Flight Zone Simulator

FLIGHT ZONE is open upon availability. Inquire at the Museum gift shop.

Come pilot your own flight simulator adventure! Come explore, dream, and see what it’s like to be a pilot!

Our Flight Zone flight simulator is a state of the art STEM learning laboratory featuring 10 digital flight stations. Students from 5th grade to high school learn to fly an aircraft. Flight Zone is where the world of aviation and aerospace come to life.

What is it?

Our Flight Zone houses 6 independent flight simulator stations, each running the X-Plane 11 Flight Simulator program. Each station is supplemented by a high end gaming computer with a graphics card that supports three 27″ monitors with 2560×1440 resolution per monitor.

What will you learn?

You will “pilot” an aircraft using a professional flight simulator under the instruction of experienced flight instructors. You will have the opportunity to practice taking off, flying, and landing.

Who is this for?

This program is designed for students 5th to 12th grade who are interested in learning about and exploring aviation and/or related fields. The Flight Zone is open to the general public as well.

Extras

The Flight Zone also offers five other computer stations running various programs and slide shows of interest to guests. For our younger aspiring flyers, the Flight Zone also offers an XBox flight simulator game to test their ability to follow instructions and treat the controls gently. Those 7-10 year-olds who pass the XBox test are allowed to fly on the high-end simulators with an Instructor.

Why?

The Aerospace Museum of California’s Flight Zone provides real world experiences to students while providing support, training, and resources to teachers. Sponsored mainly by Flyers Energy and other individuals, the Flight Zone is intended for introducing 5th-12th graders to aviation. It is our hope that those who pass through the Flight Zone will become inspired to pursue careers in aviation and other related fields.

DETAILS

WHEN: Upon availability
WHERE: Aerospace Museum of California—2nd Floor
COST: $10 for personalized flight instruction by experienced pilot
Ask about it at the Museum Front Desk

OUR INSPIRATIONAL INSTRUCTORS

Calvin

A licensed pilot in three countries, Calvin has accrued 14,700 flying hours flying both commercially and for the United States Army as an Army Rotary Wing Aviator. Calvin is a Certified Flight Instructor on the Rotorcraft Helicopter and Instrument Airplane and Helicopter and has given over 6,900 hours of instruction to aspiring pilots. Memorable flying moments include flying on DEA Law Enforcement contracts, Helicopter Firefighting and flying the CH3E helicopter in the 1996 action/thriller The Rock, starring Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage.

Jerry

Jerry served 12 years of active duty as a Chief Pilot in the United States Air Force, including a 13 month combat mission in Vietnam, piloting the C-130 Hercules. He also served 11 years in the Ready Reserves at McClellan Air Force Base before retiring from the military as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1976. Commercially, Jerry flew for United Airlines, spent 2 and a half years as a Boeing 767/757 training instructor at the United Airlines Training Center in Denver, CO, and accrued over 13,000 flight hours as a Boeing 767, 757 and 737 Captain before retiring in 1994.

Phil

After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Superior with a degree in Math/Physics and a Second Lieutenant’s commission in the United States Air Force, Phil went on to a 27-year military career. He flew 215 combat missions over North and South Vietnam in EB-66 and B-52 aircraft, conducted over 1,000 high altitude reconnaissance missions for the U-2 and SR-71 “Spy Planes,” and contributed to the Source Selection Team for the Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) out of Edwards Air Force Base, CA. Phil holds the Aeronautical Rating of Master Navigator and has accrued a total of 6,362 hours of flight time. After retiring from the military, Phil worked as a consultant to NASA at Dryden Flight Research Center, developing SR-71 test scenarios for advanced scientific research programs.

Doug

After graduating from the United States Air Force Flight School in 1955, Doug spent the next 26 years in military service, flying the T-6, B-25, and Piper Cub in addition to captaining Bombers, Tankers, Airlifts, and an Airborne Command Post. Commercially, Doug was a McDonnell Douglas Aircraft School Instructor on the MD-80 and DC-10 and an Airline Pilot on the BAE-146, B-737 and DC-10. In his free time, Doug is an Aviation Merit Badge Counselor for the BSA and has volunteered with the Aerospace Museum of California for the past 25 years.

Come fly with us

FLIGHT ZONE FAQ

How can I reserve my spot?

Contact our knowledgeable Guest Experience Staff to schedule a private session in the Flight Zone. The Flight Zone is currently open to the public upon availability

Will I receive one-on-one flight training?

Yes! Flight Zone guests will be personally trained by one of our knowledgeable Flight Zone Instructors. This one-on-one training allows each session to be uniquely tailored to each student’s needs and abilities. All of our instructors have a background in aviation, either private, commercial, or military and are eager to impart their wisdom and passion for aviation to the next generation.

How much experience do your instructors have?

All of our instructors have a background in aviation, either private, commercial, or military and are eager to impart their wisdom and passion for aviation to the next generation. Please read above for a more in-depth look at our instructors’ flight biographies!

Can I make a group reservation?

Yes, please contact our staff at tour@aerospaceca.org for more information.

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