Visitors to Stoke-on-Trent can now try their hand at being a Second World War fighter pilot by taking the controls of one of Britain’s most famous aircraft, the Spitfire.
A new cockpit simulator, designed and developed by engineers from Nottingham University, is now in place at The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery alongside the city’s real-life Spitfire in the aircraft’s stunning glass-fronted gallery.
Built to feel fully authentic, the simulator has realistic interiors and equipment, providing visitors “the next best thing to sitting in a real Spitfire”.
Based around a Mark IX Spitfire, it has full-sized, historically accurate flight controls, allowing users to experience what it was like as a wartime pilot and even have a go at aerial aerobatics such as barrel rolls and loop-the-loops.
And for the most confident would-be pilots, the new simulator offers a chance to try the ‘Take-off Challenge’ by attempting to get the powerful aircraft off the runway and into the air, virtually, of course.
The new attraction at the free-to-visit gallery is available for a range of bookable experiences, from a 30-minute one-to-one Pilot Training costing £30, to a 15-minute family friendly Flight School session for under 16-year-olds, at £6 per person.
There will also be additional special events and simulator experiences throughout the year.
It is the newest addition to the £5.4m Spitfire Gallery, a purpose-built extension to house the city’s restored RW388 aircraft. While the Spitfire is the star exhibit, the gallery also reveals more about the story of the plane and its designer, Reginald Mitchell, who has close connections to the city.
The new simulator was designed and built by Dr Mark Jabbal, with staff and students on the University of Nottingham’s Aerospace Engineering programme, involving over 100 undergraduate students.
It aims to not only provide a new innovative experience for visitors to Stoke-on-Trent, but also to inspire a new generation of future aerospace engineers or pilots.
Commissioned and owned by Operation Spitfire, the simulator comes as the city prepares to celebrate its centenary in 2025, with a year-long programme of events and activities celebrating its heritage and culture.
For more details, visit www.stokemuseums.org.uk/pmag/spitfire-simulator/
For more information about Stoke-on-Trent as a destination, see www.visitstoke.co.uk