05 Where can I learn about flight simulation?
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This article is from the Flight Simulators FAQ, by with numerous contributions by Bob Wittick rwittick@msu.edu others.
05 Where can I learn about flight simulation?
For the actual flight dynamics, try the references listed below. You
would be best off reading books on computer graphics for handling the
graphic displays:
Foley et. al., _Fundamentals of Interactive Computer Graphics_,
Addison-Wesley. [Basics only. -R D Dorsett]
_Microcomputer Displays, Graphics, and Animation_, Bruce A. Artwick,
Prentiss-Hall, 1985, ISBN 0-13-039322-3. Previously published
as _Applied Concepts in Computer Graphics_.
_A versatile computer-generated dynamic flight display_, Bruce A.
Artwick, Aviation Research Laboratory, Institute of Aviation,
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, prepared for Engineering
Psychology Programs, Office of Naval Research, May 1975.
_Flights of Fantasy_, by Chris Lampton, completely implements a PC
based flight simulator. While it isn't Strike Commander or Falcon
3.0, it _is_ much better than any other book on the market for
learning implementation details of 3d graphical games. [ -Brian]
The following references are mostly academic texts, and provide more
of introductions to dynamics and flight dynamics theory. Additional
references are listed in B4 and B5.
_Aircraft Control and Simulation_, by Brian L. Stevens and Frank
L. Lewis, John Wiley & Sons, 1992, ISBN 0-471-61397-5. This is
what a lot of people seem to think Rolfe's _Flight Simulation_
is. Develops a 6 dof F-16 flight model. [ -RDD]
"Modeling Flight," in _IEEE Potentials_., April 1990.
Performance-based model of bizjet-category airplane; Turbo Pascal
source available on various ftp sites as "SIMULATE.PAS"
_Simulation Of Aircraft_, Connelly, Mark E. Report 7591-R-1.
Feb 15, 1958, Servomechanisms Laboratory, MIT. It is a bit dated
but its what CAE Electronics used to throw at new graduates in the
Aero Group to educate them. [ -Iab Maclure]
J. D. Anderson, Jr., _Introduction to Flight_ (McGraw-Hill, 1989).
[A great intro to flight dynamics. Read this first before tackling
the more difficult texts that follow. -B Anderson]
C. D. Perkins and R. E. Hage, _Airplane Performance, Stability, and
Control_ (Wiley, 1949). [One of the best books I've found on the
gritty details of flight dynamics, including all of the complicated
effects ignored by all PC flight sims. Written by and for aircraft
designers. -BA]
B. Etkin, _Dynamics of Atmospheric Flight_ (Wiley, 1972). [A more
modern treatment. Relies more on linearization, which I don't like,
but the treatment is more well organized. -BA]
R. Von Mises, _Theory of Flight_ (Dover, 1959). [Another detailed
book like the one by Perkins and Hage. This one is even a little
more involved than Perkins and Hage's, and it's not suitable unless
you are comfortable with physics and math at the freshman or
sophomore level. However, since it's a Dover book, the list price is
only $13-- a steal considering that Perkins and Hage's and Etkin's
books cost about $90 each. -BA]
J. M. Rolfe and K. J. Staples, eds., _Flight Simulation_ (Cambridge
University Press, 1986), pp. 36-60. [This is a book about the
development of flight sims. Pages 36-60 (Chapter 3) contains
information on the quaternion formalism for representing an
aircraft's attitude. This is the way to do it in a flight sim. It
is much simpler and faster than the Euler-angle formalism (i.e., it
is much more suitable than using the gimbal equations). -BA]
Another excellent reference is _Spacecraft Dynamics_ by Kane, Likins,
and Levinson (McGraw-Hill, 1983). [Also details the quaternian
formulation, as well as gives transformation equations between the
various sets of parameters. Also lists transformation matrices for
several sets of euler angles. -JM]
If you want to see a flight model in action, you will definitely want
to check out the flight model used in ACM (a Unix-based flight
simulator for X11 environments. A separate FAQ for ACM is maintained
and posted periodically).
Tim Tessin writes:
ACM uses a 6 DOF model with roll, pitch and yaw modeled using
NACA stability derivatives. Also ACM actually models the spring
and motion damping effects of the landing gear struts, as well as
the contribution of ground friction by the wheels.
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