a bit.
According to Wikipedia, “A flight simulator is a device that artificially re-creates aircraft flight and the environment in which it flies, for pilot training, design, or other purposes.” I’d like to think that the “other purposes” include inspiration and serving as a gateway into aviation. Flight simulation technology can be a bridge that allows people to enjoy that experience; people who might not otherwise have access to the joy of flight. Now I am not saying that fight simulation is a replacement for the act of actually flying an airplane. No simulation can replace a real world experience. However, for kids, flight simulation allows them to pretend to be a pilot by tapping into their love of adventure with the addition of their comfort level with technology.
Through the use of flight simulation technology and related inquiry activities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), students can discover how airplanes move in three-dimensions. They can place their hands on realistic controls, virtually flying any aircraft, anywhere in the world.
I’ve built flight simulator exhibits, used simulators with scout groups and the general public, taken simple one-screen simulators to community events and, of course, used simulators in my own training. In all cases, I have been amazed at the draw and engagement that the simulator has and not just for those doing the actual “flying.” Those who watch can be just as engaged.
At the New England Air Museum, we installed an original exhibit called, the Flight Sim Spot. It contains seven simulator stations, each with throttles, yokes, rudder pedals and three screens each. This provides an immersive experience. Because the Museum works a lot with kids and non-flyers, we needed to create a program that was not only educational, but also provides a level of engagement that is rewarding and manageable to the “sim-pilot.” It also needed to be something we could do in just 30-minutes. Also, keep in mind that each flight sim station would seat two, a pilot and co-pilot. Multiply that by the seven simulators and that’s fourteen people to train at once.
The solution was a simple but rather non-obvious one. Instead of doing the traditional take-off and landing, we did the opposite. Everyone starts in the air. After all there is less to hit at 3000 feet and steering an airplane on the ground with your feet is very non-intuitive. All at once, with everyone gathered around a single simulation station, an educator would review the flight controls and demonstrate the mission. The mission is to land successfully at a nearby airport. Using the different views provided by FSX, instructors are able to show how an airplane rolls, yaws, and pitches. Alsohow power affects the flight path and howflaps affect the flight. The often misunderstood “flare” is shown from both the inside and outside so visitors can see the aircraft’s landing attitude.
Reminiscent of the days when new pilots learned to fly on their own, the newly trained “sim pilots” are then let loose to try it alone. To our surprise, they do quite well, with many managing to successfully land on the first try. The real success was the handful of kids that would return time and time again to fly. Soon they knew more about how to work the simulator than the educator. I have no doubt that a few of these kids will become pilots, themselves. At least they have a better understanding of the world of a pilot and perhaps will be good stewards for the GA industry as they get older. We found this it works best for kids eight and up. Younger kids can fly, too. However, it works best if they just fly around up high and simply have fun watching the aircraft move in response to their control inputs.
Programmed and delivered correctly, flight simulation is an excellent hands-on tool for the STEM subjects. It allows students to dream, plan, execute and evaluate. For example, flight simulation can provide the student with;
- a look at aircraft navigation and related technologies such as GPS.
- an insight into aircraft design and flight testing.
- an understanding of our current airspace systems and air-to-air and air-to-ground communications.
- a taste of how simulation technology is used to train real pilots.
- a practical application for an understanding of weather and climate.
- real-time feedback by showing that flying is as much a mental game as it is physical.
- team building exercises if multiple simulator set-ups are used.
Breaking STEM down into its components, it’s easy to see how flight simulators can be used to teach; connecting theory with the real-world. Under science we can explore force and motion, propulsion systems, air density and weather. Combining technology and engineering students learn about aircraft design, evolution and instrumentation. Let’s not forget everyone’s favorite subject, math. With numbers play, students get to see how math is critical in determining an aircraft’s speed (including altitude, attitude, direction) and how they navigate with instruments such as the compass and clock face with an understanding of latitude and longitude. Of course let’s not forget calculating fuel burn and those thrilling weight-and-balance calculations.
Of course, innovation is tightly coupled with Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, our STEM subjects. You can’t have one without the other. Creativity and all that the arts provide are what will create our future. There is a movement away from STEM towards STEAM - Science, Technology, Engineering, ART and Math. Here too, flight simulation can play a role. X-Plane offers a Plane-Maker program that allows the user to design their own aircraft including everything from the airfoils and cockpit to the sounds and paint.
Flight simulation also has the power to inspire many to pursue actual flight and a career in aerospace. Ryan Snyder, a student and employee with Premier Flight Center at Brainard (Connecticut) Airport, got FSX from his grandman when he was just nine years. He was hooked. A few years later he took his first discovery flight. He is now a soon-to-be commercial pilot working towards his CFI and looks forward to a career in aerospace. All thanks to a little help from FSX (and grandma, of course!).
In short, desktop flight simulation is much more than a game. Programmed correctly it is a great learning tool for future pilots. We dreamed for centuries to fly.This fantasy can become a reality. Thanks to new technologies in flight and space simulation, we now have a gateway to our dreams.
Bio
Jason T. Archer is a museum professional with more than 15 years’ experience in aviation museums, planetariums, science centers and formal education facilities. His core passion is to tell and communicate the story, history, science and adventure of aviation and flight.He holds a private pilot certificate with instrument rating and tailwheel endorsements. He is currently working on his commercial and CFI certificates. He is an active FAASTeam Representative and a fixture at his home base of KHFD. If you are interested in learning more about how to bring aviation to your students or into the classroom you can contact him at info@thedaedalist.com.
