I had a chance to visit the Air Zoo in Kalamazoo, Michigan last week. In addition to some excellent aircraft exhibits, they also have a number of hands-on displays and rides. One of the rides is a very sophisticated flight simulator.
The simulator seats two people. You have a joy stick and a video screen that shows a 2D panel and the view forward. Every move you make with the joy stick is reflected in the simulator, which has a full range of 360° motion. Do a snap rioll and the simulator spins you all the way around. Here's a link to the Air Zoo site. Click on the video to see the simulator in action:
http://www.airzoo.org/page.php?menu_id=11
Next to each simulator was a video screen so the spectators and those waiting their turn can watch the same view as the people "flying". The day I was there the simulators were all flying combat missions using CFS2! I couldn't believe my eyes. Each simulator was hooked into a computer running CFS2 missions; Wildcats flying against Zeros over the Pacific. How cool was that? No wonder this sim won't die, a whole new generation of kids is being introduced to it in a most realistic way. It speaks well for CFS2 that it is one of the ones chosen for use in this simulator.
No, I didn't take time to try it myself. I'll probably regret that decision for years to come. Then again, I'd of had to elbow my way through all those kids young enough to be my grandchildren. Besides, I didn't want to show them up!
Now if I could just figure out how to get one of those simulators into my basement.....
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