“Our goal is to achieve safer and cleaner skies”

Tomás Ladrón de Guevara Ruiz has a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and joined entrol more than 10 years ago as a Development Engineer.?

He is currently Director of Systems Engineering and is in charge of coordinating engineers in new projects, specially in the areas of flight testing, flight model tuning and implementation of new systems.

We talked to him about trends in flight simulator design and the challenges faced by engineers.

What are the most relevant technological developments in flight simulator manufacturing that you have observed recently?

We are living in an era in which technological advances are continuous and have an impact on all aspects of society, and simulator manufacturing is no exception. Advances in processors have led to improvements in graphics engines (IG) and system simulation. On the other hand, we have seen the inclusion of new HW elements such as virtual reality goggles and significant improvements in motion platforms, projectors... Similarly, 3D printing has brought flexibility and new solutions in the manufacture of switches and panels. All this influences in a greater realism of the simulation, which facilitates the immersion of pilots and crew and improves training.

How is the industry adapting to changes in aviation safety regulations and standards?

The aeronautical sector is known for its commitment to the safety of its operations. That is why we work on the development of new technological solutions that help to increase safety without compromising operability. This is one of our goals at entrol, to achieve safer and cleaner skies.?

As an example, for years we have seen how regulatory change has pushed the digitalization of aircraft, moving from the old analog instruments to the new Glass Cockpit with greater capabilities in terms of in-flight pilot assistance. This has allowed the improvement of air traffic management through new routes and procedures based on GPS-SBAS. The inclusion of new technology in the aeronautical world makes it essential to invest in the development of new products and solutions in air simulation so that it is possible to train in these new configurations.

On the other hand, in Europe, work is underway to update the regulations for the use of FSTDs in order to adapt them to ICAO standards and new technologies. This is progressing slowly, and it is not yet clear how it will impact, but it is important that it really makes an impact on the improvement, being accessible and affordable for everyone.

What specific challenges do you engineers face in terms of designing, manufacturing and maintaining flight simulators?

The main challenge is to provide solutions to operators' needs within the regulatory framework. The industry is in a constant flow of technological improvements and regulatory changes in search of the security mentioned above. Therefore, it is necessary to keep abreast of new technologies that appear, test them and study how to accommodate them within the simulators. The fields of application for improvements are very wide and diverse, from new materials for 3D manufacturing to the latest flight test equipment, including sensing cards, motion platforms and regulatory changes.?

It is also important to know the specific use that customers want to make of the simulator. Aerial means are increasingly used in emergency situations such as SAR, HEMS or Firefighting, and it is necessary to know the peculiarities of each mission in order to develop realistic environments where the operation can be trained.

How are you integrating the latest innovations in artificial intelligence and virtual reality into simulators?

Virtual reality and mixed reality are already a reality in simulators. We believe that mixed reality is a good complement to the traditional visual system; specially if we think about specific crew training, such as crane operator.? This can help to decrease the space required for simulators by reducing the visual structure while allowing the fabrication of mission stations with which to create a joint training environment for pilots and crew.

AI is a less mature technology. Many sectors are just starting to use it, and we will still see major changes in it. Indeed, at entrol we are studying how to incorporate the artificial intelligence into simulator development.

What do you consider will be the next big breakthrough in flight simulator manufacturing in the near future?

The nearest breakthroughs will come from technology that is already on the market. The creation of more and more mission-specific simulators and the interconnection of simulation stations and cockpits will enable joint training of different players. Also, the implementation of AI and big data will help to improve scenarios by creating a more realistic environment.

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