Fly A Sim Takes Flight

For you inquisitive types who just have to see behind the curtain and find out what kind of strange magic pilots employ to keep a massive 747 aloft, Fly A Sim, located at 3201 East Airfield Drive near DFW Airport, can provide all the skinny with none of the risk. Offering what they call “full motion flight simulator fun flights” that include the realistic sounds, motions, and visual sensations of flying, Fly A Sim gives patrons the full experience of piloting a jet without ever leaving the ground. Parameter Aviation founder Charley Shepard, who began the Fly A Sim program in 2003, says the simulation is realistic for a reason: these same machines are used to train actual pilots, and both daytime and nighttime flights can be simulated. All locations and terrain are designed to emulate real-world geographies. A standard “Captain Flight” is $499 and includes an hour-long “Preflight Briefing” where experts will show you the ropes before you get behind the controls. During your hour of flight time, you’ll do everything a real pilot does, including taking off, ascending to cruising altitude, and (hopefully) executing a pinpoint landing. You can even bring a buddy along to play co-pilot-and riff on Airplane! jokes-at no charge.