Specifications

CT Corsair Final Report May 2, 2014

models. The simulator provided to the team is equipped with three induction motors and

accompanying VFDs intended to control the pitch, roll, heave, and vestibular movements of the

simulator. These motors are not capable of running the simulator for an extended time period due

to their tendency to overheat. To combat this problem ETC installed cooling fans on the motors

which act as a quick fix. The encoder feedback elements of these induction motors are quite old

and no adequate customer support is offered by their original manufacturer. A new means of

feedback is necessary for integrating the induction motors with the control software.

Figure 3. Donated Gyro IPT

Simulator Base Figure 4. Original Gyro IPT

Simulator Base

2.3 Problem Statement

Connecticut Corsair is an entirely volunteer organization relying solely on donations in order to

complete the restoration. Multiple interdisciplinary senior design teams will be working on

simulator renovations from year to year, their composition varying on the demands of the

project. The ultimate goal of this project is to have the simulator respond to user input via

standard airplane controls such that the simulator mimics the feel and flight patterns of a WWII

F4U-4 Corsair aircraft. Connecticut Corsair intends to use the simulator for promotional

purposes to raise support for the restoration of the original aircraft

As of September 2013, the Corsair Simulator restoration project is in its second phase in a multi-

phase plan as proposed by the initial capstone senior design team. Last year’s work in Phase I

centered on system analysis and research. This year’s senior design team has been asked to

restore three-axis motion to the simulator’s base. The Gyro IPT

flight simulator model has a

triangular base with three actuating pushrods, three scissor-arm attachments and a central

supportive spring.

2.4 Design Goals

This year’s design team is focused exclusively on the simulator’s base; responsible for total

system motion. The simulator cockpit has been removed to emphasize the base as the priority

and to make safety paramount as mounting takes place. The planned culmination of this phase

will result in the base moving up and down, side to side, and backwards and forwards in

response to a user input. A fourth motor is used for system “spin” or yaw, and is outside the

scope of this project.