This paper presents the development and implementation of a real-time pilot-in-the-loop aircraft simulation facility. The facility includes a partial cockpit mockup with hardware pilot interfaces, software-based primary flight displays, out-the-window visuals and a control station. | Journal of Automation and Control Engineering Vol. 4, No. 4, August 2016 A Pilot-in-the-loop Facility for Avionic Concept Development Alberto Fedele, Nicola Genito, Luca Garbarino, Gian Luigi Di Capua, and Vincenzo Baraniello Italian Aerospace Research Centre (CIRA), Capua, Italy Email: {, , , , }@ Abstract—This paper presents the development and implementation of a real-time pilot-in-the-loop aircraft simulation facility. The facility includes a partial cockpit mockup with hardware pilot interfaces, software-based primary flight displays, out-the-window visuals and a control station. The present work was carried out by the Italian Aerospace Research Centre (CIRA) with the aim of realizing an highly flexible facility to assist and improve the development of innovative technologies for General Aviation cockpit system by undertaking pilot-in-the-loop assessments. A set of instructions and requirements have been defined and described in the facility user manual to correctly and successfully integrate the item under test. Index Terms—pilot-in-the-loop simulation, simulation facility, avionic system development I. aircraft INTRODUCTION The Italian Aerospace Research Centre (CIRA) has started working to develop innovative technologies for General Aviation cockpit system which shall increase awareness and reduce pilot workload in dangerous situations with the purpose of improving safety. To support the development of these technologies, the Italian Aerospace Research Centre has decided to realize a facility with the following aims: To demonstrate concepts for avionics applications by undertaking pilot-in-the-loop assessments. To be a test-rig for the rapid development of advanced software for manned vehicles. To execute preliminary assessment on software prototypes before hardware-in-the-loop testing. To be a General Aviation manned demonstrator. II. Figure 1. PACO cockpit mockup. The facility can
