ABSTRACT
While the simulation of visual scenes has been significantly improved over that available only a few years ago, the ability to create a virtual environment of sound within flight simulators has also improved substantially. However, sound simulation is often overlooked when flight simulator specifications are considered. This is partly due to the fact that sound is a more subtle aspect of the cockpit environment, more likely to attract attention by its absence than by its presence. It is also partly due to the fact that sound and communications simulation are elements of the flight environment which are usually considered to contribute much less to simulator realism than other simulation elements, such as visual scene and motion simulation. For these reasons, simulation research and development efforts have focused more on the latter aspects in the design of flight simulators than on sound simulation. Nonetheless, sound and communications simulation play an important role in creating a realistic flight simulation environment and are deserving of attention.
