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DALLAS, TX, USA- June 21 2018–The 6th annual FlightSimCon (FSC) , a conference dedicated to flight simulation and aviation, lands at the Hyatt Regency Dallas Hotel in downtown Dallas, Texas, on June 23-24.With only days left for online registration, event management continues to add to the robust line-up of exhibitors, highlights and community partners. This conference is open to the public; walk-ins are welcome.
Just added to the lineup of interactive cockpits is a rare MiG-21 jet cockpit. In 1955 the MiG-21 first flew in the former Soviet Union and was the first Russian fighter jet capable of speeds over Mach 2, or twice the speed of sound. The MiG-21 will be accompanied by an exhibit including Cold War and Soviet artifacts. Two exciting interactive contests, an F-16 Simulator Top Gun Contest and an F-35 Simulator Flying/Landing Contest, will entice attendees into direct aerial combat with top winners earning replica trophies of the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-35 Lightning II, respectively and a Vegas-Style Spin the Wheel to win free simulator parts giveaway! DMS has thousands of hard to find flight simulator parts that will be given away at FlightSimCon 2018! The contests will be conducted by Distributive Military Simulators, the new top-level sponsor and exhibitor at FSC 2018.
Also, just boarding are new exhibitors, National Association of Flight Instructors, the largest flight instructor association in the United States with over 4,000 members and a Virtual Air Traffic Control Booth, featuring live demonstrations of air traffic controllers’ perspectives using radar scopes. Also joining FSC are two online flight simulation communities, jetBlue Virtual and Virtual United Social Club, who provide pilots multiple environments and the opportunities to “fly”.
After five successful years of consistent growth, FlightSimCon has evolved in 2018 to include the annual Cockpit-Fest USA, geared towards cockpit enthusiasts. FSC continues to be the most successful flight simulation exposition in the United States in attracting pilots, students, air traffic controllers, industry professionals, and aviation enthusiasts of all ages from around the world. Since its inception in 2013, FSC has been dedicated to providing perpetually fresh educational opportunities with new speakers and educational seminars. A move this year from the Northeast to the more centralized location in Dallas expands the ability to reach new markets and audiences.Registration will be onsite walk-ins only starting June 22 for $70 for the All-Weekend Pass and $35 for a One-Day Pass ($60, $30 for students respectively). Registered attendees may obtain hotel rooms at a special rate through the conference website.
The exhibit and educational components will reside in multiple spaces, both indoors and outdoors, at the Hyatt Regency in Dallas (hotel information below).
Exhibitors and Speakers
Climb in or take a flight in one of the multiple interactive cockpits on display at this year’s Cockpit-Fest USA, located within FlightSimCon. The current cockpit lineup includes:
· MiG-21 jet cockpit, in 1955 the MiG-21 first flew in the former Soviet Union and was the first Russian fighter jet capable of speeds over Mach 2. During the Cold War pilots fought deadly battles against the MiG-21 including American’s first Vietnam War ace, Duke Cunningham, who is giving a presentation with the exhibit.
· F-16 Block 52+ flight simulator where pilots can engage in aerial combat and compete in the 2018 FlightSimCon Top Gun Contest
· F-35QuickPit simulator allows pilots to take off and land at DAL, navigate the air around Dallas and compete in the FlightSimCon Flying Ace Contest.
· F-16 Fighting Falcon Simulator made from a real F-16 cockpit
· The Classic 737-200 Project, a simulator offering flight sim training within a real Boeing 737-200 series aircraft cockpit
· A Sabreliner 60 Cockpit used to fly Jack Nicklaus to his record setting win at the 1986 Masters Tournament (autographed by the golf legend).
Click here for cockpit images and more, under “Exhibitors”
Exhibit Hall
Grab a #selfie with “Maverick”, FSC's own Tom Cruise impersonator who will be in attendance in the DMS exhibit area for limited times throughout FSC.
Exhibitors at FSC 2018 include:
· Distributive Military Simulators, a high-end flight simulation and training company featuring military F-16 simulators flight simulation products and rentals. DMS has thousands of hard to find flight simulator parts that will be given away at FlightSimCon 2018 including a Vegas-Style Spin the Wheel to Win Free Sim Parts Giveaway!
· Thrustmaster, designer and manufacturer of flight SIM hardware and accessories for civilian, air combat, and space exploration games.
· MiG Master Exhibit, an exhibit including Cold War and Soviet artifacts, including real MiG-21 cockpit
· Gleim Aviation, publisher and distributor of flight training books, online courses, and flight simulation training software and systems.
· Association of Flight Simulator Builders and Instructors (AFSBI), a member-based organization promoting the use of flight simulators and collaboration across developers, builders, users, instructors and their communities, institutions and pertinent government and non-government organizations.
· International Virtual Aviation Organisation (IVAO), a platform for enthusiasts to enjoy their hobby in a simulated real-world environment, flying or providing air traffic control services since 1998
· Volair Sim, maker of cockpit chassis including the world’s first flight simulation chassis that is factory pre-configured for popular flight simulation accessories from Logitech, Thrustmaster, and Fanatec.
· Redbird Flight Simulations, high quality flight training devices for flight schools, colleges, and individual pilots around the world.
· Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, a fully accredited world-wide university specializing in aviation and aerospace with residential campuses in Daytona Beach, FL and Prescott, AZ, and worldwide online through its Worldwide Campus.
