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78 reviews for Flightdeck Air Combat Center
Review Highlights
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78 reviews in English
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Review from Grecia M.
Anaheim, CA
Absolutely amazing customer service!
Great employees!
They treated my dad as a superstar and I could not be more thankful, you guys rock! -
Review from Hillary K.
Burbank, CA
This was a lot of fun for the boy & I (I will say if I paid full price I'd give it 4 stars as it's pretty pricey).
You get a bit of training, a jumpsuit and you're then put in your own cockpit.
It's a bit tricky but the dogfighting was fun (and hard!!) but you will have a good time :)
Wish I could've nailed the landings though :(
There were 10 people in the 'class' and half were women so the whole 'wives/girlfriends can watch in the waiting area' (Thanks AJ R.) can jump off a bridge!
The girls did pretty good too, pats on the backs for all the chicas in this group!! -
Review from AJ R.
Los Angeles, CA
this was a blast!
My wife bought me a coupon for this and I went down on a weekend that I had free. They put you in a flight suit, give you a rundown of flying 101 and put you up in the cockpit of an F-16!
The wives/girlfriends can even sit in the waiting area that is filled with the screens of the action (including audio....).
Super fun.... perfect for a bachelor party or just a group wanting to go do something fun and a little different. -
Review from Scott H.
Orange, CA
Friendly staff. Lots of fun!
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Review from daniel p.
Brea, CA
Great place! I really enjoyed my one hour here. I got the $29 deal from yelp, and went with my girlfriend. We kept crashing but had a blast. now i feel big headed and anytime i hear someone tell me they played a video game, i'll laugh.
If i could change anything it would be to have them move the jets a little to get that motion feeling, but overall great place! -
Review from Laura S.
Took the fiancé here for a date night! I got a great deal from yelp. $29! Instead of the $65.
We came in and checked in and we came when they were telling the stats of the other people's 'flight'. They stressed landing is hard. So after this class was done...
We suited up and prepared for our 10 minute class. My jumpsuit was huge. When we took photos, it looked like I was WAY overweight. I was sad. I wish I knew I didn't look cute in it... haha... yes... I think about that. I'm a girl. But the cool thing is that the jumpsuit was so big, I could had been a flying squirrel! Awesome.
Anyways, we sat down for the class and got a a flight stick to practice shooting and missiles. He explained everything basic.
* What everything was
* Altitude, Speed reader
* How to fly up
* How to turn
* How to shoot
* How to land
* How to not die (by crashing)
It was SO much information. I wish I had a notepad to write it all down. Yes... I'm one of THOSE students. I wanted stuff to review. I hate not knowing step by step and having a review card. Yes... the nerd in me.
So it was a quick process and we went to out planes. We were assigned the planes and my fiance was on my team. He was my Goose... or Maverick. Whichever works because we weren't in the same plane tho. But same team!
So we got into our individual planes and put on our headsets. I felt like I was playing a video game in a big giant plane - basically I was. The seats were comfy and I saw the gears and everything. They had us do a practice run and I took off smoothly. My hands were all clammy.
The great thing was that the head guy could talk to us and give us instructions. Thank goodness. We could ask him questions and the people in the other planes couldn't hear, so they couldn't hear my cries of "What do I do? What do I do?"
And yes, I asked the question that my fiance made fun of me... I asked where the horizon line was. My fiance said where the land and air meet... I MEANT THE LINE ON THE SCREEN (there were multiple lines and I wanted to be sure I was following the correct line to spin. I KNOW what a horizon is :P
Anyways... we pressed the grey button to communicate with your partner and control. Control was helpful and helped me land a kill... even tho I'm a pacifist. :D I only had one kill the whole time because I was busy just enjoying flying.
My hand was becoming tired from moving the joystick (control) around. It's heavy to move. I'm not weak... I just kept moving around trying to avoid being killed. They had us dog fight each other. I got killed twice... 308... I know it was you... So then I started to just fly away.
My fiance had a great time. He's the type to try to kill as many people as possible... in the game. Geez, I'm not in love with a crazy man. He's really a calm guy.
