Announcing Cockpit-Fest USA 2013!
Cockpit-Fest USA 2012 brings cockpit restoration enthusiasts and simulator enthusiasts together.
After 13 years of successful Cockpit-Fests at the Newark Air Museum in England, on September 29th 2012, various cockpits and simulators converged from across the United States to the Kansas Aviation Museum for the very first Cockpit-Fest USA.
The impressive cockpits arrived on trailers and ranged from a mean looking AH-1F Cobra to a classic United 737-200. The cockpits are privately owned and restored by aviation enthusiasts who see Cockpit-Fest as a way to showcase their proud work and to meet other people with the same passion. This passion caused people to tow their cockpits hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of miles to attend the event.
No less impressive where the people who flew in from around the U.S. to see the historic gathering.
In addition to the static cockpit displays there were just as many simulators. Six of them were set up in operational status, much to the delight of those who wanted to try their hand in a B-52, F-4 Phantom, T-33, King Air, or F-35 simulator. The simulators include restored commercial simulators, converted aircraft cockpits, and simulators home built from scratch. They run on Microsoft Fight Simulator, X-Plane, and Falcon Allied Force with several of the sims using the software to drive real aircraft instruments.
Some highlights of the event included an evening dinner party where the museum’s 727 airliner was powered up by a ground cart, watching the Best Aircraft Cockpit award winner enjoy his Stearman biplane ride, the Best Simulator Cockpit award winner receiving his hour long Level D sim flight at FlightSafety HawkerBeech, and the USAF Thunderbirds flying overhead using the museum as airshow center. The museum also had many of its aircraft open for the event, including a Learjet 23, F-84F Thunderstreak, KC-135 Stratotanker, Boeing 727, and Boeing 373. The 707 instrument panels from the ABC TV show Pan Am were also on display.
After a stunning 2012 event, Cockpit-Fest USA 2013 has partnered with Boeing Wichita to celebrate the legacy of the 737; the world’s must successful jet airliner. All 737 fuselages are manufactured at Spirit Aerosystems, located next to the Kansas Aviation Museum. Pre-registered 737-200 simulator flight opportunities will be announced on the Kansas Aviation Museum web site.
The date for Cockpit-Fest USA 2013 has been set for the weekend of May 4th. Check the Kansas Aviation Museum web site for additional 2013 updates.
The official 2012 photo album is here.
A video of 2012 is here:
