Are you establishing or attempting to improve your flight simulation capability, but are new to flight simulation?  

If you are starting from scratch, I would recommend my 60-min flight simulation fire hose presentation. If you are up to speed on the basics, topics for discussion could include

• Personnel
• Processes
• Tech
• Referent dev (e.g. CFD, wind tunnel testing, etc.)

or anything specific about your situation.

I am not affiliated with the Mathworks, but as you may be able to tell from the website, I am a major proponent of using MATLAB and Simulink for flight simulation. I have develop simulations in FORTRAN, C/C++, MATLAB, and Simulink. I will tell someone every time, the best way to build an organic flight simulation capability is Simulink. If you think so too, I can help

• Scope a new flight simulation capability
• Make product recommendations
• Product configuration
• Address unique issues

Got a new or hard to solve simulation problem that is not development system specific, concerning

• Equations of motion
• Aerodynamics
• Propulsion
• Guidance, navigation & control
• Mass, CG & inertia
• Vehicle systems
• Payloads
• Environment
• External systems

I might be able to help solve it or at least point you in the right direction.

Flight simulations have long been a trusted tool in aerospace & defense (A&D). Many types of solutions, from airframes to counter-UAS fire control systems, require these tools. And as technology improves and initiatives for model-based design continue, flight simulation is used now more than ever, including being accepted as a substitute for some real-world training and test & evaluation activities.

Flight simulations (software and hardware) are not COTS. They are born from repurposed simulations and simulation frameworks by the solution provider. Either this development is performed in house as side projects for the responsible engineers or via dedicated simulation staff. These companies also hire specialists like myself to build complete simulations, components, libraries, etc. There is not a one size fits all solution.

Done right, flight simulations are well-crafted digital representations of real-world system behaviors. It is more than software (and hardware) development, it is data modeling, continuous validation, strict adherence to standards and best practices. At the end of the day, the simulation is a tool on which many key decisions can be made, everything from tuning an autopilot to deciding if you are ready for first flight. Trust in a simulation takes time to build, but it can be quickly lost by poor decisions. Loss of confidence in your simulation by a customer or regulator not only damages your reputation, it could lead to the end of a program.

In my 25+ years in the A&D industry, I've worked on simulations of all types from start-ups to the federal government. I know what a good flight simulation capability looks like. And because flight simulation touches so many other disciplines, I can usually tell quickly the technical state of a project. So, if you are looking to acquire or invest in a start-up or established small or midsize A&D business, I can help with your technical due diligence.

This service is meant for evaluations of only one to a few hours. So, it's ideal seed investments and top level situational awareness for more in depth M&A, early and late stage investments. I can provide support for those, but it is via a service contract instead.

In addition to addressing specific questions, here are some examples of support:

The 60-min flight simulation fire hose

For those unfamiliar to flight simulation, you will get ModSim-101. Along the way, I will point out red flags to be looking for and questions to ask.

Document reviews

I can review open source information, trade show information, pitch decks, business plans, project plans, etc. to assess the state of a company's flight simulation capabilities, the flight simulation of a particular project, and/or the project itself. Using an abbreviated A&D modeling & simulation assessment approach, I will examine the material for information on

• Personnel
• Processes
• Tools
• Data
• Compliance

to provide a simple red/yellow/green state, along with some insights, particularly risks.