A Framework for Virtualizing Joystick Controls in a Flight Simulator Training Environment

In aviation there can be little room for error. This paper explores software arbitration of two joysticks controlled by two pilots, where each joystick is independent of the other and each pilot’s actions are potentially equally valid. In such scenarios, it can be difficult to know which commands are valid, and which commands should be ignored. Inspired by historic conflict resolution scenarios in commercial aviation history, we developed a framework for virtualizing joystick commands from two multi-axis joysticks. The framework has been utilized in a two-person flight simulator, where different joystick conflict resolution techniques were modeled and evaluated. In this paper, we detail our framework for arbitrating conflicts in a multi-axis joystick system, thereby increasing the responsiveness of control input in a potentially conflicted state. Both the framework’s hardware prototype and software system are described and the results of implementing and evaluating three joystick conflict resolution techniques are presented and discussed.