1 Hour in the Sim
 

Hi there,

I have a strong interest in aviation but only flown a 172 a few times. I've been lucky enough to recieve an hour in a 747 sim at the BA Flight Training Centre. Does anyone have any recommendations of how to best use my time in the sim, ie, how would you spend your hour?

Given the cost, I can't imagine this ever becoming a regular experience!

Mike

Hi Mike, you will have a blast.

I have had the most success with taking "guests" in the sim with the visuals set to daytime and clear and going somewhere "scenic". Like around Mt. Rainer in the Seattle area, or Juneau in Alaska.

Many years ago, I took my dear old Dad into the old Hong Kong airport in the sim. I would imagine BA may well still have that profile installed. My Dad's comment was it was so real, he could smell the fishing boats.

I would also suggest making sure the sim you get has great visuals. Change aircraft types if you need to to get the best visuals they have available.

Just my thoughts. Have fun. Cheers. EGNT

I believe all BA simulators have the same excellent RSI visuals with DLP LED projectors.

Having used BA's 747 sims a few times in the last few months I was told that Kai Tak is no longer in the database.

When I had a go in a 777 sim at Cranebank they told me that, for some reason no-one knew, the graphics were best in Jersey. Perhaps the designer came from there. They had me flying around the coast at low level, buzzing the tower at Jersey Airport and then doing a visual circuit and successful landing. As we slowed down, the instructor informed me that the runway was too short for us to take off again. I saw a Cessna 172 parked outside a hangar and offered to fly him back to Heathrow in that.:ok:

I was able to be in a 737-8 sim last year and I think I can say that ANY thong and EVERY thing will be great! My first landing was beginners luck and the second was 'survivable' ... :uhoh:

It is a year or two since I last saved enough to take an hour at Cranebank. On that occasion I was booked in 777 and as we walked the halls we were talking about aircraft types and their sims. I mentioned something about a 757 and he said we could use one but the visuals were not as good as the 777 so we stuck with the 777. I think you will find that, as a general rule, the newer the aircraft the newer the sim and the better the visuals.

However good the visuals are they remain slightly unreal (for me) although your senses are so overloaded with other stuff it doesn't matter. My handler/instructors have tended to reccomend dusk as a good compromise.

For personal reasons I know the airspace around San Francisco quite well. Depart one of the 28 runways, fly straight ahead to the Pacific,turn right up the coast,right over the Golden Gate, right again over the Bay Bridge go past SFO, over the San Mateo bridge keeping near to the east bay shore then a 180 to the right will line you up for one of the 28s again. On one occasion we were doing JFK instead. Just about managed a Canarsie approach (round the edge of the Bay) then I was told we had enough time for a simple straight in from about 12(?)miles. Did I want to be on the centre line left or right? Whichever I chose found us close to the twin towers (this was not long after 9/11) which was disconcerting!

In case you are wondering how I afford these trips I have a savings account that I put ten pounds a month in. Every 4 to 5years I have enough for an hour.

I have been lucky enough to have four goes at SIMs two 30 minute sessions on 737NGs at Gatwick shared with another person (you sit in the jump seat while he flies which is still v interesting) then you get your turn best to go second as you get familiarised on his time.

Also had a longer session at same location on an A320 which was interesting to compare with the much older 73 and much much more ergonomically designed witha far better view altho the side stick does take a bit more getting used to.

On this session met Chelsea as he was Goalkeeper Peter Cech in the briefing room he had two hours of 747 time booked and the instructor told me he had been on several previous occasions -a clever guy being holder of degree in Psychology he told me he had always fancied being a pilot but football got in the way-canot blame him earnings wise.

More recently ahd an hour in the fixed base shoreham 737 sim-also good fun since the visuals give youa sensation of movement thats not actually there. Having had a few 'goes' on the earlier session I asked to be a 'proper ' pilot and doa line flight MAN-LHR gate to gate which was really interesting and great fun , did pretty well too except for forgetting the existence of the rudder when getting rid of drift on landing and banking a bit too much for any cyber pax comfort (actually my wife was jumpseating and didnt notice)

All in all most educational and showed that while most of us can do a normal take off and even a reasonable landing when theres no wind or impaired visibility throw in any one of wind rain and darkness let alone all three and thats a very very very different story.

So I am super envious of you having a go on the mighty 74 and you have to chose that because soon they will be gone forever and if Kai Tak isnt possible try JFK 13 L on the infamous Carnasie approach for a real challenge.
Have fun and good luck

Had a go on the 737 at Shoreham yesterday. Really enjoyed it also the airport facilities are great with a beautiful Art Deco building with restaurant and bar.

Would recommend .:ok:

I would second VC 10.... comments, that's where I ahd a full 1 hour ride and its a great place to visit, once youcan find it of course , getting onto the airport itself is tricky by car
PB