Description
A day to remember – a flight simulator experience
TripAdvisor 2015 & 2016 Customer Service Excellence Winner
Business Link – Best customer service, best overall business award 2014
All of our instructors are experienced commercial pilots having flown thousands of hours and will tailor your session to your own experience level. Friends or family members can join you in the cockpit as you fly them around any one of our 24,000 world airports. A 180 degree wrap around screen, realistic out the window scenery, and real aircraft sounds will fool your senses and most people soon forget their not in a real aircraft, and how it gets the adrenaline pumping. A great treat for someone and a very unique gift experience.
You choose what you do?
Whether you want to practice take offs and landings, try your hand at engine failures, fires or hundreds of other emergencies or simply test your hand eye control by flying into some of the world’s most challenging airports its your experience and you can do whatever you want!
You at the controls not the instructor!
An important point we NEVER forget is that its you and not your instructor that will remain at the controls throughout the session, taxi, take off, general handling and landings, your instructor will offer advise but the flying part is all down to you. Very rarely will you instructor touch the controls unless they are demonstrating a particular technique.
Gift Voucher Pack as standard
Check out this film of our flight simulator in action
WHAT TO EXPECT
- Upon arrival you will be met by one of our operations staff and shown to the waiting area where refreshments are available.
- At your designated flight time you will meet your instructor and help them plan your session including choosing weather, time of day and location (We have the whole world to choose from).
- This is where the fun really starts, it’s off to the simulator where you will find the engines running and the aircraft ready to go
- Seat belt signs on, flaps down and throttles forwards – 60 minutes of flying goes in a flash and will leave you wanting more!
- Spectator jump seat – share your experience with a friend or family member (Only enough room for 1 passenger).
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
- Gate to Gate – Ever wondered how to start a jet? Or want to taxi to the runway? For just £25.00 extra you can add 15 minutes to your session and really get that airline experience Read More
- Film of your experience – £25.00 Re-live your flight experience with our 3 view, full length video of your flight. This records 3 views, rear facing cockpit, forward facing cockpit and front window, you will also hear all discussion throughout the session recorded via our headsets. Review your entire flight time and time again in this must have keepsake. This is sent to you digitally.
- Framed Photo – £10.00 Taken by your instructor, this “at the controls” photo comes in a frame
- First Class Option – All of the above for only £50.00 saving £10.00 pounds, this is simply the perfect way to remember your special day!
caterpillar –
I had received a one-hour Boeing 737 experience at Virtual Aerospace for my birthday. Having practiced a little bit on a PC-based flight sim, I wasn’t prepared for quite how different it would be!
Firstly, both the receptionist (Evie – who was very accommodating in my rush to find a suitable time slot) and the pilot (Simon) made me feel very welcome. The briefing was pretty short and just involved asking whether I’d had any flight experience before and a decision on our starting airport and destination.
After a slight hitch with a simulator that had been newly re-engineered, we moved to the other simulator and got cracking. The hour doesn’t begin until you’re up in the air so you never feel rushed at all which is good because there’s so much to take in, even if like me you knew what most of the instruments are for.
The realism of the thing is brilliant and I was made to feel at ease. The pilot did a lot of the work so that I could concentrate on pitch and altitude, and getting used to the sensation of controls that I’d not used before.
We landed at our destination with a touch and go before coming round to do it twice more, each time a slightly better landing than the last. This filled the hour and gave a real sense of achievement to the experience knowing that I was improving! I came away mentally knackered having been so focused for the hour, but relaxed enough that I could talk with the very friendly pilot about his experiences and tips for the future.
So thanks for making this experience memorable and hopefully I’ll be back to do it again in the future soon. Highly recommended to anyone who has ever thought they’d like a go – even if you have no experience at all.
Phil Shadwell –
Brilliant!
I was brought this experience for my 30th birthday in Feb and have been looking forward to it since. I had a 90 minute flight experience and it flew by (sorry about the pun). You have the option of doing a long flight which isn’t very exciting as once you take off the autopilot kicks in and you just sit there!! My experience was split into 3 30 minute flights all of which I did the take off and landing all at various airports across the world some of which were successful and some not so!!! I wouldn’t hesitate doing it again. The staff are very friendly and talk you through everything. Highly recommended.
Amanda –
I could resist no longer so booked myself on the 10 hour two-day course recently following a few 30 minute sessions. The two day course obviously costs a fair bit more than a 30 minute sortie, but you are able to settle down, get used to the environment, ask plenty of questions and have time for it all to sink in. You get so much more out of the experience if you do a little homework first. All the team were very friendly, and it’s a great facility. Lee my instructor was just brilliant, and I learned so much during the experience that you just can’t get out of reading books and manuals. It culminated in me managing and flying an entire real-time flight from Gatwick to Sola airport in Norway with Lee as my F/O. A trip I’ve done around 40 times over the last 8 months for work however the first time with me in the Captain’s seat knowing what I’m doing! With a final successful solo circuit around Gatwick, Lee declared me fit to use the the simulator on my own without any instructor in the future with a discounted cost. Wicked! I’ll be back for some of that.
OK so it’s a fair slice of money, and there is always something else (bills etc) to spend your hard-earned on. However, if you yearn to fly some heavy metal this is probably the closest you’re ever going to get. Trust me, just do it. You wont regret it. Best money I’ve spent in a long time.
caterpillar –
Fred colson 18 Sept 2015
I was brought this experience for my 30th birthday in Feb and have been looking forward to it since. I had a 90 minute flight experience and it flew by (sorry about the pun). You have the option of doing a long flight or completing circuits of an airport of your choice. Great fun – highly reccomended
Amanda –
A fantastic birthday present!!
