Flight simulators inside airports

[Mattg]

I recently had (the misfortune of) a long transit at DEL. While the airport experience was generally not that great, one thing that caught my eye was a flight simulator in the international departures area.

I’d just come off a redeye and wasn’t in a state to try to fly a plane, but thought it was a very cool idea. Something I might give a go another time if I’m back at that airport.

Is this something you’d use? Or do you know any other airports that have this?

Somewhat related, I also recently came across an A380 flight simulator inside Dubai Mall. Thought that was also pretty cool!

 

[Pushka]

I recently did a flight simulator in Adelaide but not the airport. It was videoed. I didn't crash the plane on my two landings but the video is hilarious, especially the side profile of the plane landing.

 

[jb747]

I didn't crash the plane on my two landings but the video is hilarious, especially the side profile of the plane landing.

Hard to tell without motion. If your teeth end up on the floor, then you probably need to flare a bit more.

 

[Pushka]

Hard to tell without motion. If your teeth end up on the floor, then you probably need to flare a bit more.

I think they bounced from floor to roof!

 

[Matt_01]

I have only been in 2 flight simulators and neither of them were in a terminal. The first was the F18 simulator at RAAF Williamtown many years ago and the second was a QF767 simulator with QF at Mascot when you could request it as a P1. The 767 simulator was pretty cool as the whole thing moves.

 

[jb747]

I've been amusing myself building up my own flight sim. I haven't decided on VR yet, as it sounds like there's some interesting stuff due to appear this year. DCS is the chosen program.

 

[The black sheep]

I've been amusing myself building up my own flight sim. I haven't decided on VR yet, as it sounds like there's some interesting stuff due to appear this year. DCS is the chosen program.

hey there JB747, I dabbled in early flight sims, many years ago. But my son-in-law has just started a CPL in helicopters. That is enough in itself of a "study load", but are there sims you consider could be helpful?

 

[SYD]

I have only been in 2 flight simulators and neither of them were in a terminal. The first was the F18 simulator at RAAF Williamtown many years ago and the second was a QF767 simulator with QF at Mascot when you could request it as a P1. The 767 simulator was pretty cool as the whole thing moves.

I used to work for a company that made sims. Fast jets don’t lend themselves to being replicated in full flight simulators - unless you have some extravagant roller coaster apparatus with spew bucket. Even non moving rotary wing sims can play weird tricks on the brain.

Is this something you’d use?

Yes! If i had the time and there wasn’t a Disneyland conga line to get in….

I've been amusing myself building up my own flight sim. I haven't decided on VR yet, as it sounds like there's some interesting stuff due to appear this year. DCS is the chosen program.

VR sort of died in the cough there for a period but could be making a come back.

 

[Matt_01]

I used to work for a company that made sims. Fast jets don’t lend themselves to being replicated in full flight simulators - unless you have some extravagant roller coaster apparatus with spew bucket. Even non moving rotary wing sims can play weird tricks on the brain.

The F18 simulator was fixed and did not move and I understand what you are saying with regards to tricks on the brain. IIRC when getting out the brain and body were temporarily confused as two of the senses and to a lesser degree a third thought the body was moving when in fact it was stationary. Being in the back seat of a small jet was very different to the sim.

 

[jb747]

hey there JB747, I dabbled in early flight sims, many years ago. But my son-in-law has just started a CPL in helicopters. That is enough in itself of a "study load", but are there sims you consider could be helpful?

Whilst the various 'sims' are quite impressive, at the end of the day you have to remember that they are games. If anything, the lack of a real view and actual flight controls, would be negative training. Sims like this can be good for learning specific items (such as a radar, or FMC), and may have some value in instrument training, but I'd be very wary about mixing them into a period when you're doing a course, unless the training organisation is involved.

 

[flyer89]

The latest iteration of MSFS is quite impressive, particularly if you have a rig that can operate it seamlessly. It can be a very good study aid if you add a yoke, some rudder pedals and a throttle quadrant. For example the PMDG 737 add on is really the gold standard and is a very good study aid for my friends that fly the real thing. As JB said it’s probably more useful for procedural type practice rather than trying to perfect that crosswind technique but I have heard the odd tale of someone not flying in the real world for a very long time and then flying the home sim relentlessly which enabled them to pass a pre employment sim check so there you go!