Hkg_clk From Hong Kong, joined Jan 2001, 999 posts, RR: 2 Posted (12 years 2 months 4 weeks ago) and read 815 times:
I heard that some airlines are selling slots on their flight simulators to the public. Does anyone know how much they cost and which airlines do this? I am especially interested in airlines that do this in the UK.
See my homepage for a comprehensive guide to spotting and photography at HKG
I flew the 744 simulator there in December-I won't go into how incredible it was-Just do it!
Some info:
-1 hour on the sim will set you back GPB570 approx. (if you want exclusive use)
-don't expect to have a real BA pilot sitting next to you on the First Officer seat (you're on the LHS). My First Officer was a Concorde pilot (even better!), and we had a lady from the Company (you may have seen her if you saw "Airport", when Jeremy from Aeroflot went on the sim.)
-These are the REAL thing, located at BA Training HQ's at Cranebank. It is a huge hangar-like building containing many sims representing the BA fleet.
-You can also choose to fly the 777 sim instead of the 744.
-I personally made two approaches into JFK and SFO (plus two departures), and zoomed under the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco-fantastic!
-1 approach into an airfiled in Greenland (diversionary)
-Loos fairly dark outside!!
-You WILL be involved in a near-miss over JFK!!
-The 744 is VERY responsive, and thus easy to fly (in my very HUMBLEST of opinions, of course!)
-Very, very much worth it.
I can't REALLY afford what I paid (500+pounds), but as I have always wanted to be a pilot (for BA), and always, always wanted to go on a sim, the decision wasn't tough-I just did it!
And what a good time I had too. It's brilliant, go for it.
Mit From United States of America, joined Dec 2000, 166 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (12 years 2 months 4 weeks ago) and read 730 times:
United had a program in the past. Not sure if they still do it, though.
It was pretty extensive, choices included all of their current fleet and some retired ones (DC8, etc.) Depending on the aircraft and amount of time you spent in sim & groundschool, I think the cost was between $500 and $2000.
Capt.Picard From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 729 times:
Ah yes, I forgot to mention that "groundschool" on the BA sim day lasts about 15 minutes!
Basically it makes sure total morons know what they're doing to the a/c (sort of)!
Raising thrust levers to vertical, engaging autothrottle thereafter, V1, VR, toebrakes, PAPI lights, gear lever (upwards and outwards/downwards), landing speeds, Vref (the speeds etc. will be mentioned if you ask)
Incidentally, you can opt to turn the Flight Director bars off during TO and L (the pink bars on the PFD).
RAH66 From United States of America, joined Feb 2001, 11 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 695 times:
Get an engineering job in the simulation department of an aircraft manufacturer!
AeroGlobeAir7 From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 586 posts, RR: 2 Reply 8, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 683 times:
Bummer, I went to the website 777x included in his post, but you have to be 18 or older. That really stinks. Especially since I know there are people older than me that I could out fly. I'm old enough to observe, but why not fly it? I'm an expert on Flight sim and taller than some pilots (I'm 5' 8" and surely could meet the physical requirements that some 18 year olds could), what else would keep me from doing that? My grandmother works for Northrop, and has worked on the B-2, 747-100, F-18, and a few others. Some of her friends got to fly the B-2 sim, but they all crashed it . I would think they'd be more tight about civilians using military aircraft sims than commercial jet sims. I don't wanna wait 4 more years!!!!!!! If I knew a UAL pilot would it help? My mother works with someone who's brother is a UAL pilot. I'm wondering if that might make a difference? Dissapointing news from that site.
Capt.Picard From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 9, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 647 times:
AeroGlobe,
If you know someone that works with UA, its always worth trying! I find the 18 year old rule strange, but it is their equipment, and they can therefore set their own regulations!
Azeem From Pakistan, joined Jul 2000, 137 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 642 times:
Contact British Airways, there is even a british website that sells time for their simulators alongwith the schedule as to when and which simulator is free. I don't remember its url. Can anyone help?
USAFHummer From United States of America, joined May 2000, 10685 posts, RR: 54 Reply 13, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 621 times:
UA is biased against us budding aviators-If their worried about "strength" I am 15 and have the stature of an adult over 18 5'11'' 150 lbs., and I think I could do it...I have a friend who used to fly DC-10's for AA, I think he was their chief DC-10 pilot back in the early 90's, have to get in touch with him Does BA have tis policy? I think if BA doesnt have this policy, and if I ever make it to England...hopefully I can persuade my parents that this is a worthwhile investment...
