STK's Aviator capability is built upon the concept of an aircraft's mission, as opposed to a mere point-to-point route. An aircraft using Aviator as its propagator can conduct a transit between two points that is more complex than a great arc, and furthermore, can carry out operations that are more complex than a transit between two points (e.g., holding in a pattern). The process of defining a mission in Aviator, therefore, encompasses much more than merely selecting route points. A mission includes the flight procedures and performance characteristics of the aircraft and describes not only where the aircraft goes, but how it goes there and what it does along the way.
Whether a mission is as simple as a transit between two points or as complex as a patrol mission in which the aircraft has been retasked to respond to a threat, the method for designing a mission is the same in principle. To define a mission, you must:
- Select and configure the aircraft model that you wish to use. (Initial Aircraft Setup)
- Insert and define the phases of the mission and select the performance models you wish to employ in each. (Phases of Flight)
- Insert and define the procedures that the aircraft will execute in each phase. (Procedures and Sites)
The Mission Window is the platform from which all of these functions can be accessed, and in which the summary of the mission's sequence is displayed.
Aircraft Models
In Aviator, a model is much more than the graphical representation of the aircraft. An aircraft model defines the physical characteristics of the aircraft, the aircraft configuration, and the modes of flight - performance models - that define how the aircraft flies in any given situation. The graphics model is just one component of the aircraft model.
Aircraft Configuration
The aircraft configuration pertains to the aircraft's fuel and payload. An aircraft's configuration can be either mission-dependent, or, if needed, the default configuration can be modified to affect all future missions using the aircraft model. For more in-depth information, refer to the Configuration page.
Performance Models
Performance models are used to specify aircraft behavior during flight. Some examples of performance models are take-off, climb, acceleration, cruise, descent, and landing. You can set the performance model on a per-phase basis using the phase properties. For more in-depth information, including a listing of all performance models, refer to the Performance Models section.
Phases
Phases are the basic logical unit of a Mission, and serve as containers for the procedures that define the aircraft's actions. Performance models can be specified for each phase and will be used by the procedures executed within them, thus helping to structure the mission. For example, you may wish to define a mission that varies between fuel conservation and high performance maneuvering as the aircraft travels from safe airspace into threatened airspace. Phases are the mission elements that you use to distinguish between these performance requirements.
Procedures
A Procedure defines an action that the aircraft executes. There are many procedure types that an aircraft can perform, though the exact selection of procedure types available is dependent on the currently selected site and the immediately previous procedure. A procedure is executed using the performance models specified for the phase that it is contained within.
Sites
Each procedure is associated with a site. The site defines the location and the nature of the position at which the procedure takes place - e.g., a runway, a waypoint, another aircraft - and also determines what procedure types are available for selection.