Fly A Boeing 737 with iPilot Dubai

I've only been to the airplane's passenger cabin few many times but never in the cockpit.

Although I've seen it in movies and in many occasions on TV, I am always curious about (and probably you are as well) how it feels like to sit with the pilot flying the plane or how it feels like to be a pilot yourself and fly a commercial aircraft.

My curiosity was put to rest and my dream of seeing an airplane's cockpit in real life came true when iPilot, a world leader in flight simulator experience with locations in London, Munich, Berlin, Dresden, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Prague, Dubai, Basel, and Zurich, invited us to experience and fulfilled our dream of flying an airplane - a Boeing 737.



It wasn't the real one though, but the one that aeronautics students used to train and prepare for their exams with. It gives you the same flight experience, only this time you are the captain.

iPilot is located at the 2nd level of Dubai Mall opposite Sega Republic. It is a small shop with deep red and white interiors. The first part of the store is the reception, merchandise display and a flight simulator machine used by trained pilots. The second part is the closed cockpit with two rows of passenger seats behind it where we had our first flight simulator experience.







We were booked for a two hour simulator experience for four people. The cockpit was free when we arrived so we get to start immediately.

Mica was the first to go. Jeetu, iPilot's first officer showed my daughter everything she needs to know to fly the aircraft and she listens carefully. Mica took off from Dubai and flew over Dubai overlooking famous landmarks such as the Burj Al Arab, Burj Khalifa, Atlantis, The World and The Palm Islands to name a few and landed back to Dubai International Airport




Prince flew and landed the plane to Dubai, he was still too small to see the view from the windshield above and reached the pedals below that control the plane's direction while on the ground but nonetheless, he was happy to touch the control wheel, throttle and flap.



When it was Ferald's turn, I requested Jeetu to give him a challenging flying experience. So he added some turbulence, rain and thunderstorm. Ferald hates flying because he get nauseous and I told him to please try not to throw up this time (pun intended of course). We laughed and he said that this is completely different because this time he is in the front seat and he wouldn't feel as much movement compared when he is sitting in the economy seat behind.




Jeetu gave Ferald a rundown of all the controls and they took off from Dubai and landed in Hong Kong Kai Tak airport, the one that's between the city and the mountains. Ferald said it was very challenging and the plane wasn't easy to maneuver but he was so thrilled of the experience.

I on the other hand took off from where Ferald landed and landed at St. Maarten airport, few meters away from Maho Beach. Hong Kong and St. Maarten airports are two of the most favorites among the 24,000 airports in the iPilot system.

Before my flight, Jeetu explained to me the use of all the levers (throttle, flap, landing gear) buttons (autopilot control), pedal and switches in front of us and I listened carefully (note: each of us got a one on one training and I must say he must be a very patient man).


I tried to comprehend as much as I could but for a first timer like me, it was not easy to remember all the uses of each switches and what's on the screens all at once. Am I nervous? Very much! I am scared that I will not to be able to manipulate the aircraft quite right but Jeetu would show me how and fly the plane with me.



We landed safely at St. Maarten airport and I didn't crash the plane, thank goodness and thanks again that I have a co-pilot that knows what he is doing. This is just a flying simulator and yet everything seems so real.

Imagine, pilots learn and train for years and years. No pilot can fly an aircraft before knowing all the antics and in this profession, as they say, there is no room for errors. So next time when I/you fly and get to your destination and landed safely, thank God and thank your captain and the crew

It was a total immersion experience for my family and an experience we will never forget and just maybe, can be used by my kids in the future.


I had a short conversation with the iPilot store manager and he mentioned iPilot was looking to introduce the service to schools here in Dubai which I honestly think is a good thing to do. Students in higher levels can have the chance to try the flight simulator and who knows it could give them an idea of what they'd like to do in the future.

iPilot Flight Simulator Experiences starts at 349 AED for 15-minute flight.
Packages and Gift cards are available at iPilot eshop.

iPilot Dubai Mall - 056 738 7444
For more information visit their website at www.flyipilot.ae

We were invited to experience iPilot Flight Simulator but all opinions and photos in this blog post are my own.

My Yellow Bells

Carla is a lifestyle blogger based in Dubai who's thankful to call this ever-evolving city her second home. The pages of this blog are filled with stories about her expat life in the sandpit. It features dining and travel adventures in and around the city and beyond. It also features food recipes, parenting tips, and fashion style.

3 Comments

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Cheers
Carla

  1. Looks like you had such a great time, and the kids must have loved getting their certificates in the end! Now I just need to wait for Baby Z to get older so we can do this with him too!

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  2. iPilot is on my things to do with Little A in Dubai because his current obsession is planes and becoming a pilot; also it looks like so much fun!! Just want him to get a year or two older before we go for it.

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  3. Must have been so much fun! My son would love trying this out.

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