JETEX – Mike Pero’s B737 Flight Simulator
Mike Pero is a name many recognize from his time as the face of a prominent real estate franchise, but there’s much more to his story. At heart, Mike is an aviation enthusiast. Back in the 1980s, he flew for Mount Cook Airlines and has nurtured a passion for aviation for over 40 years.
Standing proud, as a Piper Chieftain pilot for Mount Cook Airline, Mike Pero flew regional routes out of Auckland.
Although he left commercial flying in 1990, his love for aviation never faded. Even while succeeding in real estate, flying was never far from his thoughts. In recent years, Mike decided to pursue his passion further and stumbled upon a Boeing 737 flight simulator for sale in Brisbane. Mike knew it belonged in Christchurch. This happened within a few months and with upgrades including projectors, computers and sound system it’s like new again.
The Simulator: A Professional Experience
This simulator was built for the industry back in the early 2000s’ but like the aircraft it remains very much the same. The 800s are today the most popular 737 ever built. The simulator is referred to as a Fixed Base Synthetic Flight Training Device, certified by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
This is no home computer video game equivalent we are talking about. This is a big beastie. It replicates the pointy end of the B737. In scale and amenity. A replica of an actual flight deck. Not only are the tech crew seats in there but there are also two jump seats behind them (with plenty of leg room), and places to hang your uniform jackets and stow your flight bags!
Measuring about 3m x 3m and accompanied by a 2m high stack of computers controlling the software that drives the hardware, the difference between a home computer game and this magnificent beast is like day and night. This is an authentic sensory experience. It isn’t virtual reality – it’s functional reality - and the audio and visuals are so convincing that the fact it is a static simulator is lost on most people because the brain is convinced you are moving as the visual graphics suggests. The high definition 3D visuals, placed beyond the flight deck windows replicate the real world, right down to the smallest details.
The haptic feedback, including pressure and vibration, when handling the controls replicates the real thing.
Sim graphics of Queenstown airport
From Passion Project to Business
Originally, Mike intended the simulator for personal use, but after sharing it with fellow pilots and industry experts, he realized its potential as a business. By early 2020, the simulator was, once again, fully operational. Despite the challenges of COVID-19, Mike launched the venture under the name “Flight Experience.”
For the first two years of the pandemic, the sim was crewed by pilots furloughed by the pandemic impacts on aviation, giving clients the experience of a lifetime. However, as aviation began to recover, the instructors started to return to their respective airlines. Ironically, and at the same time, a number of senior pilots from Air NZ and Virgin decided to take up the voluntary redundancies. Today, Jetex consist of eight instructors with a huge amount of collective flying hours and wisdom.
“I’m very proud to have a great bunch of guys who love coming to work and sharing their knowledge with the next generation. More than ever before we have a constant stream of young pilots preparing for interviews with airlines - and who better to train them than the senior captains. It’s an awesome environment!” says Pero
Some observations Mike has made since being in operation is that you can’t judge ability by appearance. Also, some people may start off roughly but as they get a feel for flight, they polish up nicely, often executing good landings – and when you consider that a B737’s landing speed is about 250kph, that’s saying something! There is a saying in aviation that every landing that isn’t an uncontrolled crash is a great landing. Therefore, it’s understandable that clients are often very proud of their efforts when they manage a landing – whether it’s a multiple bouncer or a smooth as butter landing.
Customers can fly real time flights – all seems pretty easy if you’re with a Captain with 25,000 hours experience.
Kids as young as eight have handled the B737 beautifully as they concentrate – following instruction and guidance given. Mind you, being so small, some have to stand at the controls rather than be seated. When standing is the requirement, the instructor will operate the rudder pedals.
John recalls an accountant who came up from Ashburton. He had never flown before, but he was able to follow every instruction and consequently flew the B737 with stunning accuracy.
The JETEX Experience
Sessions range from 30 to 90 minutes, with popular destinations like Queenstown, Los Angeles, and the iconic Kai Tak Airport. However, the database has an extensive list of destinations to choose from.
I asked John to run me through what an instructor does in the simulator, from preparation to taking a client through their paces.
When he arrives in the morning, the very first thing he has to do is flick the master switch on. It’s a big orange button, and that’s what gets the whole thing starting up. Next up is turning the sim computers on. A few minutes waiting is required as they load and at this point the visual screens become ‘live’ and ready for a departure airport to be selected.
The instructor needs to wait another six minutes before they are able to start the APU (Auxillary Power Unit). As this is a simulator which replicates reality, even starting the thing up is identical to starting a real aircraft from cold. The audio roars into life.
Once the APU is running the instructor goes through the normal pre flight checks. All control surfaces and the tiller need to be fully exercised to check for free and full movement. The flight deck power supply is then swapped from the ‘APU’ to the ‘engines’. The overhead panel is then set up for the upcoming flights.
John completing pre flight checks in the Sim
If the client has only booked a 30 minute session, John will get the ‘aircraft’ situated at the end of the runway ready for departure before going to greet and meet the clients(s).
John quickly establishes who is going to fly the session and then, without delay, the client is settled into the left hand seat. Friends and/or family can quietly observe from the jump seats behind. Often, people remark about how small the flight deck seems, having forgotten that the flight deck has to fit into the ‘pointy end’ of the aircraft where the roof, bottom and sides of the aircraft taper down to an aerodynamic shape for efficient flight.
Whilst getting the client settled into the lefthand seat, John is appraising whether they need cushions (if they are short) or if they can even reach the pedals (if they are kids) and therefore need to stand at the controls instead.
Immediately, the client gets a minute or two lesson on the principals of flight and John takes them through the handling of the aircraft via the control column. The emphasis being on only using subtle movements of the column to achieve what you are seeking to do. The artificial horizon is also explained as well as take off pitch and then, before you know it, the brakes are released, and the clients is hooning down the runway and lifting into the air.
All ages and all genders – there are a wide variety of customers. Its an experience that has motivated dozens of young people to reconsidering their career options.
The instructor acts as PM (Pilot Monitoring) and takes care of raising the landing gear and flaps. The length of time booked for the experience dictates the flight experience. From take off and then immediately landing at the same airport (for the 30 minute experience) to taxiing from the gate, taking off and flying to a difference airport, in a staggering array of flight conditions in the 90 minute experiences.
During the flight time, John demonstrates the auto pilot and if time allows, he demonstrates how to handle faults.
As we all know, all good things come to an end, and it is no different when flying in the sim. You’ve got to land the thing! The instructor will set up the ILS (Instrument Landing System) for approach and the client will be coached to bring the aircraft into land. Longer experience times also allow for practising taxiing to the gate.
Customers leave with a certificate of completion and an unforgettable memory. It’s an ideal gift for aviation enthusiasts of all ages.
Captain John Pauwels presents another happy customer with his completion certificate
Special Offer
To celebrate the recent rebrand to JETEX, and working with the Pauwels Flying Scholarship, Mike is offering a 20% discount on vouchers purchased before December 2, 2024. Use promo code PFS20BF when booking.
JETEX is located at 1 Hawthornden Rd, Avonhead, Christchurch.
For more information, visit jetex.co.nz.
