GKN Westland
helicopter Navy Lynx electrical system emulator.
As a ground engineer's
training aid for the Westland Lynx, a comprehensive emulation of the helicopter's
electrical, mechanical and hydraulic systems was needed.
The most accurate and cost effective method
was to create a full working 3D model of the helicopter
and test equipment. Pennant
PLC created a complete model down to nut and bolt
level. This was done by taking Catia CAD data and engineering
drawings, and working from photographic reference produced
a detailed replica which could then be used
to provide scripted animation for use in a software controlled
training application. It allows the engineer
to click on any part of the helicopter to remove panels,
push switches, turn on lights, activate the pilot and
co-pilot controls, connect up cables etc.. It provides
feedback for the test equipment and updates all parts
of the helicopter in real-time... so switching a switch
in the cockpit may activate the exterior landing lights
and show this accordingly.
As part of this project
VISUALS-3D's services were contracted to assist in several
areas of the 3D creation, most notable being the complex
gearbox and hydraulic flight controls. Working
with the team on-site and liaising directly with the client and SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) was essential for such a detailed job.
Gearbox hydraulics / fairing removed
From this image you can
see the complexity and detail of the model.
This gives an idea of the nature of the actual interactive
image from the system emulator. Clicking on particular 'hotspots' in the image activates
items of the system, which allows for a non-linear learning approach. For instance clicking on a certain hydraulic hose
to disconnect it and show it in it's disconnected
state may highlight that the procedure wasn't undertaken in the correct order.
For this particular image the mechanical control linkages had to be animated to show how they operate the main servo units to manipulate the angle of the rotors and pitch of the blades. With so many different components from different manufacturers and suppliers, bringing all this information together in order to virtually build the model was a massive undertaking.
Front nose detail
As the complexity of such a vehicle, and maintenance so critical, the model has to be immensely accurate right down to the last rivet or electrical connector. Think of it as the equivalent of producing 3D imagery for a colour illustrated Haynes Manual along with all ground based test equipment and support vehicles.
Although the production costs were high, the assets can be reused for further support contracts and modified as and when necessary. The costs for having a real aircraft out of service, with such small numbers of engineers to train on, is actually far more expensive and impractical in the long run. Although cutting edge at the time, the exponential development of 3D hardware is now allowing data-sets such as these to be visualised in real-time systems rather than through pre-set image views.
Below - Side view of the gearbox hydraulics with the
front fairing in it's open position
This side image shows a state where the gearbox fairing has been triggered to show an open position. With a number of engineers using this system simultaneously, it builds situational awareness as to the safety of other maintenance crew. Therefore if somebody operates the flight controls in the cockpit while an engineer is checking control links, the software can report a connection error or provide hazard warnings to ensure safety checks are first undertaken.
*The above images are ©Copyright of Pennant PLC
2005.
*Written permission has been granted by Pennant PLC
& GKN Westland for VISUALS 3D to use these images.
*Use of these images (or linking to these images)
by any other persons or organisation without express
permission from the above parties is strictly prohibited
and may result in legal action.