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The booking process was friendly, informative and helped me avoid going down the route of cheaper, less accurate simulators offered by some other companies I had looked at. The pilot called me a few days before and offered to start the briefing at 19:00 rather than the originally offered 20:00, which gave me an hour of extra prep time. This was invaluable, and allowed me to get much more out of the two hours in the simulator. He explained the profile, instruments, handling and various other topics at a level of detail I could understand and was patient when I needed to cover anything twice. The BMI facility is of extraordinary quality, and the 737 simulator itself was so convincing that I could feel the texture of the imperfections in the runway surface as we rolled along it! My pilot coaxed me through take-off's, climb outs, basic handling (standard bank turns, climbs, descents, climbing turns etc), visual and ILS approaches and a couple of aborted take-offs. He gradually increased the workload as I improved, which kept the learning curve at my maximum capacity (and beyond it a couple of times!) throughout. In addition he would throw random questions at me to see if I had any spare capacity to think, in addition to flying the aeroplane. I have my CTC Wings Phase 4 737 simulator assessment in a couple of days and I now feel much more confident that I will be able to handle it than before the training session. Initially I thought that the session would not be worth the money, but having completed the session I can honestly say that it was one of the best investments I have ever made; the return in terms of skill, confidence and sheer enjoyment has been tremendous. Thank you very much for providing such an excellent quality of service throughout.
JIM
Addition: Jim passed his CTC Wings assessment, and has been accepted into the scheme.
Just a quick letter to thank you and your wonderful team in helping me successfully pass my Qantas interview. From the very beginning you and your team were upfront and helpful in accomodating my last minute booking. You also took the time to ensure that we flew the program that I wanted which included changing the power readings. On the night Martin was very helpful and his years of experience showed through. I would highly recommend you to anyone that was looking to do some sim preparation as it put me at ease on the big day. Once again, thank you Mark and Martin for helping me get the job I always wanted. Regards.
MARCO MOREIRA
Just an email to give you guys a BIG thank you at Virtual Aviation for the first class training I received for preparation for my 737 checkride for a pilot sponsorship! I passed! The training was very professional and dominated with standard procedures which any examiner loves to see. It gave me the confidence and the experience I needed to handle a 737 jet safely and smoothly! Virtual Aviation is definitely a training establishment I wouldn't hesitate to recommend! What can I say, it has opened the door for my schoolboy's dream of airline flight training! Legends! Best regards.
PP
Fantastic service!! I found Mark so very helpful and supportive from the moment I first contacted Virtual Aviation. He provided me with all the latest feedback he had received giving me a really good background for my forthcoming airline selection. My sim instructor (a current line Captain with the airline I was being interviewed for) was superb. Having not flown a jet simulator for over two years, I was anxious and the simulator session allowed me to familiarise myself with the handling characteristics of the B737-300 plus the cockpit layout. The time was mine to do what I wanted so that I would feel confident walking into a simulator assessment. That in itself was invaluable. I was successfully invited for a sim check and I went into the simulator feeling far more relaxed and happier than I would have been if I had not used VA. All I can say is that despite the initial cost the experience was worth its weight in gold…..I’m in the holding pool and awaiting the start date for my type rating!!! I cannot recommend VA highly enough – they were brilliant!!!
ANON
Not much to say other than excellent service, excellent instruction, and most importantly I got the job! Thank you.
PAUL KINSELLA
The simulator training was in my opinion money very well spent. I spent 2 hours in the 737-800 before a Ryanair sim check. I got the job and the assessment went very well. The instructor was very good which ensured I learnt the maximum from the session. I would strongly advise anyone with an upcoming sim ride with an airline to visit VA first - worth every penny!
EDWARD S
I would wholeheartedly recommend Virtual Aviation's Simulator Assessment Training course to anyone with an upcoming interview or sim ride. I found the whole experience, from booking, right through to the sim session itself to be professional, friendly and specifically tailored to my needs. The instructor was current and experienced on type and was able to import lots of his knowledge during the sim session. The time spent practising the known departure and approach profiles, manual handling and use of the automatics gave me the familiarity and confidence to perform well on the actual day and undoubtedly contributed to me passing the selection and being offered my first job! Thanks to all at VA.
NEIL W
After the sim session with Virtual Aviation I certainly felt a lot more confident about my sim assessment. Anyway I got the job so I believe that is testament to the success of the training I received. In my opinion the fee was a very small price to pay as I really do not believe I would have been successful without the chance to practice in a good quality simulator. If you are thinking that you may need to have a pre-ride then Virtual Aviation is the way ahead.
