This experience is aimed mainly at those who don’t only want to try piloting the aircraft, but also want to know what the really the job of a pilot entails before, during and after the flight, including all paperwork – flight planning, weather analysis, fuel calculations, communications….

Does the job of an airline pilot fascinate you?

You can choose from three line flights – Bratislava – Košice (BTS-KSC), Bratislava – Poprad (BTS-TAT), Bratislava – Prague (BTS-PRG) – in any direction. The flight takes place on the IVAO network and complete ATC (Air Traffic Control) will be available for your flight. You don’t need to be worried about communicating however, since your co-pilot will support you, or if you want, take over communication completely. 

During this experience you will:

• Arrive at the airport (the simulator).
• Complete the pre-flight preparation, which is called the briefing.
• Familiarize yourself with the flight route, weather and NOTAMS.
• Calculate the amount of fuel for a safe flight as per company procedures.
• Get to know your crew.
• Enter the cockpit of the aircraft, establish communication with air traffic control and get your flight plan cleared.
• Perform a full start of the aircraft from all systems off (cold and dark).
• After performing all the required checklists, take-off on the designated departure route.
• Climb to your cruise level and by following instructions of air traffic control approach the destination airport.
• Start to descend to your destination.
• Land and taxi to your assigned gate.
• Bring the aircraft back to its original, cold and dark state.

For whom is the experience suitable?

It is suitable for everyone who likes flying and isn’t scared to try what it’s like to be a pilot on one of the most popular transport aircraft of today, the Boeing 737-800.

Required skills:

If you want to perform the landing by yourself, it is recommended that you have some prior experience in our simulator (funny flying for example) or experience from a home simulator (i.e. FSX)

If you don’t have experience, however, it doesn’t matter. If you want, our co-pilot will assist you or you can land in the full autoland regime.

Knowledge of English is welcome, BUT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT

Accompaniment

Two other people can come and watch, due to space constraints in the simulator.

During the experience, it is permitted to take photos and videos.

Details:

Briefing:

Flight preparation

The customer (Captain) along with our instructor (First Officer) receive an OFP (operational flight plan) and discuss the flight route.

They calculate the amount of fuel required for a potential holding and decide whether it’s necessary to take extra fuel. After that they will check the MEL (minimum equipment list) and check the state of the aircraft.

The pilots check the weather (METAR) on the departure, arrival and alternate airports. They also check the NOTAMs for these airports. The NOTice for AirMen has information about various permanent/temporary obstructions and restrictions. They check the horizontal and vertical profile of the flight and the windcharts as well as the turbulence index so that the flight attendants can be warned about any turbulence during the flight.

They brief the movement of the aircraft on the airport – apron, taxiways, brief the take-off and the departure along the assigned departure route. Since we are in a simulator, the external aircraft check, known as the walk around will be explained on a model.

Entry to the flight deck:

When the customer enters the aircraft, it is in a state of cold and dark, where all the systems are switched off.

The captain and first officer check the required equipment according to real SOP’s (Standard Operational Procedures) and begin to start the systems to prepare the aircraft for flight.

Flight:

The flight crew will contact air traffic control and request clearance to the destination according to their flight plan and request engine start up and push back. They will taxi to the runway along taxiways given by the tower.

Once given the clearance, they will advance the throttles, pull back on the controls and they are in the air.

During the whole flight the communication with ATC is performed according to real procedures just like in real life.

Later in the flight, they perform an approach briefing and start to descend towards their destination, land, vacate the runway and taxi the aircraft to the stand.

At the end, the crew shuts down the aircraft and brings the aircraft back to the ‘cold and dark’ state.

The experience is aimed at flight enthusiasts and customers who maybe have the dream and goal of becoming an airline pilot.

Our instructor will help you with communication with the air traffic control. Depending on your skills or how comfortable you are, he can perform all or some of the communications, or you can perform it by yourself.