CRASH landing a prototype of Europe's latest jet fighter on a Lancashire runway was a little embarrassing.

But thankfully the only damage done in the disaster involving the multi-million pound Eurofighter project was a dent to my pride, writes PERRY GOURLEY.

Before the impromptu touchdown the test flight on British Aerospace's flight simulator had been an exhilarating experience - soaring through the skies above Lancashire at the controls of one of the most sophisticated pieces of high-tech equipment in the world.

Negotiating a close flypast above Blackpool Tower and the Big One had been a doddle but coming in to land safely at a computer generated Warton Aerodrome proved to be just too tricky.

Thankfully the artificial landscape created on giant video screens didn't feature the enemy fighters that real test pilots often face on a 'virtual battleground' at BAe's £10 million flight simulation facility.

Although 'flying' the simulator is thrilling, it has a serious role in helping develop the Eurofighter on which thousands of Lancashire jobs depend.

While flight simulators are extensively used by commercial airlines for training pilots, BAe's simulators are specifically used for improving aircraft design. Fully trained pilots test fly the Eurofighter at every stage of the production process.

The technology involved in the flight simulation department is now so advanced that test flights on the ground can be as accurate as those in the air.

And compared with airborne test flights the costs are up to 50 times cheaper and save valuable time in the lengthy production process involved in designing a new aircraft.

As well as assisting in the early stages of airframe design, flight simulators help iron out specific, often very subtle, problems and finetuning of the cockpit layout.

So far the Eurofighter has flown 500,000 simulated miles over the past five years, saving millions in costs over real flying.

The Warton facility houses several simulators, each programmable with a variety of software for different aircraft. The twin air combat simulator at Warton - housed in two huge inflatable domes - allows virtual combat between two pilots competing in a battle complete with cockpit noise and even simulation of G-force effects on vision. The computer generated images on the video screens are capable of very precise detail, including airfields and weather effects. Terrains and scenery from the across the world are used - often featuring classified military material.

As well as simulating combat between two pilots at the Warton facility, the simulators can be linked with others from across the world for dogfights between pilots thousands of miles away.

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