Greg
Chief A.net college football stadium self-pic guru
AC_A340 From Canada, joined Sep 1999, 2251 posts, RR: 2 Reply 14, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 617 times:
Back when Canadian was separate from AC, you could buy simulator time in either YYZ or YVR using your Canadian Plus points. It cost like 40000 points for an hour. I don't know if they still do this or not.
Weexplorer From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 16, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 603 times:
Flew a BAe146 sim at Dulles many years ago and it was, as everyone who has experienced one has said, AWESOME.
Took off from Rio Santos Dumont and missed Sugar Loaf mountain by a mile. Spoke to my friend who was in the training department at the time and he said that they were training the TABA pilots and he couldn't believe how many of them 'scraped' the cablecar station at the top of the mountain....boy did I feel like the mutts nuts!!
If you get a chance to go on a sim grab it with both hands.
Singapore_Air From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2000, 13711 posts, RR: 21 Reply 17, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 602 times:
WELL THEN!!!!!
I got my one for free!!!!!
How??????
I won an essay competition 4 years ago. Wanted to be a pilot. I WON! Ha ha! Got an hour in a Monarch flight simulator at LTN and flew to LTN, HKG (KT), Innsbruck, some other place. I was excellent said the training person.
Rajno1 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 20, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 593 times:
GBP10 million!??! Are they THAT realistic then? Well, I don't think I'll have much luck hinting to my wife that I'd like one of THOSE for Christmas then!!!
Airsicknessbag From Germany, joined Aug 2000, 4723 posts, RR: 38 Reply 21, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 594 times:
Lufthansa sells time in their sims for money or miles - but horrendous sums as well.
I spent two hours in their A340-300 sim at their FRA homebase in 1995. It was not that special, it is a great experience but from articles and stuff I´ve read before I had expected more (I think you NEVER forget this isn´t a real a/c). Except for a near miss with a 707 (!) over Berlin it was pretty boring: At that time, LH was starting flights to Quito and they trained every pilot flying into UIO on the sim first, because that airport must be rather diffucult. And they did that nearly all the time, on take off the other (OK, the aborted ones were rather interesting, one after a birdstrike in engine 1 and 2).
Ryanb741 From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2002, 3219 posts, RR: 17 Reply 24, posted (12 years 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 577 times:
Oh well, in that case I'll take 2 of them (one for spares you see....).
I used to think the brain is the most fascinating part of my body. But, hey, who is telling me that?
25 Sydneysider: As Airsicknessbag mentioned above, you can make a ride at LH´s simulators. I did one in 1998 in FRA at the LH-Base in a B742, making some holdings ar
26 Hkg_clk: Thank you for all the information. I have just booked a flight simulator ride from www.virtualaviation.com. It will be on a 747-400 simulator. I'm rea
27 Patrick_L: Sydneysider !!! WHAT ? You only paid 350 DM ? I cant believe that! Do you know anyone there or what ? Thats extremely cheap. I read on a UA page that
28 Capt.Picard: Well done boy, you're going to have a great time!! My tips are: just fly the plane Seriously though, don't be intimidated. It is an easy a/c to fly-be
29 Log: http://www.britishairways.com/inside/biztobiz/flightsim/flightsim.shtml I've had 3 hours at cranebank 1-767 1-777 1-747 , two times birthday/xmas prez
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From Hong Kong, joined Jan 2001, 999 posts, 
From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
From United States of America, joined Dec 2000, 166 posts, 
That really stinks. Especially since I know there are people older than me that I could out fly. I'm old enough to observe, but why not fly it? I'm an expert on Flight sim and taller than some pilots (I'm 5' 8" and surely could meet the physical requirements that some 18 year olds could), what else would keep me from doing that? My grandmother works for Northrop, and has worked on the B-2, 747-100, F-18, and a few others. Some of her friends got to fly the B-2 sim, but they all crashed it 
. I would think they'd be more tight about civilians using military aircraft sims than commercial jet sims. I don't wanna wait 4 more years!!!!!!! If I knew a UAL pilot would it help? My mother works with someone who's brother is a UAL pilot. I'm wondering if that might make a difference? Dissapointing news 
From Netherlands, joined Jan 2001, 404 posts, 
From Pakistan, joined Jul 2000, 137 posts, 
From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2000, 494 posts, 
From Canada, joined Sep 1999, 2251 posts, 
From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
Are they THAT realistic then? Well, I don't think I'll have much luck hinting to my wife that I'd like one of THOSE for Christmas then!!!
From Germany, joined Aug 2000, 4723 posts, 
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