International Flight Simulation Day

[blueskydriver]

To all members,

We've been thinking about this idea for sometime now and we're hoping that through you, we can make this come into being. We would like to suggest the start of an annual International Holiday for flight simulation and call it "International Flight Sim Day".

What we envision is a day where all of simulator owners and pilots would open up their simulators (full size replicas to the smallest desktop units) to the world at large and invite anyone to come view them, as well as take a flight in them. Additionally, the media could be involved to reinvigorate real and simulated aviation to the public.

Celebrating with our friends who would visit is just one aspect. There could be coordinated fly-ins with ATC controllers, webcasting with each other (for those with web-cams), maybe even add in your families to help support, as well as make them feel a part of what we all do. The tie-ins to the simulator clubs, the aviation business (real and simulated), and the large cooperation’s like Microsoft, Laminar Research or all the Flight Simulation Companies could be phenomenal.

Here is another fruitful thought and dreamy as it might sound (for the critics)...you're on a real flight from New York to Frankfurt in a large commercial aircraft, or a small bush plane in Africa, or a C130 Troop Carrier, on a training mission, rolling down the runway somewhere in East Asia, and the pilot announces to the passengers, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I want to take a moment to recognize today as "International Flight Simulation Day" and thank all those flight simulator pilots who spend countless hours making my job better by perfecting aspects of flight that I, as a pilot, perform routinely each day" Yes, it sounds far fetched, but it's just an example to relate what could be done on this day.

My thoughts to a date are circling around the month that flight simulation was first recognized. After researching a bit and reading this:

http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His...ight_Simulator

It seems 1979 and 1980 are the first real years, so in 2010 (if counting from '80) it will be 30 years. Therefore, if we do this sometime at the beginning of this year, for example, it would be perfect timing. Additionally, most people tend to spend more time with their simulator projects in the winter months; thus, it would be even more advantageous for us to do this within this time frame.

Finally, some people do travel to FSWeekend, OZ FlightSim Expo or other organized events we know, but this is not meant to be an event like that. This is more to be a grand open house on an international scale. Please post your thoughts and suggestions Maybe, we could up come with a few dates based on what you suggest and then we setup up a poll to narrow it down.

Thank you

John and Karen

[Sean Nixon]

You can count me in. I have always planned to make my setup available to anyone who expresses an interest in it, much like Ian has.

Just today I secured my first MIP sections to join the MCP/EFIS/COMM/NAV stuff I got last month, so by early 2010 I should have something worth 'flying'.

Have you any ideas on publicity? Not sure I want an open house with the local scroats stripping the place bare!

I'll give this some serious thought, great idea.

Sean

[capetonian]

I'm in , . I should have something flyable from the left seat by then!