Neat thing I just found

[Brian Wolf]

Link Instrument trainer. I am guessing it is just a desktop trainer, not associated with the actual simulator.

[Ben Dover]

My thoughts are that is used by the Instructor to monitor the panel inside the Link Trainer being "flown" by the Trainee.
It has been over 40 years since I crashed a military Link.

[John W. Rymark]

Yes, it certainly is an instructor's console for a Link trainer. Neat find. If anyone would like to see more about the Link trainers, here's a ....link .... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Link_Trainer

The neat thing about the link trainers is that they didn't have digital electronics, or even "electronics" as we know today. They were "electro-mechanical" devices. They did things like measuring air flow through progressive size holes in the rotating base to determine horizontal compass position. Switches snapped closed or opened current paths to relay primaries, strings of relay contacts provided the logic to model events.

I am very proud to have been a Navy "TD," or Tradevman (Training Devices Man) Chief. The TD "rate" (Navy military occupation). The first TDs were Navy Electricians and Machinists. The "rating badge" was a Spark (representing the Electrician) passing through a Gear (representing the Machinist). If you are interested here's another link

http://www.tradevmanassociation.org/history.html

Very nice find. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[Brian Wolf]

You're very welcome. I am very fortunate to have found it. I was originally thinking it was an instructors console also, But I cannot seem to find any evidence of there being an instructors console. I have found references to a charting feature for the instructor, but not this. Could it be a repeater? There is not any connection for an air source, so I do not see how the altimeter, VSI or Airspeed indicator would operate without it being electronic.

[John Smith]

There was a desk, console with the Link trainer, Last one I saw was around 1971 in Litchfield, AZ and I am sure it has been landfilled by now. I believe there is a complete Link trainer at the Pima Air Museum, Tucson, AZ...

Good Day, and Happy New Year

[gearhead]

There is a complete LINK trainer at the Smithsonian.
The is also one on display at the airport teminal in Binghamton NY Airport, the old LINK Field!
Sorry no pics.

Ed

[Second Air Force]

Nice find!

You'll find a photo of the instrument panel on a Link desk here: http://www.oldbeacon.com/beacon/link-trainer.htm There are a number of these trainers still operable around the country.

Scott

[waayfast]

Wow!! Great find!! Thanks for bringing back some memories!I am proud to say I have some actual Link Simulator time in my Logbook.Took pvt./comm./inst. training at Ed Boardman's flight school on Meacham Field in Ft Worth TX in 77/78.Hated that darn "sweat box" LOL. Talk about primative by todays standards!They also gave type ratings in the DC3 --didn't think I would need any thing to do with a DC3 at the time--now I sure wish I would have .
Jim

[tractor12]

We have a complete link trainer in Paso Robles CA on display at the Estrella Warbirds. We would love to get ours flying again as its a static display behind ropes