The OZ Display is used in conjunction with the nose camera view provided on the STE simulation.

OZ integrates flight information provided by the Predator to produce an integrated view of the status and performance of the aircraft and environment with the specifics goals of the flight task.

The figure at right shows the two main components of the OZ Display: the Starfield and the Aircraft Metaphor. The Starfield is the background of the display and provides a scale by which altitude, heading, and attitude can be measured using the elements of the Aircraft metaphor. The integrated display is shown below.

Columns areHeadings

Columns areHeadings

Rows arealtitudesRows arealtitudes

Horizon overlays current altitudeHorizon overlays current altitude

Pitch Ladder Overlays current

heading

Pitch Ladder Overlays current

heading

Airspeed

Airspeed of the aircraft is shown by the location of the speed strut with respect to the speed bugs (the Diamond shapes), straight wings, and bent wings. The stall speed is indicated by the inboard end of the straight and bent wings (see top right). For those of you for which “stall” is a new term, the essential concept we wish to convey here is that, when the aircraft “stalls”, the wing(s) no longer are producing lift to keep the aircraft flying – obviously a dangerous situation. Stalls mostly occur at slower airspeeds. OZ indicates that the aircraft is approaching stall when the speed struts move towards the center of the display and the inboard tips of the bent and straight wings.

As speed increases, the speed strut moves outboard. The speed bug is used to indicate a target airspeed. Lining the speed strut up with the north and south points of the diamond indicate the desired airspeed. The east and west points of the diamond are -5 knots and +5 knots of the target airspeed.

Stall SpeedStall Speed

On TargetSpeed

On TargetSpeed

Target Speed plus 5

kts

Target Speed plus 5

kts

Target Speed minus

5 kts

Target Speed minus

5 kts

Touching top of

pendulum to horizon

yields200 fpm

climb

Touching top of

pendulum to horizon

yields200 fpm

climb

Touching bottom of

stick to horizon yields

200 fpm descent

Touching bottom of

stick to horizon yields

200 fpm descent

Vertical Airspeed

The Vertical Airspeed Indicator (VSI) tells you have fast the Predator’s altitude is changing in feed per minute.

The desired vertical airspeed is set for the flight task and the ends of the yellow stick (upper line) and pendulum (lower line) are modified to enable you to fly at the desired rate by touching the top of either line to the horizon line, as shown in the figure at right.

Placing the top of the pendulum on the horizon line indicates a 200 feet per minute climb. Touching the bottom of the stick (the upper line) on the horizon indicates a 200 feet per minute descent.

Engine Power

The amount of power produced by the Predator is controlled by the throttle. It is indicated by the green portion of the speed strut. The blue portion of the speed strut indicates the amount of power remaining.

The amount of power produced (indicated by the green part of the speed strut) can be related to the yellow bent wings to determine the amount of power necessary to achieve level flight. When the top of the green portion of the speed strut touches the top bent wing ( and the bottom part touches the bottom bent wing) , the amount of power needed for level flight is reached. In practice, the amount actually needed may be slightly above or below the yellow bent wing., but it is close enough that it should be used as a guide for “dialing-in” the appropriate amount of power needed.

The figure below shows a stylized version of the relationship of the green power used and blue power available portions of the speed strut and the yellow bent wing.

PowerUsed

PowerUsed

PowerAvailable

PowerAvailable

Altitude Indicator

The altitude of the aircraft is indicated by the horizon line. The altitude in feet above mean sea level (MSL) is shown at the outboard ends of the horizon line.

When the straight wing of the aircraft metaphor is overlaid on the horizon line, the aircraft is in level flight.

Overlaying the horizon line and the straight wings on a row of the starfield will keep the aircraft level with that startfield layer.

Horizon overlays current altitudeHorizon overlays current altitude

Straight Wings on horizon for level

flight

Straight Wings on horizon for level

flight

Even rows have label, horizon label shows

current altitude

Even rows have label, horizon label shows

current altitude

500 ftBetween layers

Heading

The heading of the aircraft is indicated by the alignment of the pitch ladder on the starfield.

When the vertical stick ( yellow vertical line) is overlaid on the pitch ladder, the aircraft is not turning either to the left or right.

Heading Rate

A standard heading rate of turn can be easily flown by aligning the alternate outer portions of the yellow bent wing on the horizon line. The figure at right shows an aircraft in a standard rate turn (3 degrees per second) to the left.

Pitch Ladder Overlays current

heading

Pitch Ladder Overlays current

heading

Stick on showsStraight or

banked flight

Stick on showsStraight or

banked flight Standard rate

Turn to left

Standard rate

Turn to left

Artificial Horizon

A unique aspect of the use of the starfield in the OZ display is that it makes the entire instrument an artificial horizon, or attitude indicator. The horizon line provides pitch information by moving up and down relative to the central green pitch line. The horizon also pivots about it’s central point to indicate the aircraft’s bank angle in turns.

Starfield rows bank to replicate attitude

information

Starfield rows bank to replicate attitude

information Horizon overlays current altitudeHorizon overlays current altitude

During these flying maneuvers, you will have various information displays available to you on three different computer monitors. The lower monitor will contain the OZ flight instrument, as shown at left.

On Target Speed

On Target Speed On Target AltitudeOn Target Altitude

On Target Heading

On Target Heading

On TargetSpeed

On TargetSpeed

Target Speed plus 5 kts

Target Speed plus 5 ktsTarget Speed

minus 5 ktsTarget Speed minus 5 kts

Touching top of pendulum

to horizon yields

200 fpm climb

Touching top of pendulum

to horizon yields

200 fpm climb

Target Altitude is reached when

horizon overlays highlighted

altitude

Target Altitude is reached when

horizon overlays highlighted

altitude

How to perform altitude changes: To climb, increase your throttle setting and pull back on the stick slightly. Maintain a relatively constant back pressure on the stick. To descend, reduce throttle and push forward on the stick.

Turns

How to accomplish smooth turns.

In order to perform a smooth turn using OZ, simply align the alternative upper and lower parts of the bent wings on the horizon line. Doing so will result in a standard rate turn (3 degrees per second). The figure to right shows what this alignment looks like.

Aligning top left bent wing and bottom right bent wings on

horizon results in a standard rate turn to left

Aligning top left bent wing and bottom right bent wings on

horizon results in a standard rate turn to left