The two pilots get ready to fly[/caption]Ever wanted to know what it's like to fly a plane? Robert and Brian found out at iPilot....Here's what they thought:
Robert, aged 11 says:
Dad and I had the opportunity to try out a flight simulator in the centre of London which real life pilots use to practice. During my one hour session I just about learnt how to use all the confusing instruments on the control panel and by the end could take off and land without crashing. For me it was pretty bewildering and more stressful than I was expecting – that’s because it was so realistic.
The cockpit was almost identical to a real plane, which was cool, as it meant I was basically flying an aircraft. You do not feel any movement in your seats (like a bump when you land) so if you want a thrilling, moving ride this isn’t the one for you - it is more like real-life. One thing I really liked was that I could pick which airports to take off from and land (so I went to Rio, Sydney and Hong Kong) although the graphics weren’t exactly state of the art. Overall I enjoyed the experience although it was a lot of information to handle.
Brian says:After Rob had moved out of the pilot’s seat, it was my turn to take over the controls. The instructions we had been given (by a real pilot) were very clear, but I would almost certainly have crashed without him guiding me. There were many factors to constantly monitor (e.g. altitude, airspeed, nose position etc) while trying to look at the outside too.
I asked to take off from Vancouver and it was really enjoyable to see the beautiful scenery and fly over the mountains near the city. The simulator is certainly no toy, and can well imagine that this would be an invaluable tool for budding pilots to improve their skills. I would recommend the simulator, not as a thrill ride, but to test your skills in almost real life conditions. It takes mental strength and lots of practice to fly a virtual plane.
Disclosure: Robert and Brian spent two hours at iPilot in London, W1, as the guests of the company. A one hour flights costs £109 and a two hour experience costs £209. All ages are welcome, from 6 upwards.
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oh man what an amazing memory! I would have loved to have done this as a child. xx
ReplyDeleteThis is so cool, how many other 11 year olds will be going back to school having flown to Rio?!x
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing experience. My daughter would love this but she's too young at the mo. Think hubby and I would like it too x
ReplyDeleteWhat a great experience! It's these kind of things that help children get interested in something that could end up as their career.
ReplyDeleteYes, I think it's as much for adults as kids!
ReplyDeleteThis looks absolutely amazing, what an incredible experience. Kaz x
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing opportunity! The price is so reasonable though too - I'd absolutely have a go!
ReplyDeleteI would love to do this, so awesome! Great photos... look like they had a blast x
ReplyDeleteWow, such a cool experience to be able to learn about the controls of a real plane and to travel to different airports around the world. It sounds fantastic!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! I would have loved to do this! Looks like you guys had an incredible time!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a lot of fun. Also I understand that the simulation is so realistic, it would be a real test of nerves and skills as well as a great learning experience.
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted to try one of these. What a fun experience for you both to share together.
ReplyDeleteWow this is so cool! I have a nephew who's really into trains and airplanes. I think he would love to do this when he gets a bit older!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds fantastic. I love the fact that you can see the landscape around Vancouver. Must make you realise how tricky it is to be a real pilot, though!
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine how stressful this would be for an 11-year-old! I bet it was info and tech overload. Good on ya, Robert, for sticking with it!
ReplyDeleteOh wow, I would absolutely love to try this- I can imagine just how complicated it must be in reality.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome experience! Sounds like they had a great time!
ReplyDeleteWow, this sounds like an amazing experience. Hong Kong airport would have been an interesting one to visit!
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of this but i have no doubt I would be completely overwhelmed by all the gadgets and gizmos! It sounds like a fun thing to do, however, and it's fun that you can choose such a variety of airports to take off and land in.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like so much fun! I think my son would totally love this when he's a bit older!
ReplyDeleteWhat fun! Would love to try this one day.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason to go to London! The flight simulator does sound stressful and awesome all at once. I think my kids would enjoy it. So would my husband and I!
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