The Flight Simulator

Owners will be able to buy a simple but very realistic and immersive flight simulator for the Autocopter for use at home or flying club. This will enable those owners who are not able to fly regularly to keep their hand in cheaply and effectively when the flying hours fall. It will also enable owners to plan and preview trips, and actually show them the actual route and countryside over which they would fly on a video screen. Views from outside the aircraft watching it overfly the terrain are also possible. This will build owner confidence and contribute to overall safety.

Flight simulators for home or small business use come in all sorts of sizes and functionality.  The simplest are fixed base with three large screens.  The more sophisticated ones have a 2 degree of freedom (i.e. pitch and roll) moveable base (see below) and some super-sophisticated screen technology. Supplied by Horizon, all would come with the Autocopter’s flight control algorithms, joystick, power lever and cockpit screen software installed.

Horizon has always maintained that one hour’s tuition on the simulator should be enough for anyone to decide whether or not they can fly an Autocopter, and thus contemplate buying one. Horizon intends to run ‘clinics’ in the US, Europe, Middle East, India and the Far East to present the Autocopter to people and allow them to fly the simulator.