Landed On Time 60 min. Max 1 Person

Taking the captain’s seat of a Boeing 737 is the main event here. You learn the cockpit, handle the controls, and choose both your departure and arrival airports. You can fly from Geneva to New York, take a visual tour over Hong Kong, Istanbul, or San Francisco, or pick from thousands of virtual airports.

I like the freedom to choose your route, since it lets you build a flight around places you know or dream of visiting. I also like the patient instruction from Jeroen, who has worked with beginners, children, and an aviation student. You do not need years of training to take part.

The main caution is practical, not airborne. One published account reports finding no working access code or responsive contact at the stated location. Confirm the venue and arrival details with Antwerp Flight Simulation Center before setting out, especially if you are buying this as a gift.

Key points

• A real Boeing 737 cockpit setup: Learn the basic controls while seated in the captain’s position.
• Choose both airports: Set off and land at airports from around the world.
• About 60 minutes in the pilot seat: Instructions and extra aviation details may extend your total visit to about 1 hour 45 minutes.
• Suitable for beginners: You receive an introduction to aviation, the cockpit, and aircraft controls before flying.
• One-person format: The advertised maximum is one person, making this a focused private activity.
• Several flight styles: Practice takeoffs and landings, complete a full flight, or request a visual city tour.

Taking the Captain’s Seat in Antwerp

This is not a quick button-pushing arcade game. The session begins with the basics of aviation and the Boeing 737 cockpit. You learn what the controls do before you are asked to use them, which matters if your only cockpit experience comes from watching airline crews work through a door.

The activity then moves into practical flying. You execute takeoff and landing sessions, followed by a full flight from an airport you choose to a destination you select. The format gives you a useful progression: first understand the controls, then try individual phases, then put them together.

The experience is designed for one person, with a private setting rather than a shared public group. That is good news if you want direct time at the controls and do not want to take turns with strangers. It is less ideal if you imagined a family activity where several people each fly for a few minutes.

The provider is Antwerp Flight Simulation Center. Jeroen is the named pilot and instructor connected with the experience. He has guided a child aged eight, an aviation student preparing for airline transport pilot training, and first-time flyers. That range suggests you can ask for a gentle introduction or a more technical session, though the exact instructor for your date should be confirmed before booking.

Learning the Boeing 737 Cockpit Before Takeoff

The opening lesson covers aviation basics, the Boeing 737 cockpit, and the aircraft controls. The supplied timing lists the activity at about one hour, but the 60 minutes refers to time in the pilot seat and does not include the introduction or other flight explanations.

That distinction is important when planning your day. One visit lasted about 1 hour 45 minutes in total. You should not book this with only a narrow gap between a train, restaurant reservation, or museum entry. Allow extra time for the briefing and any discussion before or after the flight.

I like this teaching-first approach. A simulator is most useful when you understand what you are trying to do. Without an explanation, the cockpit can feel like a wall of switches. With an instructor beside you, you can focus on the basic rhythm of flight: prepare, take off, control the aircraft, approach, and land.

You should still keep your expectations sensible. This is a safe way to learn the feel of controlling a plane, not a shortcut to a pilot’s license. The experience gives you a taste of cockpit work and basic aviation procedure. It does not replace professional flight training.

Choosing Airports From Around the World

The best creative feature is the route choice. You can select a departure airport and a different arrival airport from thousands of virtual airports around the world. That makes the session personal rather than a fixed demonstration.

You might choose a place connected to a real trip, a city you plan to visit, or two airports that simply sound interesting together. The information specifically offers the possibility of flying from Geneva to New York, showing that the route can connect very different destinations.

This flexibility also helps repeat visitors. You are not locked into the same takeoff and landing each time. A beginner may want a straightforward route that leaves more attention for the controls. Someone with aviation experience may prefer a more demanding airport or a longer flight plan.

The listing does not explain how much control you have over weather, aircraft settings, or flight conditions. Do not assume every feature of a professional training simulator is included. The safe expectation is that you can choose airports and complete takeoff, landing, and a full-flight session with guidance.

Practicing Takeoffs, Landings, and a Full Flight

The session includes takeoff and landing practice as well as a full flight. Each part has a different value.

Takeoff lets you get used to the basic controls and the need for steady input. It is an exciting first test because the aircraft changes from sitting still to climbing away from the airport. The instructor can explain the process before you try it, which makes this approachable for a first-time flyer.

Landing is likely to demand more patience. You must guide the aircraft toward the runway and manage the final approach. The experience is safe, so you can treat an imperfect landing as part of the learning rather than a costly mistake. If you are booking for a child, the ability to try without real-world risk is a major part of the appeal.

The full flight gives the session a sense of completion. Instead of only repeating isolated maneuvers, you get to travel from one selected airport to another. The available details do not state how much of the flight is manually controlled or how much time is spent on each phase, so ask the center if you want a particular balance between takeoffs, landings, and cruising.

Adding a City View Over Hong Kong or Istanbul

You may also request a visual tour over one of several cities, including Hong Kong, Istanbul, and San Francisco. This option shifts the experience from technical practice to sightseeing from the air.

I can see why this would appeal to a first-time participant or a gift recipient. After working through controls and procedures, a city flyover offers an easier way to enjoy the simulator’s visual side. It also gives a child a clear goal beyond learning cockpit terminology.

The city tour is optional, so it may not be part of every session. If you want Hong Kong, Istanbul, or San Francisco, request it when arranging the flight. The provided information does not say how long the tour lasts or whether all three cities are available on every visit.

How Long the Visit Really Takes

The advertised duration is approximately one hour. The more useful detail is that the pilot-seat session itself lasts about 60 minutes, while the briefing and other explanations come before that time.

