On 17 Nov 2003 15:47:29 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:

Subject: PC flight simulators
From: Ed Rasimus
Date: 11/17/03 7:35 AM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

But (there's always a "but" somewhere in the background), several
years ago while working at Northrop on ATF (the F-23 program), we were
grappling with the best way to train fighter pilots for that elusive
capability called "SA"--situational awareness. It's the sort of "big
picture" that the best tactical aviators can carry in their head which
allows them to know instinctively where their support is, where the
bad guy's support is, which way is "bug out", how much longer they can
stay engaged, and what to do ten, fifteen and thirty seconds into the
future.

What did work, surprisingly well, was a system of linked "desk-top"
stations that let us increase the number of players to 12 and then to
24 plus computer generated entities. A 25 inch color monitor,
configurable for instrument, HUD and sensor display; a stick grip ala
F-16, and a throttle. No motion, no video, no detailed cockpit mockup.

Surprisingly, a cadre of highly experienced tactical aviators--FWS,
Top Gun, test pilots (Edwards & Pax River)--all quickly became
immersed in the "video games". We learned a lot about teaching higher
level tactical analysis, force integration and weapons employment
without the clutter and overhead of multi-million dollar massively
mobile flight simulators.

If you want to learn to fly the jet, full motion or video simulators
are great. If you want to learn how to integrate the force and fight
the weapons in many-v-many scenarios there is a place for PC based,
network simulations.

IMNSHO.


I understand. But you are hardly talking about Flight Simulator on a home
computer are you? Sounds like what youy are decribing is way out if the reach
of anyone with a home setup..You are also talking about a highly specialised
dedicated setup to solve very specific puposes. Not the sort of stuff readily
available at Best Buy is it?


Arthur Kramer

Actually the sort of stuff that is currently available to home users
that portrays F-16, F/A-18, Tornado, etc, is much more detailed than
what we were using in terms of the cockpit displays. The off-the-shelf
controllers available at Best Buy are more realistic than what we
used. And, most importantly, the proliferation of high-speed Internet
access makes it possible to network war-game to levels that weren't
even considered in what we were doing at Northrop.

Now, whether someone is simply boring holes at random, shooting at
everyone that comes across the canopy or whether one is engaged in a
conscientious tactical training scenario is something else.

What we had hoped to do, and what is readily available to any home
user today, is to train by networking squadron to squadron, base to
base to build scenarios of virtually any size. Certainly the mix of
full motion and video, full cockpit simulations with the PC desktops
isn't in the cards for home users, but the experience of dealing with
complex battles, mutual support, total sensor integration and lots of
unknowns that typify real combat is.

In other words, don't jump to conclusions and be too eager to discount
the simple solution to a complex problem. Shave and a haircut, Mr.
Occam?