At a shopping Centre
Transkript
At a shopping Centre
+--s :' :til= I ,+: :,;a€ q# €!r se$1ffi .: :l *-* = i!:. ffi j : R w: rc.- At a shopping Centre ngaf yOU! any of us cannot help but wonder what it would feel like to be behind the controls of a real airliner. Although it is possible to buy time on a Full Flight Simulator (FFS) used bv airlines for training their pilots, at around f6OO per hour it is not a realistic option for most of us. This will remain a distant dream and we have to make do with exploring the virtual earth on our desktop computers. Recentlv there have been some interesting new developments in the flight simulation market. A number of new companies are springing up that operate custom-built, highfidelity airline simulators that can be hired by the public at a price much Iower than hiring professional trainers. This finally gives us the chance to experience what it is like to take to the skies in command of a highly realistic virtual airliner. One of these is made by a company called iPilot, founded by Wolfram Schleuter, an avid flight simulation enthusiast as well as a qualified private pilot. iPilot has ambitious olans to roll out a UK-wide network of flight simulators; all located in major shopping centres. The first of these to see was opened this summer at the Bluewater Shopping Centre, located close to Dartford in Kent. PC Pilot was kindly invited to evaluate this fascinating oroduct and to learn more about how the company operates. The simulator is based on the FIY r. jsT! by Richard Benedikz rLY & t8Y' Boeing 737-7O0 NG (Next Generation) family and uses Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 with scenerv add-ons for improved visual detail. Although it is mounted on a fixed olatform rather Centre in Dartf1rd in Kent, but the company plans to open lacilities at other locations auoss the UK *+ * i ir I ?--:-i'Tt-:* i.r,.l Although the simulator is fixed-based, it is very realistic and has been used by professional pilots as a cost-effective tool for practicing skills and knowledge-building ahead of examinati0ns 3 i ::: t i ti r: i The Flight Test I was introduced to my Training Captain, Will Tangney, an experienced commercial pilot, ahead of stepping onto the flight deck. As I made myself comfortable in the left seat and had a look around, I was impressed by the realism of the cockpit - very different from sitting in front of your desktop. than being motion-based, it is very realistic and has fullv functional Instruments and systems including overhead panel, autopilot and FMS (Flight Management System). In fact, the simulator is regularly used by qualified pilots in preparation for exams or type ratings. They even offer a special package for professional pilots or those undergoing training, so they can use the simulator to build up their knowledge and experience. Although it is not approved as a training device, it is still very useful in gaining experience. iPilot is the first company in Europe to open up a flight simulator experience in a major shopping centre and with 27 million people passing through the Bluewater Shopping Centre every year, the potential for expansion is enormous. Since opening the simulator on June 20,2OO9 there has been a very positive response from the public and they are now working on a project for a second simulator based on the Airbus A32O, which will be located at the Trafford Centre in Manchester. ln the future iPilot plans to open up sites at shopping centres not only across UK, but also Europe - many of which will be operated under a franchise agreement. These will be based on the Boeing 8-737NG and Airbus 4320 models, although they are also looking at introducing a Boeing 8-747-400 simulator as well as mobile simulators to cater for the corporate entertainment market or for personal hire. After a short briefing and familiarisation with the layout, we discussed a suitable flight based on my experience. We would start with a short flight from Paris Charles de Gaulle to London Heathrow so I could perform the start-up procedure and program the FMS and autopilot. Will read out the before start-up checklist, allowing me to find my way around the overhead panel, which is an exact replica of the real thing. After starting the engines it was time to program the FMS, which involved selecting the departure runwav, the correct SID/ STAR and entering the waypoints. Once the start-up checklist was completed, we taxied to the active runway and Will ran me through the take-off briefing. After we received the take-off clearance I lined the aircraft on the centreline and we were readv to roll. advanced the power levers to 6Qo/o to allow the engines to stabilise before The flight deck is a life size replica of the B-737NG The aircraft is flown using a life-sized contrcl column that is an exact replica of the real 8737-700 I applying take-off power. As the aircraft accelerated down the centreline, Will called out 80 knots, then Vl and rotate. I pulled back on the yoke and raised the pitch attitude to 15 degrees. When the aircraft became airborne, Will called out the positive rate of climb and I leaned over to raise the landing gear. We had agreed that I would'hand' fly the aircraft to begin with to get a feel for the controls. Following the SID The throttle quadrant feels very realistic and includes all the controls found in the real aircraft was relatively straightforward because the route was laid out on the NAV display. After reaching our cruise altitude ot FL24O, I switched the autopilot on and started planning the arrival. Approximately 30nm from the ) ffiffiELl'.'t :'.,*,1,1 i-.,.