Plan for roughly 1 hour 45 minutes overall if you want to avoid rushing. That longer visit is not a bad thing. The instruction is part of what gives the experience value, particularly for beginners who need time to understand the controls before taking over.

The one-hour figure can look expensive at first when paired with a price of $142.48 per person. The value improves if you treat it as a private instruction session, not a short amusement ride. You are paying for focused cockpit time, an introduction to aviation, route selection, and guidance through several parts of a flight.

The advertised maximum is one person. That makes the price easier to assess for a serious aviation fan or a special gift, but harder to justify as a group outing. If two people want equal time at the controls, ask the provider how a second booking works. The supplied details do not state that more than one participant can fly during the same reservation.

Who Will Get the Most From This Flight

This suits several kinds of people:

• First-time flyers in a simulator: You receive instructions before operating the aircraft.
• Children with a pilot dream: An eight-year-old has taken part, with Jeroen guiding two flights.
• Aviation students: The cockpit practice can add an enjoyable practical element to formal study, though it is not professional flight training.
• Boeing fans: The focus is specifically on the Boeing 737, not a generic aircraft game.
• Gift buyers: The combination of a private setting, airport choice, and a named destination gives the present a personal angle.
• Couples or families buying for one enthusiast: The one-person limit means the activity is best treated as a gift for the person in the captain’s seat.

I would be more cautious if you want a broad family attraction. The listed format is built around one participant, and the core experience is technical instruction. Friends and relatives may be able to watch or accompany you, but that is not confirmed in the supplied information.

Getting to the Meeting Point in Antwerp

The stated start and end point is Antwerpen Meirbrug, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium. The activity is near public transportation, which makes it easier to reach without a car.

The experience ends at the same meeting point. That simple arrangement helps with planning a city day, since you do not need to arrange a separate pickup or find your way back from another airport or training site.

Still, check the precise entrance instructions before you go. One published account describes arriving at the stated location, finding that the door code did not work, and receiving no response by phone or message. That is a serious warning because the activity has a fixed meeting point and a scheduled start.

I would contact Antwerp Flight Simulation Center shortly before the appointment and save the confirmation details on your phone. If the access instructions seem unclear, resolve that before leaving for Meirbrug. This is especially important when traveling to Antwerp for the experience or giving it as a Christmas or birthday present.

Weather, Cancellations, and Booking Timing

Confirmation is received when you book, and free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the local start time. A cancellation inside that 24-hour window is not refundable, and changes during that period are not accepted.

The activity also carries a good-weather requirement. If poor weather causes cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund. The simulator itself is indoors, so this condition may seem unusual, but it is part of the stated booking terms and should be understood before you pay.

The experience is booked, on average, 25 days ahead. That does not guarantee every date fills early, but it is a useful planning clue. If you are arranging this around a birthday, Christmas, or a fixed Antwerp visit, booking several weeks ahead is sensible.

The Biggest Strengths and the Main Concern

The strongest part is the combination of instruction and control. You are not simply shown a simulated flight. You learn the cockpit, take the controls, practice key phases, and choose where to fly.

The second strength is the instructor’s apparent patience. Jeroen has worked with a young child and an aviation student, two very different needs. That matters because the right pace can make or break a simulator session. A beginner needs plain explanations, while an aviation student may want more detail.

The main concern is reliability at the venue. A poor access experience has been documented, including a nonworking code and no answer from the provider. I would not ignore that point. Verify the meeting instructions, phone contact, and exact entrance before committing to a nonrefundable trip inside the 24-hour window.

The rating information is limited, with an overall score of 4.2 from five ratings. That is encouraging but not a large sample. I would put more weight on the specific details: the 60 minutes of cockpit time, the extra briefing, the route choice, and the need to confirm the location.

Should You Book the Boeing 737 Simulator?

Book it if you want hands-on cockpit time, a private one-person activity, and the freedom to choose your own airports. It is a particularly good fit for an aspiring pilot, an aviation student, or someone who would rather receive an unusual experience than another object.

At $142.48, it is not a casual drop-in attraction. The price makes the most sense when you value the full teaching session, not only the time spent moving the controls. Expect about an hour in the seat and potentially 1 hour 45 minutes at the center.

I would book only after confirming the meeting point and access instructions directly with Antwerp Flight Simulation Center. If the provider confirms everything clearly, the simulator offers a focused and memorable hour in the captain’s seat. If you cannot get a reliable answer before booking, wait. The flight itself may be appealing, but reaching the cockpit is the first test.

FAQ

Where does the flight simulator experience start?

It starts at Antwerpen Meirbrug, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium.

Where does the activity end?

The activity ends back at the meeting point.

How long does the simulator experience last?

The listed duration is approximately one hour. The 60 minutes refers to time in the pilot seat and does not include the initial instructions or additional flight explanations.

How much total time should I allow?

One visit lasted about 1 hour 45 minutes in total, including the briefing and other details about flying the Boeing 737.

How many people can participate?

The advertised maximum is one person, and the activity is private for the participating group.

Do beginners receive instructions?

Yes. You learn aviation basics, the Boeing 737 cockpit, and the aircraft controls before flying.

Can I choose the airports?

Yes. You can choose a departure airport and an arrival airport from thousands of virtual airports around the world.

What parts of the flight can I practice?

The session includes takeoff and landing practice, as well as a full flight from a selected airport to a chosen destination.

Can I request a city tour?

Yes. An optional visual tour may be available over Hong Kong, Istanbul, or San Francisco.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the local start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the experience are not accepted for a refund. If poor weather causes the activity to be canceled, you are offered another date or a full refund.