GA Flight Simulators
I would like to canvass some opinions on a project my firm is working on. We are a small low-cost manufacturer of flight simulators who have just received some equity funding to develop six high-quality Cessna 172 and PA28 fixed-base simulators including a surround visual system, working COM and NAV radios and fully functioning controls and sounds.
The visual model will be a high quality VFR scenery enabling accurate cross-country navigation.
Later we are planning to develop glass cockpit versions.
Our plan is to place at least four of these in flying schools for hire to students.
The important feature of this plan is that there will be no investment requirement (either up-front payment or lease agreement) on the part of the school and no contract to sign – in fact no obligation at all.
The club will be free to hire out time on the simulator as it sees fit and our firm will simply take a fixed fee per hour which will drop dramatically once a threshold is reached each quarter.
Our intention is that the simulator could be used when the weather or light prohibits real flying to practice various aspects of flying and/or to offer a lower cost alternative to actual flying.
Practice could include, cross-country nav trips, circuits, cross-wind techniques, engine-out landings, night and instrument flying and RT work.
We are also looking at getting CAA certification to allow up to 5 hours credit for the PPL and 25 hours for the IR.
My question is what do the instructors on the forum think to this plan – is it likely to be of interest to flying schools?
And are there any ideas or suggestions, things I haven’t mentioned that could add to the plan?
Thanks in advance for any contributions.
(Moderators: This is not intended to be an advert as I am not advertising our name or a product, just some market research so I hope my post won’t upset anyone. Our firm already legitimately advertises on Pprune.)