Free simulator rides thrill hundreds. Benefits Saginaw Valley Naval Museum.
June 14, 2003
By: Stephen Kent
The Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum sponsored a visit by the US Navy's Jet Fighter Flight Simulator to Bay City. The visit was a fund raiser for the group's effort to bring the historic USS Charles F. Adams guided missile destroyer from Philadelphia to Bay City where it will be the center piece of the new Naval Ship Museum. The visit was also an opportunity for Navy Recruiters to meet the people of the Bay Area.
The simulator isa totally self contained unit transported by truck and trailer. Wide bench seats inside the simulator comfortably accommodate 20 people. When the doors close, the interior is dark except for the large projection screen in front. The fast action hydraulic system lifts, tilts and dips the simulator to give a very realistic sensation of actually riding in the fighter jet.
There are two programs running, a ride with the Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team and an aircraft carrier take off and landing. Each program lasts about five minutes. It takes another 10 minutes to load and unload. Navy personnel manning the exhibit said that the line was always about 100 people long throughout the exhibit so the wait was generally an hour.
The demonstration rides were free to the public. The Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum was accepting contributions toward their effort to bring the Adams to Bay City.
