CBU engineering students take flight with DIY flight simulator
Riverside, Calif. (June 20, 2024) – A team of engineering students at California Baptist University
designed and built a flight simulator that can be used by aviation flight students.
The project was their senior capstone, an academic requirement meant to help students integrate the knowledge and insights learned throughout their program.
During the fall semester, team members put in over 500 hours. Then they lost track.
“I think the cool thing about our project is that it bears fruit. This is going to be used for a long time. We have the satisfaction of providing a service to the aviation department,” said Blake Shishido, who graduated in April with a mechanical engineering degree.
The engineering students studied several single-engine and multi-engine aircraft before they built the simulator’s hardware, which included the chassis that holds the seat and visual screens. They also made switch panels, to simulate a plane’s controls, and a flap handle, which adjusts the wing flaps.
Tim Campbell (’24) and Corey Ferguson, an FAA Certified flight instructor, handled most of the software integration.
“It’s been awesome having this opportunity,” said Alysse Cybart (’24). “I’ve gotten to apply the skills I’ve learned in class and gain some really cool hands-on skills.”
One challenge was integrating the hardware and software together.
“As we're integrating our own hardware that we're creating, we have to make sure that all the electronic components are all speaking with the already existing systems,” said Cooper Carroll (’24).
Team members also learned lessons in time management and documentation. Everything needed to be documented, from the initial design to changes that are made.
“We just want to design, we want to build, and we want to perfect the product,” Shishido said. “Getting out into the engineering world and into business, everything is very formal and you document everything. It might slow down the actual design process, but it's all there for a reason.”
The documentation includes calculations and the thought processes for each system, which is part of the safety factor. Thoroughly recording the documentation prepares them for the future, Carroll said.
“This is setting those good habits for when we get in the industry,” he said.
Most of the students on the capstone team were part of the Society of Automotive Engineers and have worked on either the internal combustion engine vehicle or the electric vehicle. That experience has given them prior team experience.
“If we ever have an issue, I think we all know how to deal with each other very well and work together very well,” said Carroll.
CBU has four FAA certified flight simulators that aviation flight students may use to log simulated flight hours. However, students may need more practice on holding patterns, navigation skills or other maneuvers without needing additional certified hours. Instead of paying to take a plane out ($300/hour) or to use the FAA approved simulator ($125/hour), students will now be able practice in this simulator at the reduced cost of $20 per hour.
To allow this flight training device to be more versatile and upgradeable in the future, CBU will not seek FAA certification of the simulator, Ferguson said.
“By not having it certified, we will be able to provide additional training capabilities by quickly updating it with the latest flight simulation technology,” Ferguson said. “If it was FAA certified, we would be restricted in making these changes.”
The simulator can replicate dozens of different aircraft, although for now it features CBU’s current fleet: the Piper Archer, Piper Seminole and Cessna 172. Along with providing the view from the pilot seat, students are able to view the aircraft as if they were outside the plane to see the flight controls, flaps and landing gear in motion.
Simon Martinez (’23), a flight instructor with CBU, has used the new simulator with students. He appreciates that all his students, in every stage of training from private pilot, instrument, commercial or multi-engine, are able to use it.
“The visuals and control feelings are very realistic, which helps lead to a positive transfer from the simulator to the aircraft,” Martinez said. “Aviation is a very challenging career path because of all the required knowledge and flight training. A simulator like this allows instructors and students to focus on specific areas of flight training and apply their knowledge to those various areas.”