CHRIS SPARKS
Overall I was extremely happy with the service I received. Dave is a great instructor, and couldn't do enough to help. This was not only in the context of the sim (pre, during and after), but also offering more general advice - a pleasure to have met! There is no doubt that the sim provided me with a vital boost in my preparation for my assessment, and now I wait with baited breath to see if I have passed! I did receive a call from Mark today, and will let both you and Dave know the outcome when I hear. Best wishes to you and thanks! p.s. - Further to the above, have just found out that I passed!
J O
I was very pleased with the simulator training. We covered a lot of topics, had time to improve on them and build my confidence handling the B747-400. My instructor, Nick Oak, was very good! He was able to explain things very well indeed, help out with extra subjects covered for the interview, and was very efficient with the time. Personally I feel the whole experience was very beneficial and the team at Virtual Aviation were friendly, polite and extremely professional! I was able to go out to Hong Kong with confidence and enthusiasm. I have been offered a position with Cathay Pacific - it was well worth the time. I would recommend it to anyone. Thanks guys!
ALLY S
Some good news... I passed the Ryanair sim assessment. I feel that the 2 hours in the simulator at Luton really helped. I was both at home and confident when in the sim doing the assessment. I feel that I under-performed in my technical interview, and believe that my simulator performance made up for this. Thank you for your help. It was worth every penny.
ANON
Thank you for a very friendly and professional service! With your help I passed my assessment and got the job with Air Malta! Please send my thanks to Martin.
OLIVER M
Sim session was very good, excellent brief and flying covered everything I was going to do on my assessment, with some very good tips. The session was cut short due to a sim glitch but that's life and I got a refund for the lost time. All in all, very good and most importantly I got the job! So money well spent. Cheers.
PAUL T
You may remember that I had a four hour sim session in the B737 sim at Luton on 15th December. This was with Simon Taylor in preparation for my sim assessment with Ryanair the following Wednesday. Fortunately the assessment went well and I was offered a job, starting 19th February. Simon's information was perfect. We did indeed fly the WAL2T from Liverpool, returning for the NDB rwy 27. Please pass on my thanks to Simon for an excellent sim session. Not only was the experience vital practice for the assessment, but I also thoroughly enjoyed myself as well.
DAVE H
Just to let you know, following the sim I did with Gerard at Luton about 6 weeks ago, I have had an interview and sim ride with bmibaby, and have been offered a job flying 737s out of East Midlands. So, once again, thanks very much indeed for your help - I doubt I would have passed had I not at least experienced the sim beforehand. Please pass on my thanks once again to Gerard. I thoroughly recommend a couple of hours in the sim for anyone who has not flown or experienced an EFIS-equipped jet airliner in preparation for an assessment. Once again, many thanks.
ROB F
I’ve just got one thing to tell you....I got the job! The simulator prep was worth every penny. So the thank you for all your help.
ANDREW B
Hi there, just a quick note to thank my instructor Nick for all his help and advice, which was second to none. I was initially a bit anxious about dishing out all the cash but looking back I think the advice and extra practice I got was invaluable. I walked into my sim check knowing that I was fully prepared and although I was still a little nervous (well maybe a bit more than a little), I certainly had mountains more confidence than I would have done and luckily got all the silly little blunders out of the way with Nick in the sim. Also thanks to James who dealt with my booking and managed to find me a slot after I kept changing the date so often.
RACHAEL J
The initial service provided by Virtual Aviation was very helpful, polite and informative. I was impressed by the company's flexibility and their adeptness to secure a sim slot at relatively short notice and at a reasonable time of day. The simulator instructor was a current line pilot on type who had a good knowledge of the profile I had been given to fly by the company concerned. Thanks largely to his assistance I successfully passed the assessment the following day and I am currently waiting on a date to start the type rating with a major UK airline. In summary, had I not made the decision to use Virtual Aviation, I would not be in a position to finally realise my dream. Thank you.
STEVE
Sorry about the delay in getting back to you. My feet have hardly touched the ground in the last few weeks! I used Virtual Aviation to hire a B737 simulator prior to having a sim check for a jet job. I found you extremely helpful and communicative during the booking process, and keen to help out with any queries I had. On the day my instructor was excellent, and there is no doubt that having two hours practice before a sim check can sharpen your skills and boost your confidence on the day. The customer service, instructor and simulator were all first rate. As for whether or not you want to spend a grand before a sim check depends largely on how much you want to get that job. It is a personal choice, I spent the money and got the job, so no regrets on my part. In future I would use you again and recommend you to any friends looking to hire a simulator for a couple of hours. Thanks again.