-,:,ti ! :''l'r'*,o, liear Aown and three green! ::::::: i:::=:=:::' =:,::l::::::::::::::: airport I tuned the avionics to runway 271 at Heathrow. I had also opted to hand fly the approach and although the aircraft felt very stable, due to the higher speeds, things happened a lot faster, which made following airways without overshooting a little tricky. As I intercepted the glide slope, I dropped the undercarriage and set the flaps for landing, armed the auto-spoiler and switched on the landing lights (phewl). I managed to hold the ILS reasonably well and although I was a touch too high over the threshold, the landing was fairly smooth with plenty of runway to spare. The main difference oerween flying an airliner and smaller general Kai Tak airport, which is famous for its checkerboard approach on to runwav 13. While the instrument approach procedure (lAP) is not too difficult in qood weather, the real challenge is the turn on to final approach. The localiser is offset nearly 50 degrees to the runway and you have very little time to align yourself on 'short final' which is particularly challenging when flying a large jet. Once the approach was programmed into the FMS, following the correct track was relatively straightforward as the flight path was displayed on the NAV display. I must . aviation aircraft is that you need to fly it on to the ground and avoid floating over the runwav as the touchdown speeds are much higher and it is very easy to run out of Tarmac. You also need to remember to lower the nose wheel to the ground after the main gear touches down for better directional control. After touchdown the spoilers automatically deployed and I engaged reverse thrust until 80kts. We had arrived in one piecel lf you look ctosety. you can see the $ avionics stack in the centrc consote i For the next flight, Will set me up at Shenzhen International airport in Hong Kong. I was to take-off and flv a full instrument approach to the old confess that on this occasion I did use the auto throttles to give myself more time to prepare for the final part of the approach. As I reached 'decision height', things started happening very quickly as I prepared to make the turn to finals. This is a crucial stage of the approach, because if you turn too early or too late, you may not be able to align the aircraft with the centreline and you will have to go-around. In actual fact, I turned too early (against Will's advice!) so there were some frantic moments while tried to get the Boeing aligned on very short final. I just managed to pull the landing off although it was a little bit close for comfort! | thanked the gods I wasn't in a747 I Conclusion I spent just over an hour in the simulator and it was time well spent. The whole experience was very immersive and despite being in the middle of one of Britain's largest shopping centres, as I entered the cockpit I immediately forgot my surroundings. For most of us, this is as close as you can get to the experience of flying a real airliner and I would highly recommend you pay this centre a visit! Although it is a little bit on the pricey side, I still The flight deck of the Boeing 737 NG series is desiqned to reduce workload :-. :':eT ence. ',-:: onal anO all Ine S,SI:-: -:-: : .i'! much llke in tl-e'== = -:-:': rl' think it s u/e ,,:-:The flight deci; s', -^! ^il la^ trxemnlp the o\o--::- -=-: a-d avionics/FMS aTe'- '-^:: ota, ellnrrrinn rrnrr tn nn:-:-: simulator as close -_: t: :-= -:: rirereff as is nn<cih . --= instructors are very ftexlb e and riendly and you can get as much (or f as little) hands-on exper ence as you require. iPilot is aiso constantly improving the simulator and the 't: Ld -F ;5-="r w*= Alter we rcceived the take-oll cfearance ,,,,' .':. $1."r, . f*,rl'*'' The simulat1r c0nsists 0f three rear-m0unted passenger seats that can be used to view the progress of the flight I next item on the list is upgrading the projector for better surround view and adding force feedback to the yoke, which will make the flight model even more realistic. As for me, I can't wait to see their Airbus A32O simulator. ffi , The thrust levers c1ntrol the engines via lined the aircrafit on the centreline and we were rcady to roll a FADEC (Full Authlity Digital Engine) ,'*ii: '.:'-; iii: "i ,.: . -r:. :1 -a:r,; :-ffi8Hffi