Last Saturday I was entering the Alitalia Business Class lounge at FCO (Rome) before a flight back home when I noticed what looked like a full-sized mockup of a cockpit over to the right.

I wandered over to a nice young lady in and Alitalia uniform (with excellent English skills) and when I asked about the setup, she invited me to fly it.

What fun! I would guess that the simulator is a generation or two old, now, but still very functional. Everything worked on the a/c but the rudders, it seems. The computer-generated VFR display through the windscreen was pretty realistic, too.

With verbal instructions and some pointing to gear handles, etc., I got the B-737 airborne, climbed to 4000 feet, did a couple of 360's (somewhat successfully) trying to maintain airspeed and altitude and then hand-flew an ILS to touchdown.

I haven't flow in 10 years, I'd guess, and then just in a 172 or something. It's been 40 years since I've flown a fighter.

So, it was work... let me tell you... but a real hoot. I, as usual, am a competitive ass and also take anything to do with an airplane as if it is trying to kill me, so my concentration was like the real thing. I even worked up a sweat and lost all sense of being firmly planted on the ground with my wife giggling over my shoulder.... wish I could've have done it some more and relaxed, but it was nice to see that I still had a wee bit of the "right stuff". Or so my wife thought...


So, if you're ever around Alitalia's lounge in Rome, have at it.

Keith

Ernest, we used to take customers to our air hub in Louisville when I worked for UPS, and let them fly our simulators. They'd be talking about it months later. We used to try to fly underneath the Golden Gate Bridge on the simulator without crashing....easier than it sounds in a 747!!! :-)

I am so jealous!

ha great stuff

YUP, these things are so sophisticated and real feeling that the Captain gets his Type rating in a Sim and goes flying with no experience in the airplane!!
Lots of fun but they really do make you sweat especially with a devilish instructor behind you pulling engines and lighting fires, etc!!

I'll bet that was a lot of fun Judge. I haven't flown now in 9 years. I do miss the stick and rudder stuff, not so much the airline hassles though.

A friend of mine was in charge of the sims at Vance AFB. I got to fly the T1,T6, T37 and T38 sims. I have since had the opportunity to pilot the C17 sim at Travis a few times. What a blast!!!
Didn't do too well refueling, but didn't crash it either. Would have been easier for me if it had a yoke instead of joystick.

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:
I'll bet that was a lot of fun Judge. I haven't flown now in 9 years. I do miss the stick and rudder stuff, not so much the airline hassles though.

Ain't that the truth!
Flying for a major airline Is kind of like having a really hot chick who's awesome in bed for a girl friend. BUT she happens to have a bipolar disorder and a really bad coke habit.

On the one hand she looks great under your arm and all your friends are impressed and she's great between the sheets. On the other hand she's a nightmare to deal with in any and all situations outside of the bedroom.

That's my take on it.

And here I had been under the impression for the last 57 years that they were all bi-polar.

That would be funny if it weren't so true!

Here you go guys, just what you are looking for-


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Boeing...sd%3D271224915032%26

All your very own...better hurry!

Cheers,