WASHINGTON - Over the next four years, NASA is preparing to put human test subjects in the seat of an air taxi virtual reality flight simulator. Test rides on the six-axis simulator are meant to simulate the flight of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in order to help NASA study turbulence on planned air taxi services in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and elsewhere in the U.S. The data will be shared with AAM industry partners to help them develop passenger-friendly designs, Jack Daleo writes for Flying. Continue reading original article.
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
2 July 2024 - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) reported that its Armstron Flight Research Center test pilot Wayne Ringelberg completed test rides in a new simulator in preparation of its research study this year.
“This project is leveraging our research and test pilot aircrew with vertical lift experience to validate the safety and accuracy of the lab in preparation for test subject evaluations,” said Ringelberg. “The experiments in the ride quality lab will inform the advanced air mobility community about the acceptability of the motions these aircraft could make, so the general public is more likely to adopt the new technology.”
Ringelberg was secured in a seat atop the simulator's platform, equipped with a VR headset and headphones. His virtual air taxi ride began with a takeoff from a conceptual vertiport on a downtown San Francisco parking garage, created by NASA engineers. During the simulated flight through downtown, landing on a skyscraper's vertiport, he assessed the simulation's visual, motion, and audio cues, providing feedback to the research team. With pilot checkouts complete, NASA will conduct human subject research over the next four years to understand what makes air taxi flights comfortable and enjoyable for passengers.
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Jamie Whitney, Senior Editor
Military + Aerospace Electronics
