My Flight Simulator Experience

[Owen Lucas]

Years ago a pilot friend let me tag along with him for sim time in a Dassault Falcon 7X flight training simulator. It was a very interesting experience, even just touring the facility. The simulator is mounted on 6 hydraulic rams and appears to be plumbed into a pump / server control room. Each sim costs $20 million and contains the same interior parts and controls as the simulated plane. The images are displayed with multiple projectors inside the domed simulator housing.

My buddy let me fly the 7X for a bit, there is no yolk, just a joy stick. I had no idea how to start the plane, he just started flipping switches and turning dials, it was amazing. The plane practically took off, messing around with the rudder sure didn't help. I wanted to do some aerobatics but the 7X really doesn't want you doing anything abnormal, it's almost like the joystick stops you from taking too hard of an angle. Regardless I pushed through the block and the computer gave up allowing me to fly upside down, take really hard banking angles, do steep dives and climbs and then stall the plane. Multiple alarms sounded along with warnings that the ailerons broke and other things went wrong which I did not understand. I also flew by the Statue of Liberty and even under the Verrazano Bridge, pretty lifelike graphics for over 10 years ago (which explains the video quality).

At some point the trainer set the baggage compartment and engines on fire, killed the instrument panel and then the electricity to the plane. Some type of an outboard propeller type device pops out from under the plane to generate auxiliary electricity which allows you to regain some function but it shakes the entire plane. My heart was pumping and I was sweating throughout the experience especially when I was told to land the plane with no power but that I have just enough glide to make it to the runway, I "instinctively" pulled up and splashed into the bay (blue screen). Much respect to pilots and the profession!!!

Here's a short video if you are interested in watching a random guy with no clue how to fly a plane.

 

[Cujet]

Hey, that looks like one of my SIM sessions. What fun!

 

[Owen Lucas]

Hey, that looks like one of my SIM sessions. What fun!

The ultimate video game!

 

[Astro14]

The ultimate video game!

A new full motion simulator, with six degrees of freedom and full visual, runs about $25 million. It should give you a pretty good sensation of flight…

 

[RedSpider]

I was fortunate enough to get a few precious minutes in a 767 simulator at the former Airborne Express hub in Wilmington Oh when I worked there about 20 years ago. Myself and two others were picked from our maintenance group. One was a student pilot with a lot of time in a Traumahawk, and another had his private. I'd been flying R/C since I was in diapers so I knew enough to be dangerous. Our instructor put us a couple miles out and told us to land. The other two guys landed successfully, a little rough but acceptable. I was doing pretty well until the instructor threw me a No. 2 engine fire and told me to deal with it. Things were perfectly normal and I had no problems for at least three entire seconds or so, then reality bit. Started yawing right, I tried to keep it lined up and level but got unstable, and things got uglier in a big **** hurry. A couple of my loudmouth co-workers standing behind me yelling "Left! Right! Left! Right! AAAAHH!!!" didn't help. It only got uglier from there. I impacted runway 22R about 45 degrees right wing down. One less 767 in the world. I indignantly demanded a 2nd chance but some pilots were coming in so we had to skedaddle.

 

[Owen Lucas]

A new full motion simulator, with six degrees of freedom and full visual, runs about $25 million. It should give you a pretty good sensation of flight…

On take off, the machine was able to push you back in your seat a bit which was surprising. It gives up at max angle once you try to do a loop or flip upside down though....thankfully. At the National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in VA there are video game flight sims where you fly a fighter jet with the objective of shooting down 10 enemy fighter with rockets and the 11th with the cannon. Very fun, machine spins 360* horizontally and tilts forward and backwards I think at least 90*. Felt awkward standing in line with a bunch of children (must have been a school trip) to get my flight experience in lol. The game is definitely overpowered for children IMHO, though I was able to take out all of the enemy fighters. The simulator operators said airline pilots try it out all of the time. I highly recommend the museum and the fighter jet sim. Best $15 I ever spent.