About the Book

"The use of simulation has become an integral activity in many branches of engineering, particularly in aerospace, where flight simulation is recognised as an essential part of training and checking for airline and military pilots. Less well known is the development of engineering flight simulators, mostly by aerospace companies, who have invested in simulation to support the design, development and testing of aircraft and systems, prior to manufacturing, reducing the development costs and increasing the design options. Nowadays, the components of a flight simulator are mostly commercial off-the-shelf items. The situation is very different for flight simulation software. Although it may be possible to connect simulator hardware to flight simulation games, the software may be proprietary, restricting access to the code and obscuring simplifications in the aircraft dynamics. Alternatively, simplified models of aircraft dynamics can be developed using modelling packages to visualise outputs. However, complex models produced by such methods are likely to run far too slow for interaction with a human pilot. In order to achieve real-time performance, a third option is to develop the software based on open software, where the simulator modules are compiled to executable code. While this approach is advocated in this textbook, it is not without its challenges. Producing software for a flight simulator, the developer is confronted with the breadth of engineering, covering aerodynamics, propulsion, mechanics, avionics and electronics and the depth of software covering mathematics, software engineering, distributed computing, real-time systems, computer graphics and control engineering"--

Book Synopsis

Flight Simulation Software

Explains the many aspects of flight simulator design, including open source tools for developing an engineering flight simulator

Flight simulation is an indispensable technology for civil and military aviation and the aerospace industry. Real-time simulation tools span across all aspects of aircraft development, from aerodynamics and flight dynamics to avionics and image generation systems. Knowledge of flight simulation software is vital for aerospace engineering professionals, educators, and students. Flight Simulation Software contains comprehensive and up-to-date coverage of the computer tools required to design and develop a flight simulator.

Written by a noted expert with decades of experience developing flight simulators in academia, this highly practical resource enables readers to develop their own simulations with readily available open source software rather than relying on costly commercial simulation packages. The book features working software taken from operational flight simulators and provides step-by-step guidance on software design, computer graphics, parallel processing, aircraft equations of motion, navigation and flight control systems, and more.

• Explains both fundamental theory and real-world practice of simulation in engineering design
• Covers a wide range of topics, including coding standards, software validation, user interface design, and sensor modelling
• Describes techniques used in modern flight simulation including distributed architectures and the use of GPUs for real-time graphics rendering
• Addresses unique aspects of flight simulation such as designing flight control systems, visual systems, and simulator instructor stations
• Includes a companion website with downloadable open-source software and additional resources

Flight Simulation Software is a must-have guide for all developers and users of simulation tools, as well as the ideal textbook for relevant undergraduate and postgraduate courses in computer science, aeronautical engineering, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering programs.

From the Back Cover

Explains the many aspects of flight simulator design, including open source tools for developing an engineering flight simulator

Flight simulation is an indispensable technology for civil and military aviation and the aerospace industry. Real-time simulation tools span across all aspects of aircraft development, from aerodynamics and flight dynamics to avionics and image generation systems. Knowledge of flight simulation software is vital for aerospace engineering professionals, educators, and students. Flight Simulation Software contains comprehensive and up-to-date coverage of the computer tools required to design and develop a flight simulator.

Written by a noted expert with decades of experience developing flight simulators in academia, this highly practical resource enables readers to develop their own simulations with readily available open source software rather than relying on costly commercial simulation packages. The book features working software taken from operational flight simulators and provides step-by-step guidance on software design, computer graphics, parallel processing, aircraft equations of motion, navigation and flight control systems, and more.

• Explains both fundamental theory and real-world practice of simulation in engineering design
• Covers a wide range of topics, including coding standards, software validation, user interface design, and sensor modelling
• Describes techniques used in modern flight simulation including distributed architectures and the use of GPUs for real-time graphics rendering
• Addresses unique aspects of flight simulation such as designing flight control systems, visual systems, and simulator instructor stations
• Includes a companion website with downloadable open-source software and additional resources

Flight Simulation Software is a must-have guide for all developers and users of simulation tools, as well as the ideal textbook for relevant undergraduate and postgraduate courses in computer science, aeronautical engineering, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering programs.

About the Author

David Allerton is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Sheffield and Visiting Professor for Flight Simulation at Cranfield University, UK. He is currently a consultant to CnTech, a global developer of flight simulation software. Professor Allerton was a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) Flight Simulation Group for 25 years, serving 2 years as its chairman. He is the author of Principles of Flight Simulation.