Mechanical Roll-Based Feedback or Recording Mechanism of a Flight Simulator Setup (Updated two months ago)
You can view this bundle in the SFSU Over the Years collection area.
A spool-based recording or feedback tracking unit of a flight simulator setup. The metal arm with a central component is likely a pen arm or stylus—used for recording or interpreting the motion of the spools.
Tags: historic technology
Added to SFSU Over the Years on July 31, 2026.
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Information
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Identifier:
TP-ATA-1902
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Context:
<p><strong data-start="1459" data-end="1487">Bottom-Right Components:</strong></p>
<ul data-start="1488" data-end="1671">
<li data-start="1488" data-end="1671">
<p data-start="1490" data-end="1561">The group of knobs or terminals at the lower right corner are probably:</p>
<ul data-start="1564" data-end="1671">
<li data-start="1564" data-end="1617">
<p data-start="1566" data-end="1617"><strong data-start="1566" data-end="1586">Adjustment dials</strong> for sensitivity or calibration</p>
</li>
<li data-start="1620" data-end="1671">
<p data-start="1622" data-end="1671"><strong data-start="1622" data-end="1646">Connection terminals</strong> for input/output voltage</p>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong data-start="752" data-end="775">Possible Functions:</strong></p>
<h5>1. <strong data-start="788" data-end="822">Data Recorder (Analog Plotter)</strong></h5>
<ul data-start="823" data-end="1143">
<li data-start="823" data-end="877">
<p data-start="825" data-end="877">Used to log flight data or user input over time.</p>
</li>
<li data-start="878" data-end="1049">
<p data-start="880" data-end="974">May have drawn or marked patterns on the paper as the simulator was used—tracking motion like:</p>
<ul data-start="977" data-end="1049">
<li data-start="977" data-end="1001">
<p data-start="979" data-end="1001">Control stick position</p>
</li>
<li data-start="1004" data-end="1022">
<p data-start="1006" data-end="1022">Altitude changes</p>
</li>
<li data-start="1025" data-end="1049">
<p data-start="1027" data-end="1049">Thrust or error margin</p>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li data-start="1050" data-end="1143">
<p data-start="1052" data-end="1143">The stylus could have been moved electrically to plot readings based on variable input.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>2. <strong data-start="1156" data-end="1181">Input Variable Feeder</strong></p>
<ul data-start="1182" data-end="1445">
<li data-start="1182" data-end="1341">
<p data-start="1184" data-end="1341">It’s also possible this was part of a <strong data-start="1222" data-end="1247">programmed input loop</strong>, feeding a tape or strip that altered a flight condition (e.g., variable wind, error timing).</p>
</li>
<li data-start="1182" data-end="1341">Something like a <strong data-start="1363" data-end="1396">primitive mechanical “script”</strong>—a timeline of values the simulator responded to.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Credits:</strong> </p>
<p>Some technical descriptions and historical interpretations were developed with the assistance of ChatGPT, an AI language model by OpenAI.</p>
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Geographic Coverage:
San Francisco, CA
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Type:
Still Image
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Format:
Negative
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Source:
San Francisco State University Archives
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Rights:
Public
Content
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Version history
- Import from CMS.
- Update by DIVA Digitization Team two months ago
- Import from CMS.
- Update by DIVA Digitization Team a year ago
- Import from CMS.
- Update by DIVA Digitization Team a year ago
- Import from CMS.
- Update by DIVA Digitization Team a year ago
- Import from CMS.
- Update by DIVA Digitization Team a year ago
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