I flew the F-22 Raptor...

[Chris_F]

...simulator.  :)

Lockheed Martin has a simulator for the F-22 Raptor which it ships around to the various sub-contractors working on the project.  Last week the simulator made its appearance at my company and I was one of the first in line to try it out.

Although this all sounds cool it was a bit of a let-down.  The flight model is very dumbed down, as I would assume other systems are as well.  The graphics weren't that great, but there were some up sides. The sim consists of a replica cockpit, which is the coolest part of the whole thing.  The F-22's main MFDs are all active, and there is a realistic HOTAS (but no functional rudder pedals).  

Three plasma TVs make up the visuals, but the graphics engine is nothing to write home about.  The earth is represented by bitmap covered polygons, with satellite imagery of the Las Vegas area used here.  The polygons are fairly low rez so the earth doesn't have that natural "flow" that the best sims show.  Frame rate however was fantastic and the feeling of motion on the three screens was very nice.  The graphics engine showed yet more age with its lack of volumetric clouds or lighting effects.

The flight model felt arcade-like.  The scenario I flew was a landing and things that we've grown to expect were simply absent.  When going from a clean configuration to a dirty, gear down config the plane didn't behave any differently.  No extra drag, no need to add power, etc.  Bummer.  Oh well, the whole thing was targeted after folks who know nothing about planes so it makes sense that it was so dumbed down.

Still, it was pretty cool.  I got to play video games at work which is always nice, and that cockpit made me want a sim-pit.

[Souichiro]

Would have been funny if they let you fly air combat and that you would have got a 100% score  :D

[Chris_F]

[quote]Would have been funny if they let you fly air combat and that you would have got a 100% score

[expat]

Still, sounds like you have fun.

Matt

[Souichiro]

Still, sounds like you have fun.

Matt

And I suppose that is what's most important

[Chris_F]

Still, sounds like you have fun.

Matt

And I suppose that is what's most important

It was kinda fun.  Actually it was more fun watching the other folks fly the sim.  It's amazing how much we take for granted.  For example, if you take the joystick, how do you make the plane roll right?  Simple, pull the stick to the right...  well, that apparently isn't something everyone is born with.  

One or two sim-pilots were entirely incapable of doing anything except left barrel rolls.  They couldn't stop rolling left nor level the plane nor roll right.  The stick is on the right side of the cockpit and when they'd grab the stick they'd instinctively lean on it to the left towards center and no ammount of coaching could get them to NOT pull the stick left.  The instructor had to fly the whole sim with his hand on the stick allowing them to just push buttons.

Although realism was out the window it was fun to see how intuitive the aircraft interface actually is.  It's a heck of a lot easier to make the plane work in that sim than it is in something like Falcon 4.0.  Some of that is the dumbed down nature of the F-22 sim, but most of it is in the improved interface.

[Mobius]

well, that apparently isn't something everyone is born with.  

WHAT!?

Sounds like fun.  There's a lot of buttons in there to press.