Take a Virtual Ride in Kyle Fowler’s Long-EZ

July 29, 2021 – Kyle Fowler, EAA 1272650, the owner and pilot of Go EZ Aerobatics, is offering AirVenture attendees the chance to experience flight in his Long-EZ through the power of a virtual flight simulator.

“When Ben from Sim Your Plane approached me about this, I thought it was a really good idea,” Kyle said. “This is just amazing. This is a really good idea for getting kids into aviation, or flight training for pilots who haven’t flown in a while.”

The simulator, built by Sim Your Plane on top of X-Plane 11, was customized for Kyle’s aircraft so you can actually fly the simulator using the Long-EZ’s controls.

“Sim Your Plane built this to put this into the plane to convert the plane into the controls for the simulator,” Kyle said. “That simulator is brand new, and we just installed it in the plane. We weren’t too sure how we were going to do it or how people were going to like it, but the kids absolutely love it, and the pilots are amazed by how realistic it is.”

This EAA staffer had the opportunity to try it, and I have to say, WOW, is it ever realistic! I felt totally connected to the aircraft in every maneuver I performed. Kyle said the benefit of the simulator being so realistic is that it gives kids an idea of what it is like to fly a real aircraft.

“I’ve had a couple kids who have said I want to be a pilot when I grow up,” Kyle said. “Our jobs as air show performers is to inspire and motivate people. The flight sim is a really great example of aviation technology.”

The sim also features a Garmin G1000 instrument panel.

“I love the G1000 on the flight sim. I mean, in that flight sim, it is 100 percent realistic,” Kyle said. “You can use your hands, and you can go in and you can flight plan and click on all the buttons, and it’s very realistic. You can take off out of Oshkosh, go flight plan to Appleton, punch it all in, and it will do everything for you.”

“I love what I do. I love air shows — it’s a huge passion of mine — and I feel that this is a great way to connect to the new generation,” Kyle said. “It’s getting more and more difficult, and the best way to get through the gate is through video games nowadays, and this is essentially a video game in their eyes. They don’t want to get out of the plane. That’s the only time you see a sad look on their face.”

You can experience flying in Kyle’s Long-EZ when you visit his aircraft, parked on the side of the IAC building by Boeing Plaza.