Back again, FT outing to the BA simulators later this year. This will be a repeat of the outings I have previously organised in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017.

A bit of background on my own experience so far. I am very enthusiastic/geeky about flying, and I know a few others on here enjoy what happens in the cockpit as well as just being sat in the back enjoying the champagne.

I have one hour in a Cessna 172 which I did in 2013, and which you can read about here, and since then a few hours in various PA28 aircraft. I do plan to go for a PPL at some stage, but money and time needed mean it won’t be for at least a year or two yet.

I have also been for a couple of Emirates sim sessions at their Aviation Experience near the O2 arena in London. This is very much at the more fun end of simulators. The only things that work on the cockpit are the throttle (inc. reversers), yoke/side stick, rudders, foot brakes, and gear. The primary and navigation displays work but you can't adjust anything on them. They have recently upgraded them so the speedbrake lever and a flaps lever work as well. All the buttons shown are just graphics, there are no working buttons. So basically it does feel like a very sophisticated home simulator, kind of FSX but sat in a simplified cockpit. It is not equivalent to a full simulator, and there is no motion. However, if you accept these limitations it is actually very enjoyable.

I also went to Virtual Aerospace near Northampton in February 2014 on their 737 simulator. This is basically a fully workable fixed base cockpit with fsx graphics projected in front. More absorbing and real than the Emirates experience, but still not a full motion or fully wrap-around graphics. I have also previously gone to the 737 iPILOT simulator near Edgware Road in London.

Finally over the last few years I have been going fairly regularly to a fixed base 737-800 simulator near Rochdale. The simulator is this one Flightdeck Experience. As well as the cockpit the guy who owns it has built a cabin as well with 12 seats. You can see photos on the website. You actually get a simulated view from the windows as well. It makes it good for group outings and you can sit in the cabin for the time you are not flying in the cockpit.

I realise we have a wide spectrum of experience on these things, but hopefully it would work. You should certainly not feel you need any experience to come, and in previous years people with no experience have come and enjoyed it.

Please only express an interest if you can make at least one of the dates and are prepared to meet your share of the cost. I realise this is not a cheap activity, but having done it twice now I can say that it is very much worth it.

Rather than doing this as a poll, please just post any date preferences in the thread. I expect we will settle on a specific date in the next month or so, and I hope we have finalised plans by early May. Please say whether you could make 26 October or 2 November or both (don’t worry you are not committing to both dates). Also please let me know whether you have a preference for a 777 or a 747 or don’t mind either.