UK Man Builds Boeing 747 Sim In His Bedroom

Sun, 21 Oct '07 We Know What You're Thinking... "Date Magnet" A 47-year old British man ditched his job, and tossed his wife out of their home, to build a Boeing 747 flight simulator in his bedroom. John Davis, a graphic designer who holds a glider pilots license, runs a full-time flight simulation business from his home in Coventry, England. The device cost Davis around $31,000. Gizimodo.com reports he has spend the last eight years perfecting the Boeing flight simulator and cockpit, complete with car bucket seats for the flight ops positions. "The main screen measures 12 ft x 9 ft, and I made it myself, and there is a 19-inch flat screen on each side. The autopilot system, throttles and weather radar was sourced and purchased from the internet," said Davis. "The cockpit (the real thing is shown above -- Ed.) I made myself from wood. The software I use is a Microsoft Flight Simulator for the visuals, as well as the Aerowinx PS1, which has about 30 different programs." And how is the business from his home going? A little slow at the moment... but it was just started in June, according to Davis. Flight simulation from Davis' bedroom costs $130 USD per hour and $850 for six hours. Davis, who says he wasn't good enough at math to fly real aircraft, has logged about 2,500 hours in the 747 simulator. The simulator has taken up most of the room in his home. When asked what he keeps in his spare bedroom Davis replied, "there's no room for anything else -- that's why my wife had to go!"