Flight Safety/Boeing training center tour   by  Gene Buckle
Page 4
 


This is the primary video display from the 757 instructor station.  Unfortunately, the contents aren't really visible at all.
 


This is the center console of the 757 simulator.
The handles are, from left to right:
Speed Brake
Engine #1 Throttle
Engine #2 Throttle
Flap Lever.

The two toggle switches below the throttles are the fuel cutoff switches.
To the bottom of the flap lever arc you'll notice a black panel with a white line going about halfway down the middle with a green strip next to it.  This is the horizontal stab trim indicator.  The green line indicates the safe range for takeoff. Two things I noticed when I took this picture.  One odd and one amusing. The odd thing is that there doesn't seem to be any manual way of adjusting stab trim like there were in some of the earilier Boeing designs.  The amusing thing is that it seems that the APU fire handle has been activated.  Makes you wonder what that instructor put the previous crew through, doesn't it?  The APU fire handle is the rectangular shaped knob right below the right hand stab trim indicator.  The engine fire handles are mounted somewhat in line with the APU fire handle, in alignment with the engine throttle handles.
 


This is one of the training devices used at the facility.  It's primarily used for familiarity and to illustrate concepts that the instructor is trying to teach.
 


This is the long view of one of the more unoccupied simulator bays.  The white squares on the right are the 20 foot by 20 foot doors that were used to move the simulators into the buildings.  As you can see by looking at the floor, there is room for two more simulators to be installed.
The gent to the right is my father-in-law, Edwardo Pina.  He used to be a Boeing Exec.  Very bright dude.  I'll be posting a paper he wrote on the system logic to be used in collision avoidance systems.  (Like I said, he's a very bright dude. :) )
 


Here is a closeup view of the accumulator/buffer tanks that are required by the hydraulic system.  It's primary purpose is to balance the pressure in the system and to prevent wave shocks from travelling back to the pump. They're filled with nitrogen gas - this was done because it won't react chemically with the hydraulic fluid and the metal parts.  Nitrogen gas will also not spontaneously combust the oil when it's hot and under pressure.
 


Here is yet another view of the motion base.  The cable run coming from the rear goes into the floor, through a fire barrier and into the computer room and the pump room, respectively.  The main hydraulic feed hose is about 4 inches in diameter and runs at a pressure of approximately 1500lbs per square inch or greater, depending on the simulator.  A catestrophic failure in any of the hydraulic lines will result in a painful death or maiming if you're too close when it goes.  Keep in mind that any fluid under this kind of pressure will cut through steel, so a human body isn't much of an impediment.

Copyright © 2000  Gene Buckle
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