Specification
(a) Title:
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FAILURE SIMULATION ON A TRAINER AIRCRAFT.
(b) Field of Invention:
This invention relates to the design & development of trainer aircraft.
(c) Use of Invention;
A method and apparatus to carry out in-flight failure simulation on a trainer aircraft.
(d) Object of Invention:
The principal object of the invention is to define a method and apparatus to carry out in-flight failure simulation as part of pupil training syllabus. Another object of the invention is to simulate multiple failure conditions in the cockpit of pupil pilot under the control and monitoring of instructor pilot.
(e) General statement of invention:
The invention provides a scheme for carrying out in-flight failure simulation on a trainer aircraft.
(j) Detailed Description of Invention:
In a tandem seat trainer aircraft, pupil pilot is stationed in front cockpit and the instructor pilot is stationed in rear cockpit. The pupil pilot to be trained to fly the aircraft in a scenario wherein the control and display units in front cockpit are failed in any order. A scheme has been evolved and proven for this purpose with the following features:
1) An I/O (input/output) Manager which takes input signals, processes, and maps to the front cockpit displays & controls to configure them in fail mode or normal mode;
2) A master switch in rear cockpit which is wired to I/O Manager for master selection of failure simulation mode. The signal type is OV/Open Circuit;
3) An array of bezel keys with designated labels for activating failure simulation of individual displays in front cockpit; the interface type is RS422.
4) I/O Manager monitors the presence of any real failure on aircraft.
The steps to carry out the failure simulation are follows:

1) Ensure there is no real failure condition existing on aircraft, if any real failure case is existing, I/O Manager will not enter into failure simulation mode;
2) Select Master Switch in rear cockpit to ON position for activating failure simulation mode;
3) The failure simulation mode activation will be indicated in rear cockpit;
4) Select the bezel key(s) to activate failure simulation of designated display(s). These switches are push button type for set/reset;
5) The pupil pilot will have to fly the aircraft under failure simulation mode. For the pupil pilot, the scenario will be like flying under real failure certain displays/systems;
6) The failure simulation mode will be aborted if any real failure happens;
7) Select Master Switch in rear cockpit to OFF position to exit failure simulation mode.

CLAIM:
We claim that
1. Method and apparatus for failure simulation on a trainer aircraft
comprises of:-
- an I/O Manager which takes input signals, processes, and maps to the front cockpit displays & controls to configure them in fail mode or normal mode;
- a master switch in rear cockpit which is wired to I/O Manager for master selection of failure simulation mode;
- an array of bezel keys with designated labels for activating failure simulation of individual displays in front cockpit;

2. The proposed scheme has been developed for a tandem seat basic trainer aircraft and in-flight training of pupil pilot in failure simulation mode has been carried out.
3. Under the proposed scheme, the pupil pilot will not able to differentiate the simulated failure case from rear failure case.
4. The proposed scheme has intelligence to exit from failure simulation mode in case of any real failure condition on aircraft.
5. The proposed scheme provides an environment to the instructor pilot for assessing the performance of pupil pilots to handle the aircraft under various system failures.