GB640045A - Improvements in or relating to view simulating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

640,045. Ground trainers for pilots. MINISTER OF SUPPLY. Nov. 17, 1947, No. 30495. [Class 4] An apparatus for simulating the view from an aircraft during landing comprises a member bearing a representation of the terrain, an optical system through which the observer views the representation, means including at least one steerable driving wheel in frictional engagement with the member for feeding it through the optical system, two linkages operable in response to movement of a dummy control column, one of which operates to steer the driving wheel and thereby change the direction of feed of said member, and the other of which operates to adjust the optical system to change the appearance of the viewed image of the representation corresponding to that obtained by adjustment of the control column of an aircraft. In the form shown, the pupil views a picture projected on to a screen 12 from a slide 17, the latter of which is operated by frictional engagement with spaced coaxial wheels 23 and a rear central wheel 22 of a tricycle member 21. The slide may be transparent and bear a representation of the ground or, as shown in Fig. 4, may be of metal with a series of apertures 17a representing runway lights. In the latter arrangement the wheels are duplicated, one set engaging each side of the slide 17. The rear wheels 44 are driven by a motor 46 whose speed is constant or controlled by the setting of a dummy throttle lever or the fore-and-aft setting of the dummy pilot's control column. The angular setting of the wheels 44 about the shafts 45 is determined by the transverse position of the dummy control column, the latter being coupled to a frame 41. The effect of a cross wind may be simulated by adjusting the carriages 21 about pivots 42. The optical system is shown in Fig. 5, the horizontal viewing screen 12 shown in Fig. 1 being replaced by a vertical screen 32, and comprises an eyepiece 34, erecting prism 19, windscreen mask 48, and a plane mirror 49 inclined at an angle of 45 degrees to the eyepiece axis, to present an upright image. The prism 19 is rotated about the optical axis of the system by traverse adjustment of the dummy control column. In the further embodiment shown in Fig. 6 the member 17 is controlled by two pairs of motor-driven wheels 51, the motors 54 being controlled by the aileron movement of the dummy control column, to run at equal or different speeds to steer the member 17, the mean speed of the wheels being constant or controlled by a dummy throttle lever, or the pitch adjustment of the dummy control column.