It’s 4:30pm on a nice autumn day, the sun stands deep in the west of Vienna, and during it’s decent the horizon’s color slowly changes to red. In the next minutes we will get a wonderful sunset here in Vienna. Unfortunately my copilot and I have no time to relax and join the sunset, because we are currently sitting in a Boeing 737-800 and our lineup at the runway 29 in Vienna Schwechat was a few minutes ago. A few seconds ago, Schwechat tower has given us the clearance for takeoff with the following impressive words: “OE-AKS, cleared for takeoff on runway 29”.

We have successfully completed our prestart checklists, my left hand holds the yoke of the Boeing 737-800, and my right hand is on the throttle lever, which I move very carefully forward. After both engines have established, I release the parking brake, and activate the auto-throttle, which takes the control and management of both engines. A few seconds after our acceleration, my copilot calls out “80 knots” to inform me that both speed indicators are showing the same speed. A few seconds after, my cocpilot calls-out “V1” and I take my right hand away from the throttle lever – now there is no return for us – we have to start whatever event occurs!

After a few seconds, my copilot calls-out “VR” and I rotate the nose of the Boeing for around 3° per seconds after we have reached an angle of climb of around 15°. After our climb angle is positive, my copilot retracts the landing gear, and I activate the auto-pilot, which flies us with the SID “SITNI 4C”, which we have programmed earlier on the FMC, through the west out of the airport Vienna. But then, a few seconds before we reach our next waypoint, the unavoidable occurs, for which we had danger till the takeoff in Vienna: the cockpit door opens, and someone says to us: “Honey, dinner is ready, will you now come!?”

You have though that this story occurred in a real Boeing 737-800? You are completely wrong – welcome to Flightdeck Breitenlee, a Boeing 737-800 flight simulator in Vienna! The Flightdeck Breitenlee is a home-build Boeing 737-800 flight simulator, planned, builded and programmed by Klaus Aschenbrenner, which is now rented for your flight experiences. Currently the Flightdeck Breitenlee is driven by 5 high-end computers, and in the final step the flight simulator will have around 9 – 10 computers working in a network!

Who hasn’t dreamed as a child, to fly a big airliner such as a Boeing or an Airbus around the world? But unfortunately this child dream doesn’t come alive for some of us. On the other hand, till 9/11 you had the chance to walk into the cockpit during a flight and join the crew on the so-called “Jump seat” and watch their work in the air. But after 9/11 there is now no chance to get into the cockpit anymore… The only left option is to visit a flight simulator, like the A320 flight simulator at the Vienna Aviation Campus hosted by Lufthansa Flight Training. But a whole flight hour costs here around € 800 – of course without any flight instructor! So it’s not a real alternative…

The Flightdeck Breitenlee provides you for a fair price an almost high realistic simulated Boeing 737-800 flight simulator, based on the Microsoft Flight Simulator FSX. The whole building time of the flight simulator took around 2 years, where the planning and the research already started in the beginnings of the year 2006. Currently the Flightdeck Breitenlee offers you the following systems for your VFR/IFR flights:

• The FMC (Flight Management Computer) simulates the whole pages of a Smiths CDU and enables you a complete flight planning with the creation of the necessary flight routes.
• The MCP (Mode Control Panel) includes the auto-pilot and simulates the following modes:
  • LNAV (in combination with the FMC)^
  • VNAV (in combination with the FMC)
  • HDG SEL
  • LVL CHG
  • VOR LOC
  • APP
  • ALT HOLD
  • V/S
  • SPEED
  • N1
• Through the EFIS you can control the ND display. The following modes are supported:
  • APP
  • VOR
  • MAP
  • PLAN
• The motorized (yes, the throttle levers are moving during auto-throttle mode!) throttle quadrant includes:
  • 2 motorized throttle levers
  • Parking brake
  • Speed-Brake
  • Flaps-Lever
• The MIP (Main Instrument Panel) includes:
  • 3 LCD monitors, which represents the whole glass-cockpit of the Boeing 737-800
  • All annunicators are fully simulated
  • Gear-Lever
  • Flaps-Gauge
  • Realistic Auto-Break System (RTO, 1, 2, 3, MAX)
• The center pedestal includes
  • 2x NAV Panel
  • 2x COM Panel
  • 2x ADF Panel
  • 2x Mic Selectors
  • Weather radar
  • TCAS Transponder
  • 1x SELCAL
  • Cargo Fire Panel
• The Instructor Station concluces the Flightdeck Breitenlee, with which all possible failures and errors can be introduced into the ongoing flight. You can also control the behavior of the weather within a few seconds. Do you wanted to do a CAT III landing in Vienna with fog and heavy crosswind on Runway 11? For the simulator it’s not a problem – and for you?

For further information about the Flightdeck Breitenlee you can directly contact Klaus Aschenbrenner, where you can also arrange the boarding for your first Boeing 737-800 flight on the pilot’s seat!

Klaus Aschenbrenner
Pichlgasse 16/6
A-1220 Wien
http://flightdeck.csharp.at
Klaus.Aschenbrenner@csharp.at
+43 676 833 04 341

The center pedestal

The center pedestal

The throttle quadrant

The EICAS

The PFD and ND

COM-, NAV- and ADF panels

The keypad of the CDU

Auto Break and Flaps Panel

The MCP