Price drags down 'lightweight' flight simulator

(Credit: Dreamflyer)

These days, "lightweight" and "compact" aren't adjectives commonly used to describe game simulators, especially if you're shopping for one at FAO Schwarz with a budget in the neighborhood of $300,000. But those are ostensibly among the selling points for the "Dreamflyer," which is being marketed as a relatively uncomplicated system--a characteristic that certainly bucks current trends.

The simulator is supposedly more sensitive to player controls than other systems, responding to "pilot-induced roll and pitch oscillation" captured by sensors under the chair and displayed on the screen, according to Pocket-Lint. There's one aspect of the Dreamflyer, however, that's decidedly not lightweight: the cost.

The system, which is advertised as bearing "a price the armchair pilot can afford," reportedly goes for about $3,000. We had no idea that armchair pilots lived so high on the hog.

[mmiernik]

DreamFlyer is impressive

And yes, depending on a mod you're interested in, the rig starts at $2,800. Some of your CNET guys took it for a ride last week at CES and seemed to enjoy it. You too should dump yourself in it for some friendly, carpet-bombing action.

Cheers,
-mm