Flight simulator employing an actual aircraft

Claim 1

A flight simulator system comprising an actual aircraft not in flight; a simulated aircraft cockpit control system disposed in said aircraft, said simulated aircraft control system comprising one or more simulated moveable cockpit control members, each simulated moveable cockpit control member being capable of mimicking the movements of an actual aircraft control member, said simulated aircraft control system being capable of providing output control signals indicative of operation of said simulated moveable cockpit control members, said simulated moveable cockpit control members including at least a simulated aircraft flight attitude control member, said simulated flight attitude control member being capable of mimicking the movements of an actual aircraft flight attitude control member; a visual display system for receiving input signals and in response thereto visually display a video simulation of a plurality of simulated aircraft flight instruments mimicking the movements and responses of actual aircraft instruments; and a computer for receiving said output signals from said simulated control system and in response thereto for providing said input signals to said visual display system.