Speakers
Featured speaker: Randy "Duke" Cunningham is one of the most highly decorated United States Navy pilots and part of the ONLY Navy crew to be considered “flying aces” in the Vietnam War. Duke was the inspiration for the character "Maverick", played by Tom Cruise in the 1986 block-buster movie "Top Gun", as he was a famed instructor at the U.S. Navy's Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) at Miramar Naval Air Station. As part of the elite Navy Adversary Squadron, Cunningham flew Russian tactics and formations against America's best combat fighter pilots as they trained using realistic air-to-air combat situations. Duke will be on hand delivering multiple presentations on the exhibitor floor, as part of the MiG Master Exhibit.
Educational Speakers: FlightSimCon will offer eight educational seminars across the two-day conference with a diverse group of expert speakers who offer unique insight, tips and techniques for simmers, including benefits of online flying as a tool to maintain flying skills. Topics will help attendees gain deeper understanding of the aspects of pilot life, building and working with simulators, including X-Plane interfaces, manufacturing for the flight sim industry, and, of course, tales of soaring the skies, in both reality and simulation. Q&A will be offered during sessions.
To date, FlightSimCon 2018 has confirmed the following speakers:
· Matt Bailey, active pilot, X-Plane simulator interface builder and life-long aviation enthusiast.
o TOPIC: Life-Long Aviation Enthusiast and Active Pilot - Covering the basics of Arduino microcontrollers, the X-Plane API, and how to make the two talk to each other. The internals of some aircraft instrument types will also be discussed, as well as ways to modify real instruments to make them easier to drive with a PC.
· Ethan Hawes, First Officer on the Embraer 170/75, Pilot Talent Acquisition Team Member for Republic Airlines and an active member of the VATSIM and flight sim community for over 12 years.
o TOPIC: Presentation aimed toward helping layout the various paths simmers can take to reach real flying (both recreationally and to a professional level). This includes funding options and opportunities for financial help.
o TOPIC: USB to PIC - Connecting flying tips and techniques used in the real world with the simulator through the Flight Simulator to Real World Pilot Progression. Information that will allow any simmer, no matter how serious, to take their sim game to the next level and have a better overall experience. This session will also help teach workflow and cockpit organization in addition to other handy techniques used on a day to day basis in cockpits all over the world.
· Bart Waclawik, owner of Volair Sim, a manufacturer of flight sim chassis systems and an active commercially-rated instrument pilot.
o TOPIC: Flight Simulation as a Tool to Enhance Flight Proficiency for the General Aviation Pilot – The presentation will focus on examples of using flight simulator as a tool for an active pilot or student to maintain and enhance proficiency for VFR and IFR flying. Bart is the owner of Volair Sim, manufacturer of flight sim chassis systems. Bart is an active commercially-rated instrument pilot and an aircraft owner and uses flight simulation to stay sharp and maintain his flying skills.
· Sebastian Knoop-Troullier, real-world pilot, currently pursuing his commercial license, controller on the VATSIM network in the Houston ARTCC and long-time user of FSX and Prepar3d, primarily using Boeing aircraft.
o TOPIC: Flying Online on VATSIM and PilotEdge - An introduction to flying online with your flight simulator. How to get online, what to expect and a sample flight online. Also, an introduction to the ATOP (b737.com) for anyone who had always wanted fly a full motion 737 simulator.
· Tyler Beals, United States Air Force airman and Deputy Air Traffic Manager, VATSIM Denver ARTCC.
o TOPIC: Flight Sim to Real World ATC - Transition from flight simulation enthusiast to real-world air traffic control and how flight sim helped his career. Common mistakes pilots make flying with ATC online and how to prevent these errors.
· Sam Johnson, Public Relations Coordinator – IVAO, North America Region
o TOPIC: Flying on an On-Line Aviation Network –You might be familiar with online flying aviation networks like VATSIM and IVAO, but did you know that they offer so much more than just being able to connect to interact with other people while you fly? In this seminar Sam will go over all the benefits of flying online and how it will help you in your real-world aviation training as well as pros and cons of various sim networks and how to get started on one.
· Rick Todd, CFII, MEI, AGI, IGI; President of the National Association of Flight Instructors
o TOPIC: How Flight Sim Turned Me into an Aviation Nut and Professional Flight Instructor - An in depth look at his roots and how Rick became a professional pilot and flight instructor. The seminar will bring light to how supplementing your pilot skills with simulation experience makes someone a better pilot.
· Ethan Weimer, Flight simmer since 2007, Professional Aviation Flight Technology major at Indiana State University
o TOPIC: Integration of Simulator Technology in Flight Training (co-presenting with Corey Maisonneuve) - A comprehensive discussion on the integration of flight simulators from multiple perspectives including enthusiast, collegiate, and professional levels. In addition, they will give in insight into being instructors on a King Air B200 Sim.
· Corey Maisonneuve, aviation aficionado flight simmer since he was 7, Professional Flight major at Indiana State University, instructor in a B200 Super King Air Sim and Redbird FTDs
o TOPIC: Integration of Simulator Technology in Flight Training (co-presenting with Ethan Weimer) - A comprehensive discussion on the integration of flight simulators from multiple perspectives including enthusiast, collegiate, and professional levels. In addition, they will give in insight into being instructors on a King Air B200 Sim.
NOTE: Schedules, exhibitors and highlights may vary. For the latest information go to FlightSimCon.com, as well as its social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About FlightSimCon - www.FlightSimCon.com – Facebook–Twitter: @FltSimCon–IG: @FlightSimCon
FlightSimCon is an aviation and flight simulation conference designed to bring pilots, air traffic controllers, students, flight simmers, cockpit builders and aviation enthusiasts together in an interactive social setting. Conference attendees will have the opportunity to meet others in the industry and flight sim communities, experience how online flight simulation can benefit student and rated pilots and air traffic controllers and engage with exhibitors and speakers to learn about connecting flight simulation with real world aviation.
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Visit the FlightSimCon (FSC) Homepage for further information.
