Forum: General F-35 Forum

The FMS Full Mission Simulator bits on this forum are scattered so this thread perhaps can tie future FMS items in the one place.

Director, Operational Test and Evaluation | F-35A Joint Strike Fighter
Readiness for Training Operational Utility Evaluation Feb 2013

http://pogoarchives.org/straus/ote-info ... 130215.pdf (0.7Mb)

Full Mission Simulators (FMS) are excellent; however, some deficiencies were noted with minor impacts on training.

The Full Mission Simulator (FMS) environment, including the contractor instructors and instructor workstations, was effective in training the students in the syllabus events and preparing them for flight, although correction of minor deficiencies would improve training effectiveness. Comments from the pilots and observations indicated that the simulator was an excellent training device, with higher fidelity than simulators used for training in legacy fighter aircraft. One of the four primary student pilots stated that it was “one of the best parts of the whole program.” However, the following three issues with the simulator training were identified by the student pilots, which adversely affected the effectiveness of the simulator.

- Student pilots identified deficiencies in the helmet used in the simulator (which is different than the helmet issued to pilots for the aircraft). The simulator uses a functional surrogate of the helmet used in the aircraft, which is not fit uniquely to each pilot’s head. Problems included fit (too tight), improper optical alignment of the helmet-mounted display information, blurry presentations, and excessive weight. Student pilots reported that the helmet caused headaches due to the poor alignment. Some of the student pilots used only one of the two optical sights (monocles) to avoid blurry or double vision.

- Simulation stability was also a deficiency, although the disruption to training was usually minimal. Most of the simulator training sessions involved emergency procedures to be “programmed in” to the flight profile and then handled by the student pilot to an acceptable conclusion. After addressing the emergency procedures, the contractor instructor pilot would reset the simulator to a normal configuration to continue the training event. The process of resetting the simulator did not always work effectively, and required repeated attempts on multiple occasions. The time spent resetting the simulator detracted from the effective training time and interrupted the logical training flow during some of the simulator sessions. One on occasion, however, the disruptions and resets resulted in the simulator training session being terminated and not effective (1 of 88 during the OUE period). The simulator event had to be rescheduled.

- Concerning the accuracy of the FSD to meet the execution of the simulator syllabus events, all student pilots rated the FSD as “Not Totally Adequate” for at least a portion of the simulator events. Pilots identified errors between the FSD, the pilot’s checklist, and annunciations of emergency conditions in the simulator. The JSF Operational Test Team (JOTT) submitted identified shortfalls in the FSD in deficiency reports to the JSF Program Office (JPO).

[Flight Series Data (FSD) publications and pilot checklists]

During end-of-course interviews, each student pilot stated that the simulators adequately prepared them for the flying training portion of the syllabus...."

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Surely the pilots' own helmets would be used with the simulator or are they not issued until pilots have completed and passed the training?

Perhaps the first post above could have been tacked on there but anyway here is some info with the JPG missing because it was not uploaded directly but only hotlinked BAHhumbug I'll post the pic soonish: [Anyways youse'll see the HeathenRobboContraption Atop Pilot head to see what is worn in the FMS instead of the HMDS II]

http://www.f-16.net/index.php?name=PNph ... ers#195254

This JPG link doan work no more but it is attached 'sort of' now: http://www.lockheedmartin.com/data/asse ... ulator.jpg

Nellis pilots take first step toward F-35 operational testing 07 Mar 2013 By Chrissy Cuttita

http://www.dvidshub.net/news/103069/nel ... TjrU5C4aOJ

"..."The simulators are our real success story," said Lt. Col. William Betts, 33rd Operations Support Squadron commander who has been on the initial cadre team since 2009. "It's refreshing to hear others say it is just like flying the F-35 (once they complete the first flight)."

Bishop echoed the same high fidelity of the full mission simulator here and said there is no comparison, especially when remembering his experience learning to fly the Strike Eagle.

"During my transition to F-15E, the simulator was like a black and white T.V. screen hooked up to a cockpit," he said. "It shows how far we've come in (pilot) training. It's humbling for me to be around this world class environment."..."

Forum: General F-35 Forum

FMS Full Mission Simulator Extract from OUE Feb 2013