Anyways... it was fun. If you get killed, you just automatically get back in the air. It's not like when you are killed - that's it. No... you get to do it again! It was fun.
Landing - we get to have two attempts. My objective was just not to die. The first time I tried landing, I missed the landing and flew away (Abort)... second time, I was ejected from my plane... I forgot why. I didn't crash into anything.
At the end, we get our stats from the commander and he goes over it. No one in our group crashed and landing is hard.
It was REALLY fun. I liked it a lot because that's really how it's like in the air in a plane... I probably would never know because I'm not in the military and I'm afraid of heights. I rather fly in a simulation than in real life, thank you.
NOTES:
* Kinda hard to find. It looks like a regular work building, so look for FLIGHTDECK around the curve of the street.
* Plenty of parking
* Make sure to do reservations
* Pee beforehand
* Photo ops allowed
HOW TO FLY:
- When you get to speeds of 170-180, pull nose up.
HOW TO ACTIVATE MISSILES:
- click grey button (on right hand) left and then UP (to find a target) - once target says SHOOT, then hit red button to shoot!
HOW TO LAND:
- Speed of 200-250, aim for landing strip brown/black dot part
IMPROVEMENTS:
* I wish they would teach us how to better find your target because I would find my target but they were miles away from me (too far to shoot)... so I wish we had a better review of that.
WISH LIST:
* Since command center could hear the conversations between me and my fiance... I wish I prepared for him and I to do quotes from Top Gun.... That would had been AWESOME! The command control probably heard it all... but that'd be FUNNY!
PLEASE SOMEONE DO THIS!
Iceman: You two really are cowboys.
Maverick: What's your problem, Kazanski?
Iceman: You're everyone's problem. That's because every time you go up in the air, you're unsafe. I don't like you because you're dangerous.
Maverick: That's right! Ice... man. I am dangerous.
And then sing "you've lost that Loving feeling"Listed in: Fun Dates!
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Review from Michael S.
Thousand Oaks, CA
I'm a gamer and I thought this place was really fun. I did the Fox 1 (I think) and it covers the basics of the controls, how to land, how to take off, and how to shoot. It's cool because they get you suited up in pilot jump suits and make you feel like you are about to fly.
THE ACTION
You start by taking off, then get about 5 minutes to get the feel of things. Then you get started in a all out dog fight, every man for themself for about 35 min (+/-)! You get two chances to land.
I would definitely do this again. I did this with the Yelp deal so easily worth $29. I'm thinking about going back to do the more advanced classes to learn more and do the missions in those classes (air to air fights, air to ground fights, navigation, airport taxing, etc. -
Review from Gabriel G.
Placentia, CA
I had so much fun, time just flys haha. If you do this, for goodness sakes conserve you missiles. The missile button was super sensitive so I shot some off alot by mistake and I would fire them when I didn't really have a good lock on enemy planes...bad idea. If you run out of missiles just crash or something because you get infinite lives and it's hard to shoot down planes with your machine guns.
I also want to mention that the cockpits they put you in look super real. I felt like Tom Cruise. -
Review from Steve S.
San Bernardino, CA
Awesome Awesome Experience!!!
Great bunch of guys !!! -
Review from Ken H.
Trabuco Canyon, CA
Totally had a great time with the family! I will be back!
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Review from Lisa S.
I didn't realize the staff would be composed of real pilots. That was pretty cool. They were all super knowledgeable and helpful, and they also kept challenging us to dog fight them with guns only. Yeah, right.
There's a lot to remember, but above all, watch your altitude. I spent the first half of our flight time WAAAAAAAAY up in the air going toward outer space without even realizing it. I couldn't figure out why my missiles wouldn't shoot and kill anyone. It wasn't until like fifteen or twenty minutes later that I glanced at the "pilot' next to me and saw his altitude was 40,000 lower than mine. Whoops!
Once I got down, things were more fun, since I started killing people. I wound up with the second to lowest score, because I was out of the fighting area for so long. Sucks. However, I got the second best landing rating, so that's cool. At least I can bring the plane back down to earth if I had to.
