Local 'Flight Experience' simulators

[kneighbour]

I happened across a video on Youtube that was of a fellow flight simulator pilot going for a flight on a Flight Training Device. ie a non moving full cockpit simulator. Companies like Jet Flight Simulator and Flight Experience (and others, I guess) provide this service. This latter seems to be a franchise as it is all over the place. Even here in Australia there is at least one (or more) in each capital city.

 

I mention this as I have been using flight simulators on a home computer since they came out (1978 or so), but have never given these commercial ventures a thought.

 

This Youtube video was amazing - so I looked around for a comparable local business here in Brisbane - and as it turns out, there are heaps. I was very surprised. The price is not all that bad either - I don't think I would go on one all that often, but it is cheap enough that a couple of times a year is not out of the question. About $100/hr roughly.

 

My intention is to practice a certain flight (or a few flights) on the PC, then go to the simulator and then fly it there. One of my 'problems' is that all of these companies fly the 737-800, and there is no such aircraft in X-Plane. Well, I am wrong there - the x737, I guess, but until the virtual cockpit comes out, I cannot fly that. In the meantime I am flying the 732 as much as I can, and of course will be onto the IXEG 737-300 when it comes out.

 

The 737-300 seems fairly similar in switch layout to the -800, the main differences being the glass screens (as far as I can see).

 

I mention all this here as I am sure there are a lot of people out there like me - never giving these simulators a passing thought.

[Hovercat]

I am jealous! 100$/hr is a good price, i think. Here in Germany its around 160€ per hour. Not quite cheap. 

I had my first flight in one of those simulators (running Prepared V2 by the way) on 3rd January. 

 

I didnt bought one hour, but only a 20min "taster" (?) It was an experience nevertheless! I also choose to fly the 738 (instead of an A320), just because i like to have a yoke in front of me

 

I think everything stands and falls with the instructor. My instructor was very enthusiastic. He was a real world pilot, flying helicopters and a Vulcanair observer for the german police. 

He made a small familiarization, set up the sim and helped me with the fmc and was a very cool co-pilot...

 

20 minutes is of course a little short, but i made some traffic pattern in Frankfurt, manually followed the ILS to minimums, and even got a chance to fly the Kai-Tak approach. Very cool!

 

Greetings!

[LPNils]

I am jealous! 100$/hr is a good price, i think. Here in Germany its around 160€ per hour. Not quite cheap. 

I had my first flight in one of those simulators (running Prepared V2 by the way) on 3rd January. 

 

I didnt bought one hour, but only a 20min "taster" (?) It was an experience nevertheless! I also choose to fly the 738 (instead of an A320), just because i like to have a yoke in front of me

 

I think everything stands and falls with the instructor. My instructor was very enthusiastic. He was a real world pilot, flying helicopters and a Vulcanair observer for the german police. 

He made a small familiarization, set up the sim and helped me with the fmc and was a very cool co-pilot...

 

20 minutes is of course a little short, but i made some traffic pattern in Frankfurt, manually followed the ILS to minimums, and even got a chance to fly the Kai-Tak approach. Very cool!

 

Greetings!

 

There was a 737NG simulator advert in the Berliner Zeitung of 19 & 20 December. Can't find it at the moment but I think the price was much better than E160 an hour, in the city of Berlin somewhere.

But still, E160 is quite cheap here in western Europe. Full motion sims usually start at at least E400 per hour.

 

AH! Found it.

 

Aviare consult in der Kantstrasse, Berlin.

Basic Flyer package: 60 min flighttime & instructions beforehand: 144 Euros (and 104 Euro without motion).

 

So.. this sim is also motion equipped.

 

Edited January 16, 2016 by LPNils

[Hovercat]

There was a 737NG simulator advert in the Berliner Zeitung of 19 & 20 December. Can't find it at the moment but I think the price was much better than E160 an hour, in the city of Berlin somewhere.

But still, E160 is quite cheap here in western Europe. Full motion sims usually start at at least E400 per hour.

 

AH! Found it.

 

So.. this sim is also motion equipped.

 

Wow, vielen Dank!!!

 

Unfortunately i am not near Berlin, but i will definitely save this! Would love to try out some full-motion sim, ah well maybe after i finish my studies

 

Greetings!