[simpits-tech] Level 7 helicopter simulator, spherical projection

[dabigboy at cox.net]

This is just a quick brain-fart until I get back from vacation. Thanks to circumstances I will explain in a later post, I had a chance to get my grubby little simulator-loving paws on what apparently is the world's first FAA-approved level 7 helicopter simulator (technically an FTD, actually, no motion). It was approved in 2009, here's a press release:

http://www.verticalmag.com/control/news/templates/?a=11612

The flight was AWESOME, I will post pics and a more detailed "flight report" later. :) The thing that struck me the most was the visual system. It is not a "traditional" collimated display. Simply (or not so simply), it was a large, spherical, white matte surface that was projected on, with 8 pretty standard-looking projectors, offering a 200* horizontal by 70* vertical view. The depth perception and immersion was at LEAST as good, if not better, than the fancy collimated displays. I think I may try to do something like this with my sim, wondering if anyone has experimented with this? Seems fairly simple, except for figuring out overlap.....

Matt