CAE systems is one of my customers who look after a very high tech and expensive set of helicopter test simulator rigs at RAF Benson near Oxford.

 

The rigs are operated through some very high tech computer systems and hydraulic motion control gear which my company support(through our fluid power division, ie, myself). Anyway, went along with a colleague today who has a good working relationship with one of the project engineers there who let me have a go in a Chinook Flight simulator. There are 6 of these there, 3 being Chinook and 3 being Puma.

 

Absolutely incredible piece of kit. A complete copy of the cockpit with fully working controls, complete surround vision, full motion control and millions of different maps, presets and combat variations. These things are worth around £5million each or something crazy like that! These things are huge as well. 3 stories high!

 

Not many civilians are ever allowed to look around these simulators let alone be allowed to fly them, so I was very privileged.

 

Felt so real, the motion control was absolutely incredible, the whole thing was an amazing experience. I crashed landed on my first few landings, but managed to do a safe landing and learn basic helicopter control. It's really quite difficult as you have 2 hand controls which do different movements and landing is a bit like trying to pat your head whilst you rub your tummy!

 

 

Been there, flown that - totally awesome :D

 

We're hopefully gonna be networking our Apache sim with them in the future for multi-ship missions incl. Simulators from other stations as well like Tornados and AWACS :hyper:

 

Your mate's mate - it's not Chris Wright is it???

 

Well done on getting the basics right - it does get easier with more practise :D

Cool, ain't they? I had a go in the Nimrod simulator at RAF St Mawgan many years ago. Very easy to fly after years playing video games :)

when i was given a go in the left hand seat of sea kings i got to the hovering stage and trying to hold one position, its bloody hard, did you get a try with stabs out?

Been there, flown that - totally awesome :D

 

We're hopefully gonna be networking our Apache sim with them in the future for multi-ship missions incl. Simulators from other stations as well like Tornados and AWACS :hyper:

 

Your mate's mate - it's not Chris Wright is it???

 

Well done on getting the basics right - it does get easier with more practise :D

 

I can't remember the chap's name, I have his business card in the car. Will go and get it later White haired chap, guess in his 50s, nice bloke. It's not actually one of my accounts anyway, so can't see myself spending a huge amount of time in the future down there.

 

When I say basics, I learned how to steer the thing, do a semi-affective landing and rotate using the foot controls. Excuse my basic terminology as I don't know a huge amount about them.

 

Wanted to try a landing on an aircraft carrier, but time was running short. Bit of an aircraft day today actually as I was also down at Eaton Aerospace in Hampshire who build aircraft fuel pumps. Had a look at their test rigs today actually which was very interesting.

when i was given a go in the left hand seat of sea kings i got to the hovering stage and trying to hold one position, its bloody hard, did you get a try with stabs out?

 

No, I didn't attempt that. I'd only kinda got to grips with a decent steering manouver. Apparently hovering is the hardest thing to do. Not sure what systems these things have if they have DGPS or anything.

I can't remember the chap's name, I have his business card in the car. Will go and get it later White haired chap, guess in his 50s, nice bloke. It's not actually one of my accounts anyway, so can't see myself spending a huge amount of time in the future down there.

 

When I say basics, I learned how to steer the thing, do a semi-affective landing and rotate using the foot controls. Excuse my basic terminology as I don't know a huge amount about them.

 

Wanted to try a landing on an aircraft carrier, but time was running short. Bit of an aircraft day today actually as I was also down at Eaton Aerospace in Hampshire who build aircraft fuel pumps. Had a look at their test rigs today actually which was very interesting.

 

That won't be Chris then :D

 

Once in forward flight they're easy to control - it's the stopping still in the air and going up and down that does it for beginners :D

 

Aircraft Carrier landings are fun - you come alongside the ship and then go sideways and then land on your "pad" (well you do on HMS Ocean anyway :D )

 

Of course it's always much more fun when you can shoot missiles, guns and rockets as well :hyper: and see the results of your actions :cool:

 

If ever you're passing thru' North Yorks let me know - if the sim's available, who knows ;)

Thanks mate! I'm kinda up that way soon, well, Burnley actually. Probably a few hours from you?

Thanks mate! I'm kinda up that way soon, well, Burnley actually. Probably a few hours from you?

 

Approx 55 miles and 1 hour 10 mins according to Autoroute

Once you have stabs, beeper trim and doppler engaged you can fly them just using your thumb & feet

Had a go on the Chinook flight sim a number of years ago, as i used to work on 18 Sqn, bloody awesome!

 

Been on the Tornado flight sim quite a few times as I'm propulsion so need to train on emergency engine running procedures, but we normally have a bit of a fly around as well, only landed 3 times out of about 10! always end up stoving it in!

Had a back seat in Cyprus this year, and its nothing like the sim! got some good video's!

that looks fun.

Once you have stabs, beeper trim and doppler engaged you can fly them just using your thumb & feet

 

once there off .......forget it, have massive respect for pilots after trying it with stabs out and making a right pigs ear of it, then handing back to p1 and in moments hes recovered it.