[simpits-tech] Az Boneyards (was More real aircraft parts)

[Matt Bailey]

Dunno, it's basically just the cockpit area, about all that's there is the 
area with the canopy. The nose cone has either been cut off or it was a 
dedicated sim unit to begin with and never was part of an airplane. Its 
colors remind me of the Thunderbirds planes (might be based on it). The 
canopy shape reminds me of a T-38 but it doesn't look long enough, I don't 
think the sim is a two-seater. Anyway it just sits out there on a trailer all 
the time as far as I can tell.........

The FlightSafety center is actually on the Tucson International airport, or 
at least nearby. My dad works there. They have I think about 15 full motion 
sims of different Learjet models (and even a Challenger sim), of varying 
levels of sophistication. The "hangar" where the sims are kept is one of the 
coolest places I've ever seen. :) Huge room, several stories high, with the 
center 1/4th or so closed in and housing all the computers, work areas for 
the tech guys, spare parts supplies, etc. On either side of this central area 
is a huge bay with the sims. Very nice facility, very clean and professional 
looking. I did "fly" one of the sims once, a Lear 35. It wasn't the latest 
model, still had night-only visuals and a collimated display (which was still 
quite good), but was certified for landings and all. It really makes you feel 
like you're there, so much so that it seems weird when the aft door is open 
and you're still in The Room. :)

Incidentally, I seem to recall my dad saying something about one Flightsafety 
facility dumping the huge mainframes and using PC's for the sims.......! I 
don't know if those sims were of similar level of sophistication to the ones 
at Tucson, would be an interesting development. He also mentioned a while 
back they were upgrading one of the sims from the old collimated display to a 
projected display. Now I just need to find out what they do with all their 
obsolete parts when they're done with them. ;)

	-Matt Bailey

On Sunday 29 February 2004 03:23 pm, Justin Messenger wrote:
> I never noticed the sim on the trailer. You know what type is it? I didn't
> know about the Learjet FlightSafety center either. Those would be really
> cool sims.
>
> Justin
>
> >      -----Original Message-----
>
> I was there a couple years ago, plenty of sim candidates in AMARC. :) I
> think at the base they were running up an engine, sounded like a
> sustained F-16 takeoff or something. Pretty cool. I also really liked
> that Nieuport replica hanging in the main hangar at the museum, neat
> little plane. Would be nice to build one someday...........
>
> I noticed at some military center nearby (national guard I think?)
> there's a sim sitting in a trailer in the parking lot.......anyone have
> any idea what's up with that? I always wondered about it.
>
> That area has some pretty cool stuff........the museum, the military
> base and AMARC stuff, and the Learjet FlightSafety center. 8)
>
> 	-Matt Bailey