Not real flying I guess

[Aztec Driver]

Had my Christmas gift redeemed yesterday way out here in Anaheim, CA. Got a gift certificate to fly an F16 simulator at Flightdeck Air Combat Center. Had a blast. A little on the easy side for flying, but landing was definitely challenging. They controlled the landing gear and the tail hook on landing. The controls are there, just unused on the first mission flight. No counter measures and the missiles are only operational to 2-3 miles out. It looks like there are other harder levels of flying if you continue to "fly" with them. I really need to get some of this equipment. The graphics were awesome and absolutely huge. The game must have been set to "easy", as I was able to rotate around to a nearly 90* bank and maintain full pitch up for maximum turning at full power and not black out at all. Only way I could catch some of the MIG29's on my tail. Luckily, they only had guns, no missiles. They were part of a squadron that flies a lot. A little more realism would have been nice, but others would not have enjoyed it as much.

All in all, a great time. Worth the price paid for sure. Now, if I can only get my hands on the same kind of hardware they have. I'd set up my one room with it.

 

[denverpilot]

F-16 tail hook?

 

[Clark1961]

F-16 tail hook?

F-16's do have a hook. It isn't regularly used and can't be retracted from the cockpit but they do have a hook.

 

[ScottM]

F-16 tail hook?

F-16's do have a hook. It isn't regularly used and can't be retracted from the cockpit but they do have a hook.

Yep Clark is correct. F16s and F15s as well as other USAF aircraft have talihooks. They are used to connect to the barrier arrestors, if needed, at military runways. A great example was the recent videos on this site of the F111 that had to belly land.

They have the tailhooks in case they do need to stop quickly because of brake and/or hydraulic failures.

 

[Aztec Driver]

But we transitioned to an F14 for the carrier landing. Oops, sorry. Didn't matter much anyway, as I had to go around the first time and crashed the second.

 

[denverpilot]

I knew they had hooks, was questioning that they "controlled it" for him.

But since they transitioned over to the F-14 and did some Naval
Aviating, it all makes sense now.

 

[Aztec Driver]

So where do I get me one of those really nice cockpits and huge video screens for simulator flying? I think I could use the one whole downstairs room and make an absolutely fantastic simulator. It would probably also cost a lot less than the real machine I currently own and run.

 

[SCCutler]

So where do I get me one of those really nice cockpits and huge video screens for simulator flying? I think I could use the one whole downstairs room and make an absolutely fantastic simulator. It would probably also cost a lot less than the real machine I currently own and run.

Here you go: http://www.hyway.com.au/747/747.html

This fine fellow has a Baron... and that Was Not Enough!

 

[EvilEagle]

F-16's do have a hook. It isn't regularly used and can't be retracted from the cockpit but they do have a hook.

The 15 can retract the hook from inside the cockpit, and I'm 99% sure the same is true for the 16. (everything else I know of that has a hook can retract it)