Simulation of Aircraft Glass cockpit with Flight Data, Radar and Navigation Display

A glass cockpit is an aircraft cockpit that features electronic (digital) flight instrument displays, typically large liquid crystal display (LCD) screens, rather than the traditional style of analog dials and gauges. The glass cockpits plays important role in any aircraft. They are diversified and

Project Title

Simulation of Aircraft Glass cockpit with Flight Data, Radar and Navigation Display

Project Area of Specialization

Information & Communication Technology

Project Summary

A glass cockpit is an aircraft cockpit that features electronic (digital) flight instrument displays, typically large liquid crystal display (LCD) screens, rather than the traditional style of analog dials and gauges. The glass cockpits plays important role in any aircraft. They are diversified and are improving day by day. This is due to the fact not only the aircraft manufacturer but also the training institutes are using it. Simulators employ such systems to demonstrate the cockpit environment to the students.

Due to recent advancements in technology, the gauges are replaced with digitized glass cockpits for ease of pilots and for students in simulation training. The main objective of the project is simulation of a commercial aircraft glass cockpit using open source/commercial software and commercial off the shelf hardware. Flight Data Display, Navigation Display and Radar Display Modes shall be implemented. Concisely, project is to develop a simulation of Glass cockpit using two End systems or Personal computers (PCs) and three modes namely Flight Data, Radar, and Navigation display. PC at one end would act as Avionics computer that is used to fetch the data required for display. The other PC connected to other end would act as Display Processing Computer. Connection would be made using Ethernet cable. The aim of this project is to deliver lab model for demonstration to students. Also it can be used by test engineers to test and develop/modify the existing systems and by pilots for simulators based training. The networking will be studies and implemented so that the networking engineers and students can learn about the networks for communication of data. Also the aviation students would understand the avionics system integration and interface using air data network (ADN), which infact is at heart of modern Avionics.

Project Objectives

The objectives are:

1. Simulation of glass cockpit with display screen comprising of Flight data, Radar and Navigation modes.
2. The data transmission between two computers would be using Ethernet
3. Working model would be displayed in Avionics lab with source code and user manual / Report for the students.

Precis: To implement the simulation of the glass cockpit of commercial aircraft using available software by building applications on two different PCs or end systems and connecting them with Ethernet cable. Three modes namely flight data mode, navigation mode and radar mode are to be implemented.Includes transmission of data from one end system i.e. avionics computer to the other end i.e. display process computer. This project would be useful for simulators in demonstration and training to students. Also it would enable test engineers to test and evaluate the application they have designed or developed. Slight adjustments can be achieved in application to adjust the displays so the requirement of pilot or users may be fulfilled.

Project Implementation Method

The simulation of glass cockpit would include the three display modes. Screen will be comprised of three parts namely primary flight display, radar display, navigation display. 

The project will be implemented using 2 PCs attached with LCDs at both ends. The ethernet cable will connect both computers so that network will be formed. 

Both PCs will run applications comprisng of primary flight data, radar data, navigation data with visuals such as artificial horizon for primary flight data, radar scope of radar data, and map for navigation data. 

The applications will be designed as softwares using visual studio and matlab, they will be developed and will be finalized as graphical user interface for users.

The first PC would act as avionics computer, in which the application will contain a keypad buttons to enter flight route and data.

* The flight route data entered will be arrival and departure stations and the heading. Ths will be used for navigation display. *

* The speed and other data entered in application will be used for primary glight data display.

* And finally the radar mode on and off button data entered in application will be used for radar display.

The 2nd PC at other end of network will act as display processing computer of cockpit.It will be consist of :

- Application that will fetch data from the 1st computer entered previously to display the values in speedometer and artificial horizon. 

- Another Application that will fetch data from the 1st computer entered previously to display navigation data in maps, preferabbly on google maps. 

-Another Application that will fetch data from the 1st computer entered previously to display the Radar data in radar scope. But here it will fetch only mode variable such as ON and OFF radar. The radar display and scope will display the data from hardware ultrasonic sensor arrangement attached to this 2nd PC.

The primary flight data and navigation data would be random values and will be dislayed at software level. But radar display will contain data from arduino and sensor hardware.   

A tentative form of the final implementation is given below:

Benefits of the Project

The use of loadable systems whose functionality may be changed or updated using onboard loadable software has become one of the most important improvements in aircraft systems design, and has an important impact in the aircraft production process. The current project describes the design and implementation of a software data loading application for avionics equipment over an ethernet network, in future it can be developed for Airbus Defence and Space. A standard Ethernet COTS board is employed with no external hardware needed. It is also described the successful testing and integration of the application in the facilities with avionics devices, resulting in a reliable application that showed a performance improvement over the existing data loading system. Thanks to the flexibility achieved, possible future works with the application are introduced. 

 It would be useful for simulators in demonstration and training to students. Also it would enable test engineers to test and evaluate the application they have designed or developed. Slight adjustments can be achieved in application to adjust the displays so the requirement of pilot or users may be fulfilled.

Also such a type of project will offer platform for learning and development of the avionics and softwares which is important in aviation industry. At large it will benefit the transport industry specially the air travel which is booming and is secure most way to travel.

It will also open opportunities for software developers and computer science engineers to work effectively on aircraft. 

Technical Details of Final Deliverable

1. Simulation of glass cockpit with display screen comprising of Flight data, Radar and Navigation modes: Development of applications in visual studio or matlab for 1st computer i.e display processing computer.Application will be using google maps for navigation display. The application for radar include interface of arduino and ultrasonic sensor with bothe PCs as discussed previously.The application for primary flight data display would contain speedometer, artificial horizon. The application would fetch data from another application which is running on one end of network i,e 2nd PC called as Avionics PC.
2. The data transmission between two computers would be using Ethernet:The ethernet technology and protocol will be implemented using visual studio. Classes for different layers of TCP/IP will be coded in visual studio, so that data will be sent from one computer to other computer connected to other end containing applications for radar, navigation and flight data. 
3. Working model would be displayed in lab.: This will be for students and department do that they can see avionics and softwares in action and learn the concepts. 
4. Source code, Project report and Final presentation: This will enable the students and users to read manual to understand and change codes to apply different techniques and it would act as test bed for the laboratory experiments. A presentation will accompany the report to visualize and understand different aspects of project.

Final Deliverable of the Project

HW/SW integrated system

Core Industry

IT

Other Industries

Education , Manufacturing , Transportation , Telecommunication

Core Technology

Cloud Infrastructure

Other Technologies

Internet of Things (IoT), Others

Sustainable Development Goals

Quality Education, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Required Resources

If you need this project, please contact me on contact@adikhanofficial.com