http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?Content...gory=/index.cfmI'm so honored to know this is all happening to close to me. What makes this story even better is next weekend, I'm going to have the chance to see the new 'rover' vehicle that will transport humans over the surface of these places once we land on them. I have to wonder, though, does anyone know how one eventually gives flight training for the first pilots who would do this? Using a 727 for basics is one thing, learning how to operate an aircraft actually flying around in that type of environment is completely another!

http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?Content...gory=/index.cfmI'm so honored to know this is all happening to close to me. What makes this story even better is next weekend, I'm going to have the chance to see the new 'rover' vehicle that will transport humans over the surface of these places once we land on them. I have to wonder, though, does anyone know how one eventually gives flight training for the first pilots who would do this? Using a 727 for basics is one thing, learning how to operate an aircraft actually flying around in that type of environment is completely another!

I'm either misunderstanding your title and your post or you're completely misunderstanding the purpose of the 727. This 727 is nothing more than the latest iteration of the "vomit comet." An aircraft that has been around for probably as long as the manned space program. All that this aircraft does is takeoff, climb to altitude, and then fly vertical parabolic profiles so that the passengers in the back can experience a few seconds of weightlessness at the top of the pushovers. That's all. It is just used to give future astronauts, VIPs, scientists with lab projects, and contest winners, some giggles in zero G. It has nothing to do whatsoever with operating an aircraft -in- reduced gravity conditions.

I'm thinking you're misunderstanding the title and post.

I'm thinking you're misunderstanding the title and post.

Well then I apologize. I just thought when you wrote "Nasa begins to test aircraft in reduced gravity conditions" that you meant that they were testing how an aircraft flies in reduced gravity environments like Mars. And when you wrote "I have to wonder, though, does anyone know how one eventually gives flight training for the first pilots who would do this? Using a 727 for basics is one thing, learning how to operate an aircraft actually flying around in that type of environment is completely another!" I thought you were asking how does one teach a pilot to fly a plane on Mars in its reduced gravity. And that learning to fly the 727 was one thing, but flying it on Mars was another.

Well then I apologize. I just thought when you wrote "Nasa begins to test aircraft in reduced gravity conditions" that you meant that they were testing how an aircraft flies in reduced gravity environments like Mars. And when you wrote "I have to wonder, though, does anyone know how one eventually gives flight training for the first pilots who would do this? Using a 727 for basics is one thing, learning how to operate an aircraft actually flying around in that type of environment is completely another!" I thought you were asking how does one teach a pilot to fly a plane on Mars in its reduced gravity. And that learning to fly the 727 was one thing, but flying it on Mars was another.

Nah, that part was just musing on wondering how it would be done whenever the day comes, since this article made me think of it. Sort of like landing on the moon, when there was no real way to effectively simulate it on earth. Which probably will happen some day, but I know this isn't that (though, technically, it is a small step in that direction).

Nah, that part was just musing on wondering how it would be done whenever the day comes, since this article made me think of it. Sort of like landing on the moon, when there was no real way to effectively simulate it on earth. Which probably will happen some day, but I know this isn't that (though, technically, it is a small step in that direction).

Perriwan, this is one of the weirdest posts I have read on Avsim....

Venus is too hot.The moon lacks a significant atmosphere. For the Apollo program NASA used at least two turbine powered fliers for physical lander training and a camera based simulator at Cape Canaveral for visual training. The Canaveral trainer had a lander cabin mock up featuring closed circuit TV linked to a camera that moved "over" a sculpture that resembled the lunar surface. With today's technology it would be more effective to use a computer generated image. Foprtunately the turbine power fliers were equiped with ejection seats, since an ejection was necessary when an astronaut lost control of one (I don't know if there was a mechanical problem). Keep in mind that pilots for the Apollo program were recruited from flight test programs, so they were already proficient in adapting to unexpected flying challenges.The atmosphere on Mars is pretty thin and it's likely to be a half century or more before any manned flights go there. Imagine how much computer base simulators will have improved by the time crews train for that flight. Between computer modeling and motion control technology similar to that used for airline pilots I doubt actual airborne training would be necessary.Distance, atmospheric depth, high winds and low visibility would preclude visits to most of the outer planets for quite some time. Their moons would probably require a rocket powered lander similar to the ones used on the moon (presumably larger).

Perriwan, this is one of the weirdest posts I have read on Avsim....

How so? It was a very real issue back in the 60s when man was landing on the moon.

What I don't understand, is why they are not using their own "Vomit Comet" aircaft for this, rather than use a private vendor? I would think it would be more cost effective!