I feel like this is something you have to do a lot to really enjoy it, but the price bars me from doing so. -
Review from Melissa P.
Huntington Beach, CA
I gave this to my husband as a gift and he went with a friend. They had the best time! Training first, then over an hour of flight time. He loved every minute of it and has been telling everyone about it since. I highly recommend Flightdeck Air Combat Center!
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Review from Paul K.
Very fun F-16 simulator game, for your first time you get to take off once, dogfight for 20 mins or so (lots of fun) and practice landings a few times. There's a lot to learn, but they get you going with a quick 20 min briefing, and give you an easy first time (i.e. unlimited fuel, unlimited cannon, etc). To really learn it, you definitely have to go back but I think it's something I would enjoy again and get better at.
Rumor has it they are building a full-hydraulic 737 simulator- if that's the case, will definitely be back! -
Review from Nancy T.
I took my boyfriend here as a surprise for his birthday...and boy, did he love it! I was super proud of my choice because as soon as we got off the freeway, he excitedly saw the Flightdeck Air Combat Center building and wondered just what exactly I had in store for him! Welps, this place really delivered!!!
The fighter jet simulator looks very real and is enclosed, just like a real airplane! They gave my b/f a suit to wear and did a brief training, which took about 30 minutes. Afterwards, all 8 pilots got situated in their jets. The entire room is dim and each pilot has a huuuuge projector screen in front of them. It was super cool for me because I got to watch what each pilot was seeing from the viewing room and would see if someone got shot or crashed.
According to my boyfriend, the only thing he would have changed would have been the fighter jet simulator because it did not actually move when you crashed or anything of the sort, but I'm sure that kind of wear and tear would make the equipment difficult to maintain!
The staff here is very friendly and helpful. I am thankful for such a positive experience and would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys gaming, competition, and who dreams of being a pilot! It was the perfect gift for my b/f...especially since I actually worked on making the real F-16!!! :) -
Review from Colleen L.
West Los Angeles, CA
Top Gun dream vs. reality. At one point in my life, I took leftover vacation money and spent it on ground school. I realized how mathematically challenged I was during that class and abandoned that dream, well sort of.
I thought this would be the next best thing, a F16 fighter jet simulator. An indoor adventure with giant video screens. Got here early, just like at the airport. Listened to the lecture on how to work the controls. Suited up in the jumpsuit. I was confident I would get my plane off the ground and up in the air, although I was a bit fearful of the landings.
Then I heard "206, your microphone button is constantly depressed". Um, yes, I admit I wanted full communication with the control tower! Then I asked, "how come I am in the dark?" The reply I got "206, you have reached outer space, are you planning to become a satellite, look at your altitude! You may want to return to earth and join the dogfight!"
I did manage to stick 1 landing, crashed once in the ocean (heard the bubbles as I went down) as I missed the aircraft carrier. Overall trying this out increased my understanding and respect for pilots everywhere.
My friend said that doing this is sort of counterintuitive to driving a car. Instead of pressing your right foot on the accelerator, you use your left hand to give the plane gas and momentum. Which is different even than driving a boat, of which the control of gas rests in your right hand!
At the end rest assuredly I will not be landing anytime soon at an airport near you! Let alone on an aircraft carrier in the dark.
This was a fun experience, perhaps once in my lifetime. My advice is to LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY on how to work those controls during the lecture.Listed in: Impress the guests
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Review from Alexander G.
Irvine, CA
Awesome experience. I've heard so much about this place and I'm very glad I finally took the time to pay a visit.
The staff here was great - friendly, helpful, and funny. Everything from the property to the simulators to the flight-suits we donned was clean and in great condition. We sat through a short class and then jumped into one of the "airplanes." Then, it was off to the races, so to speak.
At the end of the simulation you sit down for a "debriefing" where you are shown the points awarded for the afternoon - needless to say, I was one of the high-scorers bwahaha. In all seriousness, though, it was all great fun and my Little Brother and I had a terrific time. -
Review from Maurice B.
