United offering PAX simulator experience

[Eboy]

My Sept. 2001 United "frequent flyer" newsletter contains an offer to be a "pilot for a day" at its Denver Flight Training Center. (Perhaps this offer has changed since Sept. 11.) "With United Services Pilot For A Day program, you can experience the thrill of flying a jumbo jet. The program simulates actual flight scenarios, which include hands-on 'stick time' with take-off, approaches and landings. Plus, you'll have a staff of qualified United pilots who set up your flight plan and provide guidance." Prices start at U.S. $1150, not including travel to and from Denver, nor accommodations in Denver.

[ 28 September 2001: Message edited by: Eboy ]

[Gaza]

BA offer similar sim sessions, although not to the same degree as this. Most are run late at night when the sims are less utilised. Can't remembe rthe price but it wasn't too high. May have been withdrawn post Sep 11??

[A and C]

I cant see a practical problem with giving people a bit of sim time after an hour or so most of them could not navigate or fly the thing well enough to hit eny thing apart from the ground unassisted but it is good fun and gives an insight into how hard it is to fly an airliner.

The problem at the moment is political the press will jump on this as terrorist training and the "wise" people in goverment will not be able to make a reasoned judjment because they want to be seen to be tough on terrorisum in the press.

The act of 11 sept was a well planed and well financed operation that required more that a few hours in a sim to carry out but the know it alls in the press will not see it that way and so no airline will risk the bad publicity that is sure to follow by letting the public into its sims at the moment.

[CRJ200]

I saw on CNN a few days after the attacks United announced that they have discontinued the program.

Ironically, a few years ago while we had a little extra sim time left over I took off out of La Guardia and tried to fly between the twin towers but the sim kept crashing. My sim partner tried to fly under the Brooklyn bridge but the sim also crashed.

[ExSimGuy]

SwissAir used to do the same thing with your SwissAir Frequent Flyer points (not sure if they still do) instead of taking the points in a boring flight at the back of the plane!

When I was on the sims, there were a lot of odd stunts; it's amazing how acrobatic a 747 really is (at least, according to the computer modelling ;) ) and some people actually managed to do a roll (with the motion hydraulics OFF of course ;( )

(Don't tell Ailing Bob :) )

[Warped Factor]

http://www.virtualaviation.co.uk/


WF.

[G-BPEC]

CRJ200,

A bit of irony here too.. I recently had a go on the DC10 sim at GECAT near LHR. We took off and landed from JFK, and the 15 minute "flight time" included the chance to fly between the two towers of the World Trade Centre. I didn't take the offer up myself, being more interested in the take offs/landings (nothing to do with lack of nerve, you understand ;)) but the guy I was with did (successfully). Spooky.

Still a great experience though, one I will never forget. I was given my sim ride as one of those "Amazing Adventures" you can get from WH Smiths. It doesnt break the bank and its reasonable value for money, with 20/25 mins at the controls. I don't know if they are still being offered now, shame if they're not though :(

G-BPEC
(Incidentally he also flew under the Brooklyn Bridge- were you at GECAT too? ;) )

[ 30 September 2001: Message edited by: G-BPEC ]

[Hugh Jorgen]

I can't see why any of this should stop. It's only Arab Muslim's that are using aircraft as missiles. Racism, Racism I hear the deafening cry. Not at all - just sensible. Until all the terroristsare properly identified, an Arab Muslim anywhere near aircraft is a threat. Why should everybody suffer?

[G-BPEC]

Hugh,

You are entitled to your opinion, but thats not how I see it. The VAST majority of arab-muslims in the world are appaled by these attacks- stopping ALL arab-muslims using simulators would be discrimination in the extreme- if someone with black hair crashes a car when drunk, are all black haired people stopped from driving cars?

It's also worth noting that there are other terrorism groups throughout the world which don't consist of arabs. Take the IRA for example.

Like I say, not trying to cause a row, you're entitled to your opinion, but it sure ain't mine!

[CRJ200]

G-BPEC; No it was in Flightsafety, Atlanta.
Probably a sim glitch that would not let us do the maneuvers without crashing the sim.

Hugh; I understand your thinking and wrestle with the same thoughts too. If little green spacemen were attacking us we'd be looking out for little green spacemen at the airports.

I also understand G-BPEC's point. I have been racially profiled a few times in my life because of where I am from and understand how lousy it feels to be harassed while being totally innocent.

:cool:

[pigboat]

CRJ200, the Bac1-11 and F-27 sims at USAir and the G1 sim in SAV wouldn't fly between the buildings either. I put it down to stone age equipment. :D
G-BPEC, I've no doubt you're right about the majority of Muslims/Arabs, but the fact remains that on 01-09-11 Muslims/Arabs hijacked four aircraft and committed mass murder them. It'll take awhile for that act to be forgiven.

[G-BPEC]

My point was that I myself am a white Englishman,but I do have sympathy with some of the people who have done nothing yet still are being persecuted against.

I do understand your points though about something like this being hard to forget... this will always be associated with the faces of the hi-jackers, which were of course arabic, and that is an unfortunate but true fact.

[Rocket Polish]

I am pleased that the politically correct brigade haven't arrived here yet!
I sympathise with Hugh's views. The terrorists have placed the Arab/Islamic World in an unenviable position through association. They have tainted for a very longtime how the rest of the world will perceive Islam and its associated culture.
:(