DLR test pilot Stefan Seydel sits in the moving A320 cockpit in the Air VEhicle Simulator (AVES) centre. The new pilot assistance system display can be seen in the background.
The simulation cockpit of the Airbus A320 is a faithful replica of the original aircraft cockpit and meets the highest quality standards. There is space for three people in the cockpit with an additional two seats in the operator's cabin for the operator and the flight test engineer.
The captain's and first officer's sidesticks are designed as active elements and can be coupled or decoupled as required. In addition, the force characteristics of the sidesticks can be customised via software. The simulation model of the A320 was developed in-house by DLR and includes the complete flight dynamics from ground handling to all functions of the flight management system, the autopilot and the flight controls.
The model was verified through flight tests with DLR’s ATRA research aircraft to ensure high simulation quality. All devices and components used in the cockpit are faithful replicas of the A320 instruments and are connected to a central interface node via a CAN bus. The circuit breakers in the overhead panel have been replaced by a touch panel.
A sound system with six loudspeakers and a subwoofer provides realistic simulations of the flight and system noises. Due to its high degree of realism, the cockpit offers unique opportunities for research projects involving airline pilots and for investigating future aircraft configurations such as “flying wings” - long before real prototype flights take place.
