Flight Experience simulator in Perth

[Jethro H]

This is becoming more popular. A friend of mine, a retired Navigator from 11SQN recently went on the 737-800 in Darling Harbour and even with doing 6000hrs in Neptunes and Orions, he still absolutely loved the simulator experience.

From the West Australian yesterday :

Scott Phillips had logged a lot of air time with his work and had some bad experiences, so it was with tongue firmly in cheek that his workmates in Sydney gave him a session on a flight simulator as a farewell gift.

But he loved it and now, having spent close to $1 million, Mr Phillips and wife Sarah have opened a Flight Experience simulator in Perth, the 11th in the world.

The company offers people the chance to get behind the controls of a Boeing 737 and to land it at more than 20,000 “airports”.

If you want to land at your local airport you can but the experience might not be what you expect.

“I grew up in a little country town in South Australia and I can fly into the airport there,” Mr Phillips said.

“The airport would present on the navigation screen at exactly the co-ordinates of the real airport and there would be visuals but I’d probably mow down a few fences because the strip is not long enough to land a 737. We direct customers to 50-60 visually enhanced big airports to bring about a more realistic experience.”

Landings can be in day or night and one of the airports on offer is the legendary but now closed Kai Tak in Hong Kong, where planes used to land on a runway jutting into Victoria Harbour. Passengers could look into neighbouring apartment buildings as they came in to land at night.

On entry Flight Experience customers are strapped into the pilot’s seat with their feet on rudder pedals and right hand on the thrust levers and left on the control column. Seated with them is their instructor, who is a trained commercial pilot.

The flight simulator is similar to that used by airlines to train their pilots, with 180-degree wraparound visuals along with a slight seat vibration and the background noise from a real cockpit, all to fool the senses and make the person in the hot seat feel they really are flying.

The “pilot” has to manage air speed, maintain the altitude and heading. There may be other traffic in the area and there is a dazzling array of screens and indicators to monitor.

Mr Phillips says that the instructor makes sure customers do not crash but cheerfully admits that he has done so more than once. > Flight Experience is in Newcastle Street, Northbridge, and costs vary according to length of flight. A 30-minute scenic flight is $175, increasing to 90 minutes for $375. Phone 1800 737 800.

http://www.thewest.com.au/default.as...ntentID=135508

[Rhys Xanthis]

Its been open for a while now!

I went to the one in Melbourne in January for a 60 minute flight...was an awesome experience! It's a great Christmas present !

Definitely recommend it to anyone who think they're interested...its quite costly, but worth it!

[Brendon I.]

I went last year on the Gold Coast @ Q1. Loved it. Agree that it is not exactly cheap but well worth it. A big difference to sitting at home in front of the PC.

[Brenden S]

Hmm, spent nearly 1million. I wonder how much it would take before it starts making a profit? But for $175 for a 30 min flight I could:
a) spend it on the software
b) go for a TIF
c) buy a carton of beer and sit at the airport

[Rhys Xanthis]

Thats an expensive carton of beer there Brenden!

[Brenden S]

I think I could buy half a brewery

[Peter D]

I rekon that nothing beats a 744 simulator at the Qantas Jet base. Best experience everrrrrrrrrr!!

[Bill S]

Originally Posted by Peter D

I rekon that nothing beats a 744 simulator at the Qantas Jet base. Best experience everrrrrrrrrr!!

Flying a real 747 is a lot nicer.