Redbird

Hal, I am really surprised that no one has contributed to this for months. Maybe the good flying weather means more people are flying real airplanes rather than simulators. In any case, I wanted to post something about the Redbird pavilion at AirVenture. It was very nice. The low-end full motion set up with Disney's Planes was great. It allowed something for the younger set to engage in (including my 10, 12, and 17 year old sons), but was reasonably challenging for experienced pilots, too (including their father.) In fact the Disney set up convinced me to hang around and try the G1000 full motion sim. Redbird's set up was good, the staff was helpful, and there were surprisingly few people waiting to use the sims. The experience made me a believer that the Redbird is a much more useful platform for maintaining IFR currency than a typical Frasca box. I think it is particularly useful for maintaining currency with a G1000 set up. As a CAP instructor/check pilot I find it hard to maintain real currency with the G1000. If I don't actually get to fly it myself often, it is a very fast decaying skill set. Some Redbird G1000 time about once a month would be a very valuable tool towards maintaining proficiency with the system. With regard to home simulation, I am not ready to go out and buy a Jay. I got a Saitek Cessna yoke and throttle for my birthday and I am having more than enough fun with that and X-Plane...when weather or maintenance keeps me from the sky. -- Chris Mayer N424AF

Redbird is a toy. It's flight dyanmics are cobbled from MS Flight sim and it's "emulation" of the G1000 is so awful to be entirely counter productive.

In full disclosure I only flew one approach in it, so that is hardly a full analysis, but it seemed to function appropriately. I admit that the go around button would be nice. In comparison to the standard Frasca series FTDs (and that is what the Redbird is, and FTD) I thought is was superior. But again, that was from a sample of one.

I don't know Redbirds, but I know both the Frasca simulator as well as the family and have been to their factory. I think they are considered excellent.