A P40 Kittyhawk Aircraft simulator in action. Full motion flight simulators will soon land at the Temora Aviation Museum, giving more people an opportunity to explore the sky, Photo: Supplied.
The Temora Aviation Museum (TAM) has embarked on a half-million-dollar aircraft simulator project to increase visitation.
TAM deputy CEO Peter Harper said the $550,000 simulator project is an exciting prospect for the museum and the whole of Temora.
“We believe that we will be the only museum in Australia that will be able to offer a full motion simulator experience to the visitors who come through our door,” Mr Harper said.
The museum has entered an agreement with American company Red Bird and purchased three full-motion aircraft simulators – a p40 Kittyhawk, P51 Mustang and Spitfire.
The simulators will be customised and themed to some historic aircraft in the museum’s collections.
“The simulators are full motion and will be the closest thing most of us will get to flying these iconic aircraft,” Mr Harper said.
“Part of the project includes a specially designed wheelchair ramp and lift allowing access to the simulators. The simulators allow for complete control and a modified demonstration flight.
“This experience will be heavily discounted to make it affordable for visitors.”
The aviation museum received a $438,110 grant from the NSW Government’s Regional Tourism Activation Fund, which will go towards the installation of the three simulators.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said the simulators would ensure the aviation museum remained an iconic tourism destination in Riverina.
“It’s fantastic to be able to provide unique tourist attractions that aren’t on offer anywhere else in Australia,” Ms Cooke said.
“The experience will include a pre-flight briefing, similar to combat flights in World War Two. From there, people will take to the sky in a fully immersive experience where they will feel the turns and bumps of an actual flight.
P51 Mustang Aircraft simulator. The full-motion flight simulators at the Temora Aviation Museum will make Temora the only destination in Australia with this type of attraction. Photo: Supplied.
In addition to the simulator experience, the museum will also be rolling out a self-guided audio tour.
“The tour will allow museum visitors to immerse themselves in our history of ex-military aircraft through this fantastic multimedia technology,” Mr Harper said.
“It will offer a new and different interactive experience.
“The self-guided audio tour is offered as a complimentary add-on to the existing admission price and does not replace our wonderful volunteer tour guides.”
P 51 aircraft simulator. The $550,000 simulator project is set to increase visitation to the aviation museum. Photo: Supplied.
Mr Harper said both the projects had been made possible through the state government’s Regional Tourism Activation Fund and a significant co-contribution from the Museum.
“We are excited to embark on both of these projects and look forward to presenting them to our visitors in early 2023,” he said.
“Flying the aircraft is always important, but we also must focus on what the museum looks like.
“We’re trying to make the experience for our visitors as exciting and interactive as possible, and the simulators and self-guided audio tours will go a long way towards it.”
The simulators are set to arrive by December and be ready for launch in early 2023.
Mr Harper said he was always looking at ways to improve and reinvigorate the museum and was currently at the early conceptual stage of offering quality food and beverage experiences.
“We’re already a fantastic attraction where people are generally blown away by the experience,” Mr Harper said.
“We feel if we can offer a food quality food and beverage as part of the museum experience, it will attract a different type of visitor.
“People are happy to jump in the car and travel an hour and a half for lunch.”
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