Analytical Assessment of Flight Simulator Fidelity Using Pilot Models

Abstract

A simplified approach for modeling pilot pursuit control behavior is adopted for use in assessing the fidelity of flight simulators. The model includes proprioceptive, visual, and vestibular cueing. The model differs from previous simulator fidelity applications in that pursuit, as opposed to compensatory pilot behavior, is modeled. In approximate fashion, the model can account for the effects of task interference, degraded motion and visual cues, vehicle modeling errors, differing levels of pilot control aggressiveness, and to a limited extent, pilot skill level. A fidelity metric similar to one previously discussed in the literature is exercised with three vehicles and tasks: a fighter aircraft in a tail-chase tracking task, a small rotorcraft in a near-hover repositioning task, and a large rotorcraft in acceleration/deceleration and departure/abort tasks. The fidelity assessment procedure is shown to be sensitive to changes in vehicles, tasks, and simulator limitations in these disparate examples.