Collimated display system with an extended vertical field of view

A flight simulator for training a user to operate an aircraft, comprising:

• a cabin to simulate a crew compartment of the aircraft;
• a primary collimated display to provide a first image to the user, comprising:
• a primary screen operable to display the first image;
• and
• a primary collimating mirror configured to reflect the first image at substantially infinity focus to a designated eye point within the cabin of the flight simulator, wherein the first image simulates a first view outside the cabin;
• and
• a secondary collimated display operable to provide a second image to the user, comprising:
• a second screen operable to display the second image, wherein the second image simulates a second view outside the cabin;
• a second collimating mirror configured to reflect the second image from the second screen to the designated eye point such that at least a first portion of the second image is at substantially infinity focus, wherein a curved top edge of the second collimating mirror is positioned proximate to a curved bottom edge of the primary collimating mirror, wherein the secondary collimated display is aligned with the primary collimated display such that the first image and the second image are aligned vertically and horizontally to create a combined image visible at the designated eye point, the combined image being substantially continuous without visible breaks or seams greater than 0.5 inches measured at the designated eye point, and wherein a vertical field of view of the combined image is at least approximately 80° measured at the designated eye point:
• wherein the cabin includes a first window through which only the first image is visible at the designated eye point, and wherein the cabin includes a second window connected to or spaced from the first window, and wherein at least a portion of the combined image is visible through the second window at the designated eye point.

A method of providing an image to a user of a simulator, comprising:

• generating a first image with a primary collimated display of the simulator, the primary collimated display comprising:
• a primary screen operable to display the first image;
• and
• a primary collimating mirror configured to reflect the first image at substantially infinity focus to the user at a designated eye point of the flight simulator;
• and
• generating a second image with a secondary collimated display of the simulator, the secondary collimated display comprising:
• a second screen operable to display the second image;
• a second collimating mirror configured to reflect the second image from the second screen to the designated eye point such that at least a first portion of the second image is at substantially infinity focus, wherein a curved top edge of the second collimating mirror is positioned proximate to a curved bottom edge of the primary collimating mirror,
• wherein the secondary collimated display is aligned with the primary collimated display such that the first image and the second image are aligned vertically and horizontally to create a combined image visible at the designated eye point, wherein the combined image is substantially continuous without visible breaks or seams greater than 0.5 inches measured at the designated eye point, wherein the combined image has a collimation gradient that varies from infinity to less than infinity, and wherein a vertical field of view of the combined image is at least approximately 80° measured at the designated eye point.