ANON
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Flown with us recently? We would appreciate your feedback. Please send your comments to: comments@virtualaviation.co.uk
I booked two hours with Virtual Aviation in a 737 simulator in preparation for an airline assessment. I was hesitant to spend so much money at first but the experience turned out to be worth every penny. Mark managed to fit me in at very short notice and he was able to give me some recent feedback from a previous candidate. The instructor (Dave) was excellent; he had airline experience and was an extremely thorough and patient instructor. The session gave me the chance to get used to flying the 737 and to make all the mistakes I would otherwise have made during the assessment. Being able to fly the profile and receive two hours of instruction added to my confidence and undoubtedly helped me to pass the assessment. I would highly recommend Virtual Aviation in the future. Thanks for your help.
TT
Many thanks to Dave, very experienced and professional throughout. The whole experience was great fun and has given me the confidence to enjoy my type rating course. Bring on the B737-800! Best regards.
NICK H
Dave was great! By doing the Simulator Assessment Training I got a good feel for the sim, and Dave gave me all the info and confidence i needed to pass the sim check. I would advise anybody with a major airline sim check coming up to do this training. Money well spent! I got the job and start on the A320 in June. Many thanks.
RZ
From start to finish Virtual Aviation provided a very professional service from which I learned a great deal. The instructor provided was very helpful throughout and provided me with some very reliable techniques to fly the 737 accurately. Overall, Virtual Aviation is well worth trying if you're coming up for an airline sim check, the invaluable information and hands-on experience has helped me a great deal, so much so that four days after my visit I got my dream job on the 737. Thank you Virtual Aviation!
ANDREW H
A very useful evening and well worth the investment. Instructor was excellent and understood the airline recruitment process and how the sim worked. Start my airline course on 29th May! Many thanks.
SIMON
Just a quick note to thank you for arranging a sim session for me at short notice. The session was extremely useful and undoubtedly contributed significantly to me obtaining a job offer. I would also like to make a special mention regarding your sim instructor Andy Pankhurst. His knowledge, professionalism, experience and guidance was excellent and his enthusiasm and dedication to the task in hand was outstanding. Many thanks.
IAN B
Excellent session. Bob was full of encouragement and great advice. I felt totally prepared for my assessment and am pleased to say that I passed. I have since been offered another job with an airline and will be taking them up on their offer. I start next week.
DANIEL J
The experience was outstanding, and really helped for my simulator check with BMI which resulted in a successful outcome. My thanks to Marcus Bass and Virtual Aviation for their help in achieving my dream.
RICHARD S
I opted to attend a two-hour simulator session in preparation for my upcoming BMI sim ride. My instructor had a positive, friendly disposition and was extremely knowledgeable of both the aircraft and the airline profile. This saved copious amounts of time once in the sim. The instruction was truly fantastic and it enabled me to grasp the basic handling of the aircraft in minimal time, to the extent that, at the end of the two-hour detail, I was feeling very confident with the Airbus and the content of the profile. I went on to pass the BMI sim ride and expect a course date for the A320 late summer. Many thanks to Ben and the team at VA, I'm very grateful.
GEOFF M
Thoroughly enjoyed the session, a great confidence booster prior to a Ryanair sim check. Martin Apperly who was my instructor was very knowledgeable about both the aircraft and what to expect on the day. As it was my first airline sim check, I found the information invaluable. The timing of the Virtual Aviation session was just before the big day, the flexibility and availability I was given, again contributed to my performance on the day. I have no regrets about booking the session and would recommend to anyone I know in the industry. As for the outcome, well I got the job! Thanks for all your help.
ANON
You will recall I booked a session on the 737-300 simulator at Luton on the 19th February, which was later changed to the 4th February prior to my easyJet interview. Firstly, thank you for being so helpful in rearranging the simulator session date after easyJet rescheduled the interview at short notice. Secondly, I would like to thank Simon Taylor who conducted the two-hour session in the 737 simulator. The experience was invaluable and great preparation for the subsequent easyJet selection process. I do believe it helped me secure my positive result and I have now accepted their direct entry command offer of an Airbus A319 course in the summer. Many thanks.
RICHARD G
Just wanted to say thanks very much – I passed the sim (now in the hold pool, expecting A320 in April). On the day, I felt it went as well as I could possibly have hoped for. My handling was good, and both the approaches that I flew went on rails. The work that we did in the sim was great – as you suggested, no need to get strung up on the systems, as they are all explained adequately by the TRE, so I’m glad we did as much manual flying as possible. Thanks once again.
NEIL C
Thanks so much for all your help organising my sim ride at such short notice - it certainly paid off as I have just been offered a job with Thomsonfly and start in two weeks! I don’t think I would have made it had it not been for the simulator practice session I did with Mark beforehand. I went to my interview full of the confidence I was so much lacking before. Thank you!