We had a briefing from Captain Stuart which lasted nearly half an hour, followed by an explanation of the instruments and controls in the simulator itself, followed by the flying experience where we pushed back from Gate 51 of Manchester Airport and I ‘flew’ from Manchester to Norwich. After this we did an approach and landing at Innsbruck – so realistic I felt beads of sweat as the wingtip was a mere 400 feet from the ground!
Highly recommended to any aviation nut.
Colin –
A great experience for the aviation nerd – Oct 2017
I had a one hour experience in a 737-800 ng static simulator. The captain greeted us and we sat in the briefing room whilst we discussed my experience and preferences for today’s adventure, I already had a route in mind which he propmptly set up for us agreeing take off and landing runways in use. During the experience he gave me the appropriate amount of instruction for my knowledge and made a point of explaining the other tasks he was performing simultaneously, for me the biggest challenge was actually taxiing the thing once I had it back on the ground. After this we had some time remaining so he setup a quick exercise to give me a challenge which was enjoyable. Despite being a static simulator the wrap around screen gave a real sense of motion, there’s one spare seat in the cockpit for a passenger and an additional four seats in 1st class for other passengers to view the experience via a television. I would definitely recommend it. Colin c
Ipswich, United Kingdom
Dominic M Stafford, United Kingdom –
Professional, Enjoyable & Educational… A Teenagers perspective. – 2017
This visit to Virtual Aerospace in Northampton was a Christmas present my Parents got me for a 90 minutes flight in the B737NG simulator, accessed via Virgin Experience Days; This experience was something I’d been looking forward to since the date it was given to me as I have been playing Microsoft Flight Simulator for nearly a year now every week, except when exams were on, and have become a flight simulation enthusiast despite being a lover of aircraft since a very young age, so thanks to my parents for getting me this if they are reading, onto the review! It really didn’t disappoint and was worth every single penny, despite the constructive criticism I may include later on, which is strongly outweighed by strengths may I add! Getting there was quite easy, just had to get on the motorway for an hour or so from where we lived before travelling from some lovely countryside for 30 minutes around the aerodrome in Northampton. On arrival the receptionist was very welcoming, processing our booking quickly. Once we met the flight instructor, Paul Long, we went into a briefing room where he familiarized me with flight instruments, while also asking for health & safety information, all completed within the space of 15 minutes; The intensity of this briefing obviously alters dependent on the participants ability to fly. We were the walked through to the simulator mirroring that of a real life boeing 737NG with authentic parts clearly visible throughout. Before this we had also discussed that we were going to do a series of landings and takeoffs all entailing different procedures of varying difficulties, some in which were standard Instrument Landing system approaches (ILS), Visual and harder ones such as DME/VOR approaches. Paul was completely flexible in the cockpit mirroring the role of a first officer who aims to act as a PM, pilot monitoring, helping the participant fly the aircraft as easy as possible by hand through doing the smaller programming adjustments to the panels in the cockpit; However Paul always welcomed me to interfere and try applying headings, flaps, autopilot commands and all the general touches you’d make when flying on your PC at home for example. My parents were able to sit in the jumpseat behind me, capturing both videos and photos, as well as a pretend cabin area where my dad consequently fell asleep! must had been comfortable I guess. Paul as an instructor was very kind, knowledgeable and enthusiastic, just an all round great guy to have sitting next to you when giving feedback and praise in improving your flying skills; Paul also holds his private pilot license and commercial pilot license, easily noticeable through his professionalism and the way he treats the environment as realistic as possible with call-outs and cross checks etc, all enhancing the experience itself! After my very long and well-worth it 1 hour and 30 minutes were up, Paul gave me some praise and also a certificate which all customers will receive upon embarking on this great experience. Minor issues which appeared included some cockpit controls deteriorating through general wear & tear, HOWEVER, Paul did clearly state to me that these were being replaced the following weeks so that should be no problem for you guys! Personally I was really surprised at how heavy the yoke was to maneuver, causing me to ask for autopilot input on some occasions as the older boeing yoke designs are much heavier than the new versions I guess, and therefore may cause some strain when competing with the aircraft positioning on finals or the flight director for example. Finally it is important to note that this simulator is not a full motion type, and therefore not in a capsule meaning the cockpit will not move, however the aircraft visuals do make you think you are turning which is great! Overall I would highly recommend this company and Paul Long as they accommodated us really well and made me feel comfortable to express myself somewhat on the flight-deck! It would be great to see the company add a Airbus simulator in there as well, but im guessing this will appear sometime in the near future. This review is purely created retrospectively and therefore I was engulfed in the experience at the time loving every minute of it, I hope the content of this review inspires all forms of audience to do the same, as you won’t regret it! Despite not directly experiencing other services the company offer, me and my family noticed they also assist people who have fears of flying, as well as the more advanced pilots out there who wish to take full control themselves if they wish. The surrounding environment as previously mentioned also provides a good day out with the family with live general aviation aircraft taking of nearby at the aerodrome. Big thanks to Paul & the receptionist at virtual aerospace and I hope to see you guys in the near future, I also hope this has helped promote this experience to any readers out there! Who knows where next, a real life Boeing 737 cockpit? I sure hope so…Dominic M
Stafford, United Kingdom