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Virtual Cardinal gets rave reviews at Sun 'n Fun AOPA member Pete Kaiser, of Melbourne, Florida, coaches his 4-year-old son James on how to take off. And once airborne (after clipping a couple of trees), James climbs, descends, and rolls the 1977 Cessna Cardinal 177B. While James has is eyes fixed on the simulator, his father, who rents a Cirrus SR22, has his eye on the real thing: "I want to win the Cardinal." Darren Nodorft, 12, who occupied the second Catch-A-Cardinal simulator much of the morning, got unsolicited tips on how to fly the aircraft. "Don't stall," one passerby coached as he pushed forward on the simulator's yoke. Nordoft, who flies flight sims often and wants to be a pilot some day, explained the attitude he was trying to achieve for that elusive perfect landing, which eluded him again because of the distraction. AOPA members are also comparing the Cardinal module, created by Flight1 Aviation Technologies, to other Microsoft Flight Simulator aircraft, and so far it's getting two thumbs up. One member said that the control inputs for the Cardinal were smoother than the Cessnas that come on Microsoft Flight Simulator. So when the virtual Catch-A-Cardinal is ready for download later this summer, rest assured it will rise above the rest, just like the actual airplane AOPA is refurbishing. |
As aircraft engines roar overhead, children's giggles and squeals of delight reverberate through AOPA's Big Yellow Tent — not because of the aircraft flybys but because of the 
