When the rest of the world was making sourdough bread, cleaning up the house, or ordering a new bunker in the spring of 2020 when the lockdowns began, this dad started building a flight simulator in his home garage. As one does.
That last part is a joke: not everyone wakes up one morning to decide they want to build a flight simulator, let alone the most realistic Boeing 737-800 (NGX) cockpit to offer the most immersive experience possible, short of actually getting behind the controls of one and flying the thing. But Alberto Paduanelli is not everyone, as his now-viral story proves.
Alberto Paduanelli is a medical device auditor living in Hampshire, UK. Because of his job, he travels a lot, and most of the time, he does it by plane, but his love of aviation goes deeper than that. In a recent interview with the local media, Alberto says it's probably linked to the flight simulation video game he got as a present from his uncle when he was still a mere toddler or when he discovered Italian aviation magazines.
Alberto studied electrical engineering in school, so he didn't follow this passion for aviation in his younger years. But when the lockdowns started in early 2020, he realized this was the perfect "now or never" moment to pursue his dream. He settled for "now" and started building the flight simulator that just turned him into a viral star.
Photo: ALPA Simulation
Considering how much time and money he invested into the project, this kind of exposure must be welcome, if a bit late. Alberto says he worked on the simulator for 3 and a half years, because he could only put in the time at the weekends. As for the budget, he blew past it long before he even started seeing the finish line, but he estimates he spent about £130,000 ($165,00 at the current exchange rate) in total.
Today, the simulator offers all types of experiences, which makes it a great tool for fun, education, or even actual training. The program offers 37,000 airports to choose from, and weather and temperature data is conveyed in real-time, with random or customized emergencies, and a string of scenarios to choose from.
The cockpit of a Boeing 737-800 has been recreated with painstaking details, down to all the gauges, levers, and buttons. Alberto says even real-life Ryanair and British Air captains stopped by to see the simulator and proclaimed it as good as the real thing.
When the work was done, Alberto realized there was potential to his little home project beyond the occasional use as a hangout for friends at the weekends, so he launched ALPA Simulation, which charges customers for the experience. Packages range from £79.99 ($101) for the 60 to 90-minute open sky session to £169.99 ($216) for the 6-hour mixed/customized package, and as many as four people can sit in for a simulation.
Alberto is also doing research to see if he can use the simulator in some kind of program that would prepare cadets and pilots for interviews.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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