Seems like, making Flight Simulator has become pretty easy! In one of my previous articles, I wrote about how an airline pilot built his own flight simulator. And now, an air traffic controller and a private pilot James Price, who works at Oakland Air Traffic Control Center has built a flight simulator with a cockpit using the shell of a 1969 Lufthansa Boeing 737. He spent 12 years to make this in his garage.
James Price had a dream of building a full-sized jet simulator. He saw this dream 20 years ago. In the year of 2000, Price and his friend Matt Ford went to an Oklahoma bone yard. Price found a full nose of a retired Boeing 737 there. Price stripped the interior of the aircraft section. He replaced whole thing with modern parts to make it function like a real cockpit. His personal flight simulator had new seats, pedals, throttles, dual flight controls for the pilot and co-pilot, switches, and a new panel with completely modern instruments. Price along with his friend Matt Ford programmed the flight simulator.
“James is the king,” Peter Cos, an expert said. “He and Matt are working on a totally different level. They inspired literally thousands of people worldwide. They created the enthusiasm that turned (my career) from a basement business into a full-blown business.”
We know that, at the training period, pilots learn flying airplane or helicopter through flight simulator which helps them to experience the real flight environment and experience. James Price’s personal flight simulator is like the professional flight simulator. The rig sits inside of Price’s garage is surrounded by 3 latest large projector screens. It has a complete weather system in it with real-time weather from the Internet. Price has spent about $150,000 on his cockpit.
As Price is a private pilot, so he has never flown a full-sized jet. But with his own flight simulator, now he can have the real experience of a full-sized jet. You can find the full interview, just by clicking here.
Source : Mercury News
Thanks To: PC World
Image Credit: James’ Virtual Flightdeck
