A hobby can sometimes lead to paid employment. In my case it’s contract employment. It started with Flight City Simulation Centre which launched in Perth back in 2011. At the time owner Richard ZanVliet asked me to join him as his tech/IT expert to bring his Flight Deck Solutions B777 fixed base sim to life. This was too good a challenge to pass up and I eventually became a partner in the business.
This simulator, located at Jandakot Airport in Perth, Western Australia was the first fixed base 777 designed and built by Flight Deck Solutions in Canada. Installed for public joy flights, Flight City utilizes 4 high end computers and a 9m curved visual display. Originally running Microsoft Flight Simulator X it has since been upgraded to Lockheed Martin’s Prepar3D.
Now under new management, it’s still located at Jandakot Airport and many people enjoy it’s stunning cockpit and eye candy displays. The new owners continue to offer joyflights for general paying customers but also specialise in commercial pilot training for their Multi Crew Certification.
