New flight model certified: A320 to Alsim

7 January 2022

AGL has delivered an A320 flight model to Alsim, the French simulator manufacturer. Alsim provides high fidelity certified flight simulators for flight schools, universities and military.

The flight model is built using AGL's groundbreaking real-time CFD technology and has unlimited flight envelope including stalls and deep stalls, with aircraft class specific handling characteristics. It has been delivered for Alsim for their Airliner simulator product. The Airliner has been certified to meet EASA (FNPT II MCC) requirements.

Alsim's Airliner has received excellent reviews from their customers for the realistic feel of the flight model, as well as the limitless flight envelope. These advantages are characteristic of the AGL's real-time CFD technology.

The real-time CFD flight model is inherently type specific. Additionally, it has been fine tuned to match A320-214 performance, including special flight conditions such as stall speeds and buffet limits at different weights and altitudes.

A great example of the fidelity of the CFD technology was seen in the initial subjective testing by pilots, who during a side wind take-off test noticed the yaw effect of rudder translating from a stalled state to attached flow. They later confirmed that this effect can be in fact sensed in the real aircraft as well, but can many times be attributed to turbulence. The flight model can thus bring new realizations to even seasoned pilots.

The ground and tire model has likewise received praise, as it naturally reproduces the effects that are important in training for this class of aircraft. For example, the realistic rolling moment from tires in a sidewind touch down can risk of a wingtip ground contact, if not carefully avoided. Combined with the 360-degree aerodynamic modelling, it also results to correct effects in taxiing and turning in heavy winds.

The features delivered by AGL in the flight model include:

• Unlimited flight envelope, including stalls, deep stalls, effects of Mach number.
• Aerodynamic ground effect.
• Aerodynamic effects of icing.
• Engine simulation with matching performance to the real aircraft, including engine out, two engines out, flaps, slats, spoilers, minimum control speeds in midair and on ground, all within tolerance of couple of percent.
• Landing gear model with suspension, steering and braking on different surfaces (e.q. wet, patchy wet), capable of handling anti-skid braking systems.

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