Soaring Simulator Training and Competiton

On Feb 4, 6:42*pm, bildan wrote:
On Feb 4, 5:24*pm, RN wrote:

TA's post indicates the issue that we need to address.

There are a lot of folks doing a lot of interesting and leading edge
development in using low cost simulators for flight training,
developing new skills, and having some fun when the snow flies up
north. Many soaring pilots and potential soaring pilots can benefit.

This thread indicates a lot of interesting things are happening.

We need to get the SSA mag on board to provide support and to provide
information to a much broader audience than just the RAS regulars.

RN

A good article in Soaring would be nice but we need to do a lot more
than that. *We need to be writing about some real simulator systems
used by actual training organizations.

If you take a look at the Condor web pagehttp://www.condorsoaring.com/index.htm
and click "Forums" then "Cockpit builders" you can read about some
interesting projects.

What I think is needed is a simple to make "cockpit" something likehttp://forum.condorsoaring.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=9492The "Cockpit"
should have a second monitor for the instruments so the projected
outside view doesn't need to display them. *A real glider nose section
isn't necessary. *If you aren't handy at welding, a similar "simchair"
could be made with PVC pipe.

Then we need a projection system that provides a wider outside view.
It's also possible to provide quite realistic "force feedback" so the
controls "feel" like the real ones.

I feel strongly that, while a PC simulator will never be a replacement
for real time in a glider, this could be very useful adjunct to a
training program.

As I clicked on "send" I thought of something else. We REALLY need
some more hi-res US scenery like what is available for the Alps.
There has to be some readers of this newsgroup who know how to do
this.

If we had good scenery around popular gliderports, students could be
practicing in their local area.