A couple of weeks ago I have lost my PPL licence. Just couldn’t find it anymore where it was. A total nightmare! Image somebody to cut your wings off; this is how I felt.
I made all the necessary paperwork, paid taxes and since 10 days I have my licence back! I am a person again. Couldn’t imagine that a “piece” of paper wuld be so important to me.

So I have scheduled a flight for next week, hopefully the weather will be good and I will be able to fly. In the meantime I was looking between my old pictures and found some from my experience in a Airbus A320 full flight simulator which I did I think some 4 years ago.

Really fantastic experience, worth of the money I have paid. It was not cheap, if I remember I have paid around 600€ for this one hour experience. Took of course my wife, my brother and his wife with me on the trip.

I have booked this flight through Proflight and we have travelled to the Lufhtansa flight training center in Vienna to live the experience. After a short briefing we have enter entered the training center, and there was the standing the Airbus A320 full flight simulator. Something like this I would like to have in my living room! The only problem is, the living room would be to small for this 😉 It looks like a space ship!

Airbus A320 full flight simulator

The cockpit is a copy of a real Airbus A320, even it has its tailnumber and the plane really exists. You could google its tailnumber to see the pictures, it is D-AIPA.

Inside the cockpit

Once on board I took the seat, the instructor has programmed the FMS and we were ready for takeoff from the Vienna Airport.

Lining up for departure

I still remember the details; I have pushed the thrust levers forward and I have been pushed into the seat and after a couple of moments we were airborne. It makes so much fun to fly the Airbus! After departure it was the left turn and to enjoy the “virtual reality”.

Banking the plane to the left

In the flight I have asked for some light turbulence, because I found it a little boring, so the instructor have pushed one button and it has started to be a little shaky. The we have tried the traffic alert, and it worked nice as well. Followed by couple of landings the hour was gone.

Approach to Innsbruck

Approach to Madeira Airport RWY 23

I still can here the engines roaring in my ears 😉 Viewing now all these pictures I think I should repeat this experience somewhere this Christmas! You can see here the video of my (not the best) landing at Madeira Airport (LPMA)… Following the pilot’s wisdom, this was an excellent landing: “A “good” landing is one which you can walk away from. A “great” landing is one which lets you use the airplane another time.” 😉 Safe landings!