DAVID F
I cannot thank the team at Virtual Aviation enough for facilitating me at such short notice. As is the nature of the industry and hiring process of many airlines I received that much awaited phone call for an airline selection with very little notice, however I had less then a week to prepare and find myself some sim time to get me up to scratch. My first point of contact was James, who found me not only some sim time on the particular sim type that my selection was to be conducted in but also sourced two very experienced captains who certainly helped sharpen my very rusty skills. As a result of this preparation I became well versed in the do's and dont's for a sim check and as such found the selection day somewhat straight forward and I felt well prepared. I can happily inform you guys I got the job beating off more experienced yet less prepared candidates, this success I can hugely attribute to both Chris and Mark's sim session. I still cant stop grinning flying the line now in my new Airbus compared to Cessnas, in the space of a few weeks. To anyone still looking for the first jet job "never give up" but do not hesitate to book some sim time for practice. After spending a small fortune to get to this point, why sell yourself short in a selection day. Incidentally, I had a modular background with the standard 200 odd hours.
KEN D
A couple of weeks ago my friend Andy and I did a practice for a BMI sim check on the A320 with you at Virtual Aviation. You weren't sure where we were going to get the engine failure, before or on the ILS. I think it may vary depending on which Captain assesses you, but our Captain sort of froze the aircraft in space while on an intercept for the ILS in a fully clean configuration. Andy's and my sim check went well, I personally flew it tens times better than when I was with you. Doing the practice was worth every penny. Andy and I both got offered the job with BMI last week. We also got job offers with BA Connect which was a bonus. Needless to say we have both opted for BMI and start our type rating in April. Thanks again for your help.
JOHN C
Very efficient and worthwhile experience. Thorough briefing on the profile and what to expect, followed by the sim session where it was possible to practice any difficulties encountered, and reposition to save time and get the maximum benefit from the experience.
LOUISE F
It's Jason from the 12th & 14th Jan sim sessions. Just wanted to let you know the sim check with BMI went extremely well. The practice sessions I had proved invaluable. I got my contract through on Friday! I shall be flying out of Heathrow on the A320, I start my type-rating on 4th April. Thank you for all of your help, I have recommended Virtual Aviation to Oxford. Once again, thank you! I hope to see you about soon.
JASON L
As far as negative comments are concerned, the only ones I can think of are my own performance during the session! As far as Marcus is concerned, well he was patient and more than helpful. Although I struggled to grasp some of the advice and tips he gave at the time, after reflecting on them the following day I have no doubt they played the major part in my success in the sim check. I am now due to start my BMI A320 type rating and believe I owe a great deal of this to both Marcus and Virtual Aviation. With thanks.
MARK D
I was very pleased with the service that was provided. I had not had a chance to fly for six months when I was offered a sim check. On short notice, Virtual Aviation were able to find me some sim availability and were available whenever I called. The sim itself was very good. The instructor really knew how to put you at ease and the instruction he gave was to a high standard. The helpful hints he gave I think really played a large part in me passing my sim check and i thank my instructor and everyone at Virtual Aviation for all their help.
MARK R
I booked two 2hr slots in the 747-400 sim in preparation for a major UK airline assessment. There was a difference between the two training centres (one uses N1, the other uses EPR) but I didn't feel at all disadvantaged by this, if anything it forced me to react to the throttle setting I'd used and fine tune it rather than just set numbers and hope for the best. The level of instruction (speaking as a simulator instructor in the RN) was professional, friendly and sympathetic to my needs. I would particularly like to praise Roger Brown who arranged to meet me 30 minutes earlier than normal to complete a very thorough brief which included giving me notes to take away to aid my preparation. He had obviously given my case a considerable amount of thought in order to give me the best package possible and by doing so give me the best value for money. He advised me to concentrate on flying aspects rather than airborne planning which paid off because the one thing I was relaxed about was my ability to fly the aircraft relatively accurately. The only thing that may have been beneficial to me would be to have acted as the Non-Flying Pilot for a SID to get an appreciation for the workload that would be expected. I definitely felt a little out of my comfort zone on the first sector when acting as NFP during the initial stages. Ultimately I was successful and am now sitting in the airline hold pool waiting for a call. Thanks to the preparation I had in advance with you I managed to overcome and come out with a successful outcome. Once again, many thanks.
D MURPHY
I found the instruction given to be of a very high standard, and exactly what I needed. The instructor was very friendly and explained everything in such a way which made it very easy to understand. Thanks very much and I am glad to say that I passed my sim check. I would recommend highly to anybody with a sim check in the pipeline.
CHRIS E
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