Flight simulator in Dorval | Is there a pilot on the plane ? Yes, but it begins!

Alongside the name of Robert Piché, the Transat pilot who saved the lives of some 300 passengers, we could include that of Théo Rivière. This instructor caught up, at the very last minute, with our three failed landing attempts at the controls of an A320. Slight nuance: we were testing the brand new flight simulator open to the general public at the Marriott hotel at Montreal airport.

“Captain Sarrazin here, please buckle up, we will be landing in a few minutes. Uh, wait, the lever to extend the landing gear, which one is it again? And why does it beep, beep, beep? »

Panic. Furiously flashing red lights. The runway is approaching, the plane is all crooked. It smells like a crash. Luckily, no one was hurt in the incident except for the self-respect of aspiring Captain Sarrazin. And even if all this was only a virtual exercise, a few drops of sweat still beaded on his back.

In fact, the experience is not so virtual.

AviaSim has just installed a flight simulator identically reproducing a real Airbus A320 cockpit, with its slew of buttons, controls, joysticks and indicator lights.

Behind the cockpit windows, a panoramic screen showing one of the 24,000 banked airport destinations. In our ears, the roar of engines. At our side, a professional instructor pilot, who guides us through this jungle of switches and manipulations to be carried out. That day, it was Captain Théo Rivière, five years of flying behind the tie, who demystified for us the mysteries of aeronautics, his jargon — and also caught up, as co-pilot, for our blunders.

“All these buttons, it may seem impressive, but it’s not that complicated. This large section is used for the lights, this one for the heating of the cabin, here it is for the fuel,” he explains.

For about ten minutes, he reviews each element of the cockpit, taking great care to dissect its role and operation. Fundamentally interesting information, explaining certain mysterious noises frequently heard by porthole regulars. For example, did you know that there is a significant time lag between when the throttle is engaged and when the engines actually start pushing? “With some large engines, the delay can reach 9 seconds, the time for the blades to start rotating,” warns Mr. Rivière.

Do like the bird

After this express training, take-off is imminent. First playground: Montreal, where we will fly over the city before landing in Dorval. Finding yourself installed in the commander’s seat and handling real controls is a bit like the 7^e sky. “Getting into the cockpit of an aircraft is not always easy, but with the simulator, people have access to it and can get an experience with an A320”, underlines the instructor who, as a child, loved to visit cockpits.

Authorization granted: the “handbrake” of the aircraft is removed, the throttle grip is rotated halfway. Fuel OK. Engine temperature OK. Pilot not so OK, but we will do with it. Full throttle, the engines revved up with their characteristic blast, and the track rolled by. “Come on, let’s pull on the handle”, guides Théo Rivière. Mount Royal and the Olympic Stadium loom below. Folding the landing gear. Gas reduction. Good flight !

We then execute turns and familiarize ourselves with the sensitivity of the handle (fortunately, the dashboard does not indicate the number of coffees spilled in the cabin).

The fidelity of the reproduction of the landscapes on the screen, coupled with the tangible cockpit, makes the experience very immersive.

The time comes to attempt an approach for landing. “The important thing is to anticipate your turns well in order to line up on the track”, recommends the (real) driver. Light indicators installed on the ground, at the entrance to the runway, confirm whether the landing altitude is good or not; too many red lights or too many white lights: correct your position — the kind of detail you never see as a passenger.

The tarmac thickens, the wheels are out, but red alerts are triggered: bad speed, bad altitude, positioning of the wings askew. The crash would have been imminent if co-pilot Rivière had not regained control of the A320 at the last second to land it without damage. Fun and exciting, but not easy!

Fly Me

One of the beauties of the simulator is being able to choose your city from thousands of destinations. We took a trip to Saint-Martin, famous for its beach grazed by planes, as well as to La Paz, to revive some memories and feast on the surrounding Andes. Magnificent ! Well, there too, the landings were chaotic, despite optimal flight conditions. Some packages also make it more difficult.

“We can add fog, clouds, storms, wind, sunrise or sunset, icing…”, lists Mr. Rivière, who also shed light for us on the reasons behind the dramas of the Air France 447 flights. (Rio-Paris) and 214 from Asiana Airlines (missed landing in San Francisco). “If a customer wants a disaster scenario, like a fire on board, it’s possible to program it in the simulator,” he slips.

But enough of air accidents, this semi-virtual cockpit is above all focused on the pleasure of flying and learning more about the aircraft and its piloting. It will certainly delight aviation enthusiasts, those who dream of becoming pilots, or even frequent passengers curious to discover behind the scenes of a flight. Children can participate from 10 years old, and the cabin can accommodate up to three companions. “It can be very useful for those who have fears when flying, it reassures them to see that everything is under control. We also organize team reinforcements [team building] says Mr. Rivière.