An Integrated, Modular Simulation System for Education ... - Cal Poly

IntroductionComputer AidedThe goals of research and education are very similar: to gain a betterunderstanding of the world through the systematic exploration of it. Looking at the worldusing only one tool is as limiting as observing the world using only one sense.Understanding differs from knowledge in the scope of information. Knowledge is beingaware about something while understanding involves being thoroughly familiar with thetopic. The ability to experiment with and manipulate things allows understanding tobegin [Ref. 1] Theory and equations provide the basis for understanding engineering.However there is usually no single tool provided that ties all of the theories and equationstogether to demonstrate how the topic being studied fits into the complex set of dynamicsthat make up a complete aircraft. Modeling an aircraft provides the bridge between thetheoretical and real world. Referring to model each time a new topic is introducedprovides reinforcement that each topic is related to a whole discipline.Computer simulation provides the kind of modeling that could be available toevery engineering student. Engineering students have access to personal computers thatare used mostly for data reduction and presentation. Personal computers have becomepowerful enough to provide real time simulation of simple aircraft from the desktop [Ref.2]. Joysticks used for game type simulators are common and drivers exist to allow theiruse for input to a engineering simulation. High resolution scenery exists that is availablein the public domain to provide an out the window view. The popularity of video gameshas provided everything for a high fidelity high resolution visual simulation of an aircraftexcept the equations of motion required to provide the dynamics to the model. Cal Poly1