DAYTON, Ohio - The Convair NC-131H Total In-Flight Simulator (TIFS), a very unique aircraft created to perform research for the U.S. Air Force, lands on the back field of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Nov. 7, 2008. (U.S. Air Force photo)
DAYTON, Ohio - The Convair NC-131H Total In-Flight Simulator (TIFS), a very unique aircraft created to perform research for the U.S. Air Force, lands on the back field of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Nov. 7, 2008. (U.S. Air Force photo)
DAYTON, Ohio - The Convair NC-131H Total In-Flight Simulator (TIFS), a very unique aircraft created to perform research for the U.S. Air Force, flies over the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Nov. 7, 2008. (U.S. Air Force photo)
DAYTON, Ohio - The crew of the Convair NC-131H Total In-Flight Simulator (TIFS), a very unique aircraft created to perform research for the U.S. Air Force, stands in front of the aircraft just after landing at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Nov. 7, 2008. (U.S. Air Force photo)
DAYTON, Ohio -- Bill Weldon of Enon, Ohio, took this photo of the Convair NC-131H as it landed at the National Museum of the United States Air Force on Nov. 7, 2008. (Photo courtesy of Bill Weldon)
DAYTON, Ohio -- Bill Weldon of Enon, Ohio, took this photo of the Convair NC-131H as it landed at the National Museum of the United States Air Force on Nov. 7, 2008. (Photo courtesy of Bill Weldon)
DAYTON, Ohio -- Bill Weldon of Enon, Ohio, took this photo of the Convair NC-131H as it landed at the National Museum of the United States Air Force on Nov. 7, 2008. (Photo courtesy of Bill Weldon)
DAYTON, Ohio - The Convair NC-131H Total In-Flight Simulator (TIFS), a very unique aircraft created to perform research for the U.S. Air Force, just after landing on the back field of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Nov. 7, 2008. (U.S. Air Force photo)
DAYTON, Ohio - The Convair NC-131H Total In-Flight Simulator (TIFS), a very unique aircraft created to perform research for the U.S. Air Force, just after landing on the back field of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Nov. 7, 2008. (U.S. Air Force photo)
DAYTON, Ohio - The Convair NC-131H Total In-Flight Simulator (TIFS), a very unique aircraft created to perform research for the U.S. Air Force, just after landing on the back field of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Nov. 7, 2008. (U.S. Air Force photo)
DAYTON, Ohio - The Convair NC-131H Total In-Flight Simulator (TIFS), a very unique aircraft created to perform research for the U.S. Air Force, lands on the back field of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Nov. 7, 2008. (U.S. Air Force photo)
DAYTON, Ohio - The Convair NC-131H Total In-Flight Simulator (TIFS), a very unique aircraft created to perform research for the U.S. Air Force, flies over the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force just before landing on Nov. 7, 2008. (U.S. Air Force photo)
DAYTON, Ohio - The Convair NC-131H Total In-Flight Simulator (TIFS), a very unique aircraft created to perform research for the U.S. Air Force, flies over the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force just before landing on Nov. 7, 2008. (U.S. Air Force photo)
DAYTON, Ohio - The Convair NC-131H Total In-Flight Simulator (TIFS), a very unique aircraft created to perform research for the U.S. Air Force, lands on the back field of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Nov. 7, 2008. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ben Strasser)
DAYTON, Ohio - The Convair NC-131H Total In-Flight Simulator (TIFS), a very unique aircraft created to perform research for the U.S. Air Force, lands on the back field of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Nov. 7, 2008. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ben Strasser)
Note: This aircraft is located in the Research & Development Gallery on a controlled-access portion of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The gallery will close until further notice beginning May 1, 2013, as part of budget reduction requirements due to sequestration.
This one-of-a kind aircraft was created for the U.S. Air Force in the late 1960s by the Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory of Buffalo, N.Y. (later the Calspan Corp.). Engineers used it as an in-flight simulator to study how an aircraft would fly before building an expensive, full-scale prototype.
Originally a USAF C-131B transport aircraft, this airplane underwent extensive modifications. Its original piston engines were replaced by turboprop engines with nearly twice the horsepower, but the most noticeable modifications added the second cockpit on the nose and the vertical fins on the wings. It was redesignated the NC-131H with the "N" to indicate that the aircraft had been permanently modified.
The TIFS could be configured with two different noses. The first nose is a two-place cockpit from which onboard computers simulated the handling characteristics of various aircraft. It provided a large field of view and contained reconfigurable controls and instrument displays. The original cockpit carried two safety pilots who monitored the simulations and could take control in case of a problem.
In the second configuration, called the Avionics Systems Test and Training Aircraft (ASTTA), the avionics nose carried large prototype radars, infrared cameras, and other sensors. A crew station in the main cabin accommodated the system operators.
Engineers found the TIFS especially useful for studying how large aircraft would handle during takeoff and landing. Vertical fins on the wings generated side forces to simulate crosswinds and provided test data.
The TIFS made its first flight in 1970, and its first research project simulated the B-1 bomber in 1971. During its long career, the TIFS simulated many military and NASA aircraft including the B-1, X-40, Tacit Blue, Space Shuttle, B-2, YF-23 and C-17. Civilian aircraft development projects included the Boeing Supersonic Transport (SST), 7J7, MD-12X and Indonesian N-250. It also served to train test pilots. The TIFS came to the National Museum of the United States Air Force in 2008.
TECHNICAL NOTES:
Engines: Two Allison 501-D22G of 4,368 hp each