Fullerton, CA
If your a gamer, you most likely wont be very impressed as you can play the same game on your PS3. If your not a gamer it will be an awesome experience for you. I had fun but really wished the cockpit replica actually moved with the aircraft. Hell, you can one or two combat games that move and Dave and Busters! Overall experience was good. Yes I plan on returning.
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Review from John B.
Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA
This is the second time we have been to Flightdeck. Previous flight experience is helpful but not required. The staff is very helpful and supportive. The simulators are easy to fly but realistic enough to give you a thrill. Where else can you take a F-16 for a spin? This is a must do for anyone who wants to go Mach 1, fly upside down and shoot down a bad guy. Can't wait to go again!
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Review from won k.
Huntington Beach, CA
My husband loved this...I purchased 2 certificates from Yelp Deals for his birthday present, and he and his buddy got back saying they wanted to purchase a year pass LOL. I guess that means it's a "highly recommend". He did say that it's hard the first time because there are so many different buttons and switches...I think the next time he goes back he will enjoy it even more because he'll be familiar with all of that.
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Review from suzanne s.
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
It was awesome! Staff was great! A great experience!
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Review from vern f.
Torrance, CA
Took my Dad here for his birthday. Great place! The training session was good, not too long and we were in the cockpits in no time. The dogfight session was plenty long to have fun and really feel like you got the hang of it. The instructors are knowledgable and friendly too. The yelp deal was good, but at full price it's worth it too! Definitely recommend to others who enjoy simulators
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Review from ellen h.
Yorba Linda, CA
Bought this for my son and husband to spend some quality time together. They had a great time! Simulation deck was realistic staff were friendly and very informative. Because of so much screen movements, my son felt a bit nauseous after...I guess a bit of motion sickness.
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Review from Dennis K.
Encino, CA
Great staff, and a fun experience! :)
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Review from Vanessa T.
Rosemead, CA
Bought my friend a groupon here and boy did i earn extra brownie points!!.
He loved it!! it was an amazing experience for him. and he couldnt stop talking about it and how "cool' the experience was , the whole way home.
The facility is clean, the staff are super friendly, knowlegable and helpful.
The overall experince is approx. 2 hours long, 20-30 mins of briefing and then they get to dress up in their "topgun" outfit, climb into their cockpit and just pretend they are fighter pilot for a good hour.
They also have a "widow and orphan" waiting room for people like me who was just waiting around for the players to finish playing. I bought my 2 lil girls with me and we just waited in the waiting room, ( staff didnt seem to mind at all that there were two rowdy lil girls jumping all over the room) we also get to watch the actual screen of what each players are looking at. I think my friend got shot down several times and he couldnt even land correctly but its all good... I think i'll wait for another deal to come up and i 'll definately take him back. Maybe this time i'll join in the fun... -
Review from Ryan G.
Long Beach, CA
Truly amazing experience with lifelong memories created amoungst your friends. The staff....AMAZING. Comedic, patient, friendly, and all seem to Love their jobs. Going back ASAP.
The 20 minute briefing is quick, so you must listen up. Don't expect to be an expert after your first run....give it some time and you'll pick up on it. -
Review from Donald S.
"Golden Badger 01 is cleared for takeoff, vertical departure approved"..."roger, Golden Badger 01 is rolling".
Brakes off, zone five selected.
"V1"..."Rotate"..."V2"
I pulled the nose of my trusty F-16 Falcon (Block 52) into a vertical climb and rolled out into an 8g left 'burner turn at 10,000 feet to engage all the targets showing on my radar, selected AIM 9 Sidewinders and listened for the telltale "growl" as the heat-seeking missiles locked up their targets.
"Fox 1"..."Fox 2"...I watched as the missiles left the rails and moments later, as two puffs of black smoke marked the end of two of my adversaries!
And just as quickly saw "WARN" pop up on my heads up display (HUD) just before all the avionics went silent as I began to spin in.
I pulled on the Martin Baker ejection seat handle...but nothing happened...I watched through the bubble canopy as the ground rushed to meet my crippled fighter!
The next thing I knew, I was flying straight and level...450 kt's at 9,000 AGL, headed straight for the furball again!
And that is the charm of FlightDeck!
