Desktop flight simulators: Simulation fidelity and pilot performance

Improvements in the computing power and visual resolution of modern desktop computing systems, as well as advances in software technology for displaying high-speed animations, have encouraged the development of relatively sophisticated real-time flight simulators for the PC and Macintosh. We review some of the factors that determine how well such programs capture the actual experience of flight. The most significant factor limiting the quality of performance in flying a simulated aircraft is the “frame rate” problem: at low altitudes and in highly detailed visual environments, as in approaching a runway threshold during landing, the computational demands of the animation may necessitate a reduction in the number of frames displayed per second on the screen. The delayed sensory feedback that results proves to be very detrimental to sustaining smooth control of the aircraft, especially during the flare to touchdown where such control is needed most. This finding parallels the well-known effects of delayed auditory feedback (Lee, 1950) and delayed visual feedback (Smith, 1962).