Simulated flight over McCarran a roller-coaster ride

I walked in with the swagger of Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, the cocky Navy pilot played by Tom Cruise in the 1986 blockbuster “Top Gun.”

Behind the controls, I was more like Ted Striker, the nerve-wracked, traumatized pilot played by Robert Hays from the 1980 comedy classic “Airplane!”

Luckily, the doomed flight was on a simulator inside Allegiant Air’s training center in southwest Las Vegas. The folks at Allegiant were kind enough to let me try my hand at flying an Airbus A320 during a tour of the 17,500-square-foot facility.

The simulator is an enclosed white pod powered by a hydraulic system that moves with every turn and dip made by pilots. The system is capable of replicating any weather condition at every airport in the world, said Jude Bricker, Allegiant’s chief operating officer.

A few curve balls are often tossed into the training, including engine failure, unusually strong winds and birds striking the aircraft.

“We like to simulate all the expected things a pilot will go through, and some experiences they may never go through,” Bricker said. “We want them to be ready.”

Allegiant pilots typically spend four hours inside a simulator, followed by a 90-minute debriefing. My flight lasted a wild 15 minutes over McCarran International Airport.

The plane’s wheels are controlled by the pilot’s feet. Tap the left pedal to veer left. Turn right by tapping the right pedal. Simple enough, right?

Under my control, the plane swerved back and forth along the virtual runway and nearly went off course a couple of times. Everyone onboard could feel the jerking motions — and that was before we took off.

Luckily, no one needed a little white bag.

Fihmi Rossman, Allegiant’s Airbus A320 fleet manager, provided a reassuring and calming voice as my co-pilot.

“Keep walking her down the centerline with your pedals. Don’t be afraid,” Rossman instructed while stifling a laugh. “Nice and easy. Nice and slow.”

I placed my hand on the throttle and pulled back, perhaps a bit too much. The Strip quickly fell away from view as the plane made a steep climb into an overcast sky. To my left, I grabbed a joystick similar to one used for video game systems and pushed forward. The valley’s desert landscape opened onto the massive screen in front of me.

After a few twitchy turns and circles over the airport, it was time to land. Thankfully, the landing was smooth as the jetliner touched down on the runway, gently rolling to a stop.

“See, it’s easy,” Rossman said. “You should be a pilot.”

I’m sure he says that to all the visitors. It was fun, but I’ll leave the real flying to the professionals.

FLASHING LIGHTS

Has anyone else noticed some blinking red and blue lights on top of crosswalk signs and traffic signals across the valley? Dawn from Las Vegas spotted those lights at a couple of intersections along Lake Mead Boulevard, and wanted to know what it meant.

The lights are part of a security camera system installed by the Metropolitan Police Department, aimed at keeping an eye on several neighborhoods, Las Vegas spokeswoman Margaret Kurtz said.

“The lights are meant to attract attention to the cameras as an added deterrent to crime,” Kurtz said.

PIECE OF ROAD HISTORY

The grizzled old miner depicted on “Welcome to Nevada” signs at the state’s borders will retire in 2017 after more than 20 years of service. And there’s a way you can welcome him into your home.

The Nevada Transportation Department is holding a free raffle, allowing residents a chance to get one of the four obsolete highway signs. Just before the Nevada Day holiday weekend, a winner will be randomly selected from each region — northwest, northeast, southwest and southeast, department officials said.

The raffle comes as state officials prepare to post a series of new “welcome signs” along highways and roads headed into Nevada, designed by graphic arts students in high schools statewide.

“Typically we recycle old signs, but there has been an unexpected flood of interest in acquiring them,” Transportation Department spokesman Tony Illia said. “Ultimately, we decided a raffle was the best and fairest way to dispose of them.”

Only one raffle entry is allowed per resident, and you must be willing to sign a waiver stating you won’t do anything illegal with the sign.

Enter the raffle by calling 775-888-7000 or visiting nevadadot.com. Entries can also be made by sending a direct message through the department’s social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter.

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