Introduction
Bihrle Applied Research, in cooperation with Ken Hydes' Wright Experience and Octagon Entertainment, have developed a new flight simulation product that brings the true experience of flying the 1903 Wright Flyer and other Wright aircraft to the public. Rather than an “approximation” or an “estimation” of the flight behavior of these airplanes, First Flight, The Wright Experience Flight Simulator uses the same methods and technology used in military simulation to bring the most realistic representation of these airplanes characteristics.
The simulation provides an incomparable experience to follow the Wrights as they developed their flying skills. Starting with the 1902 glider that the Wrights used to investigate flight during unpowered flights down the Kitty Hawk sand dunes, pilots will use the same benign handling airplane to explore and develop their flying skills, extend their glides and build flight time. The 1903 Wright Flyer offers a tremendous flying challenge with it's difficult control requirements and limited power. Learn to master this unique airplane and establish a record flight distance. The 1911 Model B portrays the culmination of the Wright Brothers aircraft, the country's first military airplane, with increased power and maneuverability that will let the pilot explore the period environments set up for the simulation game. Additional challenges await the Model B pilot.
Military-Simulator Fidelity
The flight simulation technology employed in this simulation is like nothing ever seen in the genre. Rather than using the more conventional non-physically representative approach of modeling flight behavior as a virtually scripted response to the range of flight conditions and pilot inputs, the Wright Experience simulation uses a complete flight physics based technique. The Wright flight models use quaternion based non-linear equations of motion, with a complete set of nonlinear table based aerodynamic coefficient data representing the aerodynamic characteristics. What this means is that the model uses the same structural mechanization that complex military training simulations use to achieve the most representative, physically realistic flight behaviors of the modeled aircraft.
Highly-Accurate Aerodynamic Model
Besides the rigorous simulation mechanization, the model fidelity is insured by the use of the most representative aerodynamic definition. This is achieved by using actual wind tunnel data of the full scale aircraft, collected in the historic Langley Full Scale Tunnel located on the Langley Air Force base. This National Landmark, built in 1938 to support the development of World War II fighter aircraft, has a 30 foot by 60 foot test section that allows the acquisition of test data on full sized airplanes. Many full sized fighter aircraft were tested in this facility during it's storied past, and because of it's size, the exact reproductions of the Wright aircraft built by Ken Hyde were tested here to acquire their aerodynamic characteristics. With this data, training simulators were developed to provide the test pilots the necessary training to fly these unique vehicles. It is from these efforts that the Wright Flyer simulation flight models were developed, providing enthusiasts with the unparalleled opportunity to get as close as possible to flying the actual airplanes!
