IBM
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################ No Times Like The Maritimes, Eh! ######################


########## Opinions expressed here are mine, mine, mine. ###############

   The current industrial paradigm in the flight simulation world
   seems to be to emplace a user custom executive plus appropriate
   sim development and maintenance tools on top of some brand of
   UNIX as a basic computing environment for FAA certifiable flight
   simulators of the higher levels. Leaving aside part task
   trainers ( which can be constructed quite happily using DOS
   + the other stuff ) has anyone ever built a certifiable device
   of Levels A-D ( or equivalent ) using say QNX(TM) or some such
   similar O/S actually using the inherent O/S features as opposed
   to their own executives and tools?
   Binghamton simulator upgraded a DC10 for Fedex some time ago but
   it isn't clear how much they had to add on to the basic capabil-
   ities of the Harris host computer O/S and real-time package.
   Anybody have any definitive info ( as opposed to hearsay )?

 FlightSafety International, Simulation Systems Division has UN*X
based simulators certified to level D in the field. A Lear35A was
certified in Tuson AZ last week (we 26-Aug-94).

  The simulator used a Harris NightHawk (4400). There were no
modifications to the operating system (appart from device
drivers). The executive was implimented using POSIX system calls to
provide rate monotonic scheduling. This executive will port to
other POSIX compliant systems with little or no modifications.

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David S. Nunn             FlightSafety International
Principal Engineer        Simulation Systems Division
Computer Systems Group    Broken Arrow, Oklahoma 74012

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