Technology
Turkish Airlines lets children ‘control’ airplane using motion-cap tech
TURKISH Airlines “gave control” of a real airplane over to children – who controlled it using motion capture technology.
The sci-if stunt saw children direct trained pilots during an actual flight.
Turkish Airlines created a clever motion-capture set-up[/caption]
Aeronautically savvy youngsters donned motion-capture suits to control the aircraft from the ground.
Infrared cameras captured the children doing roll, pitch and yaw manoeuvres.
This took place in a specially equipped hangar in a world-first.
The movements of the children were turned into flight data that was relayed to the pilots of the aircraft.
It meant that seven kids aged between 7 and 10 had say over the motion of a Boeing 777-300ER.
The stunt is part of a celebration for National Sovereignty and Children’s Day – a public holiday in Turkey, celebrated on April 23.
Children were able to send directions to pilots[/caption]
It marks the foundation of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, which took place on April 23, 1920.
“To commemorate this special day, we handed over the controls of this special flight to our children,” said Turkish Airlines chairman M. İlker Aycı.
”As the national flag carrier of this nation, we will continue to introduce cutting-edge technology into aviation and deploy latest innovations in our products and services.”
The flight was set up to mark Children’s Day in Turkey[/caption]
The Boeing 777-300(ER) took off from Istanbul Airport, with Captains Serpil Köstepen, Cihangir Kılıç and the “Kid Captain” in control.
To boost safety, the flight was confiscated in a closed airspace restricted to a 10-mile radius.
And the flight was conducted over Antalya at an altitude between 6,000 and 8,000 feet – far below the cruising altitude of a typical jumbo jet flight.
Turkish Airlines has released a promo film showing the children doing preflight checks, and using the mo-cap system that relayed data to pilots.
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