The scenario above repeated multiple times throughout our 90-minute session at FlightDeck, complete with:
* Trash talk ("was that a "niner", 06...or are you using a walkie talkie to talk to me?"..."I think I just put a Sidewinder up your pooper, 03...and no, that's not a euphemism")
* Action (I am a confirmed quadruple ace, with 20 "kills"...of course, I was shot down more than a few times, myself)
* Entertainment and even a little bit of skill (I am happy to say that I even made two successful carrier landings...simulated, sure, but good 3 wire traps, nevertheless).
My son, Zach, was visiting for the weekend with his lovely wife Sarah and our adorable granddaughter TJ!
Since Carin wanted quality time with her granddaughter, Zach and I thought we would head out for a little lunch and some manly entertainment!
That means a couple of things in our world...burgers and beer and either go-kart racing or jet fighter simulators.
After burgers and beer at Slater's (the beer actually makes you a better pilot), FlightDeck turned out to be a great spot to go full "Maverick"...you know "turn & burn", "splash 1", "mayday, mayday" and all that.
We had a great time...my kid is a natural born pilot!
The next time I go, they'll even give me my choice of planes to "fly"...F-18's, F-14's (the "Top Gun" fighter), even Russian MIG 29's and SU 27's...fun stuff!
Sure, I know that the simulation isn't anywhere close to flying the real thing...one of my good friends is a retired Marine Corps F-18 driver and the stories he tells!
Suffice it to say that a night landing on a carrier in the middle of the ocean is frightening enough to cause about 50% of the pilots performing the feat for the first time to lose control of their bladders.
My hat is off to the women and men that do this (and really, perform any other service in the military)...I can't even imagine what it's really like!
That said, FlightDeck is a fun place to indulge your inner Maverick...go ahead, request permission to buzz the tower, Ghostrider!
But if you find that Golden Badger 01 is on your "6", you might as well just go ahead and eject now.Listed in: The Leisure Class
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Review from Peter W.
Phoenix, AZ
I've always been a in love with fighters since I was a kid with the help of "Topgun" and "The Final Countdown" been playing around with model planes all the way to computer sims to be apart of the action.
When I heard about this place, I knew I had to visit it and pay some respects. I was in town for some business, and though I didn't make a reservation early, I called last minute and they were very friendly to get me in.
I have to say, from walking into the facility to sitting into the mock cockpit, the feeling and immersion that the staff at flightdeck provide is so awesome. The price paid for the immersion and the feeling of being a fighter pilot is well worth the money and time spent here.
The program started sitting in briefing for basic controls of the aircraft and the weapons used on the plane during the simulation.
Let me let you guys in on a secret and some truth about the "video game" you think you are "playing"... first of all... Don't let the reviews here fool you.. this is far from a video game... its based off of a VERY well built simulation that over the years have been well polished.. even by todays standards, this simulation still holds the bar, and have not been surpassed. it is the most realistic thing you can get your hands on... but for Flightdecks uses, they turn it down so even people who are not crazy Jet nuts can enjoy!! So no, it isn't a video game...
My favorite part is walking up to the Mock F-16 cockpit and going up the ladder with the canopy come down!!! I fly sims at home, but the immersion of sitting inside a mock cockpit adds realism by ten folds... we spent time time here and there practice air combat maneuvers, dog fights, and landings were included into flying the jet in the simulation.
During my hop, the instructors and the ATC were very cool, The folks I flew with were all strangers, we all had fun, but I felt bad, because I think I crashed their party of four....and then I outgunned all of them that day....
Flightline is my kinda place, as a jet junkie, and a proud American. I think it is a place people should go to pay respects to our uniform men and women, as I believe though its a fun away to enjoy our time; but also it provides a small glimpse into what discipline and dedication the men and women in uniform has to keep us safe!!!
I wish this place stay to do well and stay in business forever; simulations are a dying breed now a days... with a place like this, kids can get to know about simulations and keep this interest alive!
I will be back next time in the LA area... for sure.
Peter "KIDD" Wong, -
Review from Katrina M.
