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.

Frank wrote:
On Feb 2, 5:17 pm, RN wrote:

I have no financial interest in any of this, but came away very
excited with the potential and opportunities this offers to make
training more effective at a lower cost, and to provide some soaring
and racing during the winter. This has been available, but not widely
exposed to the soaring community as far as I can determine.

If there is sufficient interest, it seems to make sense to try to get
a monthly article started in the SSA Soaring Magazine to help folks
get started and share ideas.

Any comments, ideas and opinions will be appreciated.


The editor of the SSA mag has been in possession of a quite detailed
"How to Get Started With Condor" article for 6 months or more.
Apparently it has been relegated to the dustbin

It took that long to get my recent article on the Perlan Project
accepted and scheduled for publication. I don't know why it was so
difficult, but sending a copy to my SSA Director with some details on
how hard it was to get the article "adjusted" to Soaring Magazine's
requirements, things went more smoothly and quickly. Coincidence? Don't
know, but it was harder to get published than any of the other eight
articles I've submitted over the years. Keep trying. It's a good idea
that needs exposure.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org