Flight Simulation of a Wessex Helicopter - A Validation Exercise

Abstract

A piloted flight simulation of the Westland Wessex helicopter is described; the simulation was intended to investigate the validity of simulation for the representation of flight handling behaviour. Two areas were of concern: the representation of the Wessex within a limited computational capacity, and the suitable simulation of the flying environment so that handling characteristics were presented correctly to the pilots. By limiting the scope of the simulation to the normal flying regime of the helicopter, an adequate representation of the Wessex was possible. Presentation of handling behaviour was satisfactory in pitch and roll; some difficulties were experienced in the representation of yawing behaviour and of height control near the hover, and were attributed to inadequate motion capability of the simulator. The results of this simulation have been used to give confidence in the interpretation of future helicopter simulation. * Replaces RAE Technical Report 73096 - ARC 35005