[simpits-tech] MSFS used as visual system in Link Miles real sim

[Geert Rolf]

In 2004 Continental Airlines donated a retired Link Miles DC-10 Simulator (1977 built) to a group of Norwegian flightsimmers. Upto fall of 2009 we (private computermuseum in NL) have contributed by rebuilding the computers, a complex config of three |d|i|g|i|t|a|l| PDP-11s. Two are the Simulator and the third drives the original Night Vision System that was beyond repair.

Last year I developed the interfacing between one of these PDP-11s and Microsoft Flight Simulator to use its scenery engine for cockpit view.

The third PDP-11 receives position information (64 bytes) in runway coordinates (+AGL, pitch, roll, speeds) 20 times per second. It sends them as broadcasts onto a local network. A conversion program running under Unix takes the broadcasts converts to Lattitude and Longitude (+ MSL, pitch, roll) and sends it to a LUA program running with MSFS, setting the aircraft position in slew mode.

Take the grand tour around the Norwegian DC-10:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-DpcvY4aBk

Enjoy!
   Geert