Synthetic Visual System prototypes are demonstrating great promise for increasing aircraft safety, increasing situational awareness and providing advanced steering cues in operational aircraft. Synthetic Vision enhancements are the beginning of a new wave of integration of simulation into operational equipment that will have far reaching benefits for both the operational and simulator communities. Specifically, the rapidity of the initial research imply that Synthetic Vision systems and associated simulation components may find near term application into operational systems. This paper presents representative examples of current synthetic vision research projects in the context of lessons learned and posits challenges to the simulation and operational communities to develop Synthetic Vision near term benefits for military and civilian systems.

An introductory Synthetic Vision example is given as a detailed description of how the authors plan to build a portable synthetic vision display with weather, terrain, and warning cues for vehicles by combining COTS components The discussion emphasizes the further advances made possible from baseline operational systems with GPS and Synthetic Vision. The advances detailed include the unique innovation of adding an advanced simulator as an active component of actual operational equipment. Such an approach is a revolutionary concept that has far reaching benefits. The addition of existing simulators as an additional active component to existing operational systems permits addition of advanced features at a fraction of the cost vs. conventional methods

A Synthetic Vision categorizations framework is suggested from basic low-cost "miss the mountain viewer" type applications to advanced multi-spectral displays for actual mission employment. A narrative description precedes the framework exploring characteristics, parameters and attributes associated with each category. An example of the framework applied to an existing Synthetic Vision prototype is presented. Three Synthetic Vision projects lessons learned, advantages, disadvantages and challenges are presented in summary format.

The challenges of a planned implementation a synthetic vision system on UAV ground control stations for NASA and USAF programs are discussed. The planned introduction of a four channel PC based reconfigurable simulator into UAV ground control stations are presented as an illustrative example. Planned benefits include:

• Geo-specific photo-textured Out-The-Window imagery on 4 channels to enhance situational awareness via a wider field of view and increase safety as weather obscuration nor night conditions will effect the correlated simulated visuals

• Super HUD—Target Designators and Ground WayPoint Designators will appear over all four OTW screens

• Terrain Avoidance—A reconfigurable flight simulator adding F-16 HUD, Warnings and Instruments will be demonstrated as new capacities that the Predator Ground Control Stations can add.

• 360 degree high fidelity visibility option based upon a 6 channel PC-IG driving the USAF M2DART Display

Synthetic Vision and the melding of simulators as functioning components of operational equipment are challenges for the 21^st Century. This paper hopes to serve as a catalyst to advancing simulation into this new frontier.