STK's Aviator capability provides an enhanced method for modeling aircraft - more accurate and more flexible than the standard Great Arc propagator. With Aviator, the aircraft's route is modeled by a sequence of curves parameterized by well-known performance characteristics of aircraft, including cruise airspeed, climb rate, roll rate, and bank angle. The precise state of an aircraft at any given time can be computed analytically - swiftly and without excessive data storage needs.
An aircraft using Aviator is defined by the type of aircraft and by the mission it performs. This structure allows you to utilize an aircraft for much more than simple linear travel.
You can select the aircraft from a number of pre-defined and user-defined aircraft types. Each aircraft type can be customized by changing the built-in performance model settings of the aircraft, the 3D model used to represent the aircraft, and by adding, changing, and removing custom performance models.
A mission is a sequence of procedures that utilize aircraft performance models to define the vehicle's route and flight characteristics. The mission can be organized into phases, which are logical constructs that allow you to vary the performance models being used to suit different elements of the mission.
Mission Performance
You can use the drop-down menu at the top of the Mission Window to select a general level of performance control for the mission. Select Optimize for Speed to use saved ephemeris and attitude data for standard STK analysis such as animation, access, and vector geometry; or, select Optimize for Accuracy for full fidelity.
By default, Aviator recalculates the entire mission after you accept changes in any property window. You can constrain Aviator from automatically recalculating the mission in many property windows by selecting the Don't update mission on OK or Apply check box in that window. Selecting this option only constrains automatic recalculation for property changes in that window, allowing you to customize the recalculation performance of the mission to your preference.
You can use the Calculation Options tool to review the performance statistics of Aviator's calculations and make adjustments with respect to precision and caching utilization.
In addition, you can adjust the Delta X property of the Mission Profile from the profile's options and properties window to customize its processing demand.
Aviator Concepts
Aviator is a highly conceptual vehicle propagator that performs best when certain considerations - detailed in the following list - are kept in mind.
Object Properties
As an STK object, an Aviator aircraft has the same object properties as a Great Arc vehicle. The Attitude properties page, however, has no effect since Aviator determines the aircraft's attitude.
Altitude Reference (Flight Path Warning Message)
Aviator performs best in the 3D Graphics window when the surface reference of the globe is set to Mean Sea Level. You will receive a warning message when you apply changes or click OK to close the properties window of an Aviator object with the surface reference set to WGS84. It is highly recommended that you set the surface reference as indicated before working with Aviator.
The surface reference can be changed by taking the following steps:
- Open the scenario's properties browser.
- Under 3D Graphics, select the Global Attributes page.
- In the Surface At field, under Surface Reference of Earth Globes, select Mean Sea Level from the drop-down menu.
Airspeed Values
All airspeed values that you enter or that are displayed in Aviator reflect the airspeed of the aircraft at the specified altitude. For example, if your aircraft's altitude is set to 42,000 ft and you enter an airspeed of 0.7 Mach The ratio of the aircraft's speed and the speed of sound at the aircraft's altitude, with local atmospheric conditions. number, then the airspeed is 0.7 at 42,000 ft.
Aviator API
You can automate Aviator through the STK Programming Interface.