Los Angeles, CA
I bought two Groupons for my husband and I to go out here. It is a total of 3 hours in drivetime so I would have to clear out a day to go. Unfortunately, I never was able to do it and I am heading out of the country soon, so I called them and asked if we could extend the Groupon. The lady answering the phone was quite a little snot with attitude. I continued the conversation hoping to make it a win-win for everyone by offering to bring 4 more people and I was cut off for her to tell me, "Sorry, we just sold so many that we can't possibly honor yours too!". In other words, my business was in the toilet, I went onto Groupon to spark interest and sold a ton. I am not looking for anymore business or repeat customers! If they had honored it, what if I loved it, came on here and told everyone. Told all my clients and their staff.....etc.......it is called doing good business.
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Review from Michelle A.
Los Angeles, CA
This is a really fun experience! I gave this as a gift to my husband for his birthday and he loved it! I highly recommend it. Great staff and top notch experience.
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Review from Gabe P.
Aliso Viejo, CA
We got a Yelp deal for half the price and we gave it a try, after hearing about it from friends. They are all pilots and they know what they are doing, great feeling getting to "fly" dressed in an uniform and all, if you are into this it's worth the full price. Even if it's a fix cockpit the screen is big (not HD tho) and it gives you the sensation that you are moving and turning and it makes you a little dizzy at the beginning. If this is your first time doing this it's going to take you a while to get used to it and learn what you need to do. Landing is really hard, even real pilots crashed the first few times, so don't have high expectations, you have to come back and train more. They are going to open a full-motion 737 cockpit with 180 degrees view, I'm going back for that one soon.
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Review from Jeremy S.
Moorpark, CA
I drove all the way from Thousand Oaks as a christmas gift to my brother, and couldn't be happier with the experience. The place gets busy FAST so plan accordingly so you don't lose your seat. Can't wait for the Viper-1 experience!
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Review from tom n.
Placentia, CA
This was one of the coolest things I have reviewed. My wife got me a great Groupon package so I have been looking forward to it. The staff were great, extremely friendly, helpful, and complete professional.
They really go out of their way to make sure you have a great experience. They will hold your hand through the process even if you are not a gamer. I have no gaming or flying experience and they were very informative...I had the most points and kills (9) and the only GUN kill in our group. It was great. -
Review from Audrey K.
Anaheim, CA
I took a couple of friends with me as their Christmas gift and they seemed to have enjoyed it. I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if people didn't kill me every 2 seconds in the dog fight! GRRR! So, honestly, it was a 3-star experience for me but I added the extra star because my friends liked it and in the end that's all that really mattered to me... Good times with good friends and good memories. Overall, it was fun and a great experience. =)
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Review from Theresa B.
Long Beach, CA
What a fun experience and great staff. I highly recommend this for anyone that ever wanted to fly a F-16 fighter jet! The best part- I didn't die! Al beat me in points but missed his last landing on the aircraft carrier! Opps! Loved the flight suits too!
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Review from Nancy A.
Irvine, CA
The staff and activities are wonderful! The staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. Their initial training period helped a lot to maneuver once the simulations began. Provided lots of great entertainment and challenge dog fighting one another!
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Review from Don D.
Anaheim, CA
This place is a great experience and should definitely be experienced by anyone who has an interest in flying. It may take the first timer a bit to get acclimated to controlling the simulator plane but it's really no time at all until you're off and running. They offer a lot of time in the planes which is helpful to get a handle on controls and the communication in your ear with helpful hints is great. I definitely recommend this experience.
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Review from IVONNE G.
Norwalk, CA
This was a birthday gift for my husband and he loved it.
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Review from brenda H.
Whittier, CA
My son & Husband had a great experience. My 12 yr old was soooo excited that he begged to do it again. Guess what he got for xmas. They will be visiting once again very soon!!
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Review from Tammie B.
Tustin, CA
My husband, son and two of his friends had a blast!!! It was the second time my son had gone, the first time for everyone else. They can't wait to return! The cockpits were great and realistic.
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Review from Michelle S.
Irvine, CA
My sons had an amazing time trying this! Since neither want to become fighter pilots, this was a great way to experience something new.
